30 Days of Thanks

In honor of November and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I thought it might be nice to recognize it this entire month. Every day this month I'd like to talk about at least one thing I am thankful for. Remember, this list is in no particular order, just what I feel thankful for at that given moment. I promise to keep this light-hearted and fun, while serious. I hope each of you takes an opportunity to at least think about what you're thankful for this holiday season.

1. I am not only thankful for the opportunity to shower today, even though it was at 5:00 this afternoon, but I am also thankful for my health. It is something we often overlook and maybe even take for granted.
2. My home and the shelter it provides. We have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this home and will continue to do so as we give it the TLC needed and upgrades we desire. I love our house and am so thankful for it!
3. The two men in my life. My husband has always made me feel like a lucky woman. He's the one person who truly gets me, grounds me and makes me a better person. Now I have two men in my life that I'm absolutely in love with. The birth of our son has made me love my husband that much more. I can't wait to watch our little man grow.
 

4. A little less deep, but still relevant - today I am super thankful of the ease of our stroller. It turns on a dime and folds up and down with one hand. With the numerous errands Joey and I ran today, I was super thankful for it!
5. Our family. Both Joe and I are lucky to have such wonderful families that love us. We are so lucky to have these people in our lives. From great parents, to siblings, to grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and so much more. We feel the love from so many and are so thankful for it.
6. I am so thankful for Joe's days off work. It seems we spend so much more time together in general now that I am on maternity leave, but I truly cherish the days we are able to spend off work together - no matter how many (or few) there truly are.
7. I am truly thankful for happy baby days. Joey loves his sleep and when he gets a good night's sleep, it really is a wonderful day for both of us. He's so happy and fun and everything is exciting to him. It's such a pleasure to watch. We have had a struggle here and there getting him to stay asleep. Last night was the first of hopefully many little victories and for that, this mama is grateful.
8. Today I am thankful for the Internet. To not only put my thoughts and words out there, but to help with the long restless nights and sometimes boring afternoons. With out this tool and distraction, I'm not sure what I would do some days.
9. I am thankful my husband is a "do-er." He has done so much work around the house and on our vehicles it amazes me. If he doesn't know how to do something, he's on the phone with his dad trying to figure it out or looking it up online. He has learned how to do so much and will at least give something a try before hiring it out. He has saved us so much money - and who wouldn't love that.
10. Today I am thankful for our day as a family. We spent a wonderful day together, just the 3 of us. Going to brunch, shopping and spending the day talking, laughing and just being a family. What a blessing!
11. In honor of Veteran's Day, today I am thankful for those who sacrifice so much to serve our country.
12. I am thankful for my clean house. It's so clean and smells so good. Makes me smile.
13. I am thankful for Skype. We are lucky enough to be able to talk to and see family and friends that live so far away. This helps us stay in better touch with the lives of our loved ones because visits aren't always possible.
14. For never having felt the pain of hunger. Joe and I have been pleased with enough food to keep us full and for that, I am truly grateful.
15. I am thankful for every morning that I wake up. Life is precious and I am grateful for each day that I am here.
16. My fur babies! They were our kids before Joey arrived and will always be our kiddos. We love all four of them.

Bailey & Jack

Sam & Abby
17. Our friends are an extension of our family. While most of our friends live so far away and it's sometimes a challenge to connect, we love you all dearly and don't know what we would do without you.
18. I love our vehicles. They are old, have high mileage and have needed their fair share of repairs, but I love them and am thankful we have 2 dependable vehicles.
19. I am thankful for the relationship we each have with our in-laws. Joe gets along with my parents beautifully and I adore Joe's parents. We couldn't ask for better in-laws and are truly grateful for that.
20. Today I am thankful for breathable bumpers. Joey never really slept well on his back and we decided to stop fighting with him and let him sleep on his stomach. With this change, we changed his crib bumpers out with the mesh breathable kind to protect him when he roots around.
21. My Infantino carrier. I don't know what I would do without this thing. It makes it so I can drag Joey all over the place and he is super content, falls asleep most of the time.

22. Not everyone is lucky enough to say this - I am thankful Joe and I have jobs and are able to support ourselves.
23. I am thankful for sleep. Joey went 7 hours between feedings last night, sleeping for the majority of that time. It feels good to sleep for longer than 2-3 hours at a time, something I used to take for granted.
24. Today I am thankful I get to start traditions with Joey on his first Thanksgiving Day.
25. I am thankful for holiday weekends. From family time to football to lounging on the couch.
26. I am thankful that my maternity leave has been around the holidays. I am able to take care of picking up Christmas gifts at a time when the stores aren't quite as crowded.
27. I am thankful that I am able to ease back to work. One more full week off, then two weeks of part-time work before I go back full-time. The last 9 weeks have flown by!
28. I am thankful for the relationship I have with my mother. We can tell each other anything and talk frequently. I value her opinion and advice and have leaned on her a lot over the past few months.
29. DVR has been a saving grace during maternity leave. I have been able to watch various TV programs during all hours of the night and this has saved me from poking my eyes out and pulling my hair out.
30. One of the most treasured items for baby - our Summer video monitor. I don't know what I would do without this. To be able to see what Joey is up to from our bed or from downstairs while in the middle of cooking, it has been a complete life saver and provided so much peace of mind.