Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for many things. In the interest of time (and saving my thumbs as I am once again phone blogging), here are my top ten:

10. I am thankful that I get to work with caring, thoughtful, intelligent, funny people. At a time when work loads are nearly unbearable and people are trending towards permanent cranky, my job is (albeit hectic) a place of joy for me. I am truly grateful for my colleagues. I get to work with amazing people doing good, helping work that is challenging, interesting and meaningful. If I have to work outside my home there is nowhere I would rather work.

9. I am grateful for domestic technological advances. Yes, I’m talking to you dishwasher, love of my life. Washing machine and dryer, you’re pretty amazing too! Central heating and air… brilliant!

8. I am thankful to have more than enough food. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to send my child to bed hungry. I know so many children out there don’t have enough. This I one of those things I need to be more thankful for on a daily basis.

7. I am thankful for my cat, Bacheecho. He is my little gentleman, and he doesn’t get nearly enough credit these days.

6. I am thankful for my health. I know I complain about not being healthy enough, but I have no chronic diseases, have had no overnight hospital stays. I take how healthy I am and the amazing things my body does for me every day for granted. So thank you to my body, for getting me up, allowing me to dance with my child, drive my car, see the world around me, and live.

5. I am grateful for my friends, new and old. I have so many people who care about me, who fill so many roles in my life. They are inspiring, good hearted, interesting, and they truly enrich my life.

4. I am grateful for Jane Young, my incredible mother-out-law. She is kind, fun, thoughtful, and helpful. She loves my child like her own, listens to me gripe, is there for us any time we need her, and is completely selfless. I also think she raised a pretty great child of her own, but that’s just me.

3. I am thankful for my family. My mom and stepdad, my dad and step mom, my sister. They have each helped shape me into the person I am today. I had a great childhood, rich with love and experience, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

2. I am thankful for my ridiculously crazy awesome country home. I still sit and am awestruck that we own this house, this piece of land. We are so lucky. I never dreamed I’d live in such a beautiful place. I thought owning land was going to be out of my reach. But here I am. I get to look out my front window at this in the morning

And I have an amazing yard for my child with animals, a playground and so much room. It stretches all the way back to those trees.

And the big red barn? Really?! It’s all ours. I am such a lucky woman.

Last, but not least, I am thankful for these two

They are my life, my family, the reason I am here. I am grateful to each of them individually for being such marvelous people, loving me so much, and bringing joy to my heart.

Who knew 9 years ago, when I first started dating this guy Taylor, that this would be where we ended up. With our tiny person with the big personality, in our country home, having weathered some truly heartbreaking times, loving and living life, creating memories, being a family. I am so very blessed. CHEERS!