Sunday, November 28, 2010

A Thankful Heart is a Happy Heart

Thanksgiving is not only a time to spend with family and friends and eat delicious food. It's the time of year where we pause our busy lives and stop and think about what we are truly thankful for.

This past year has been a year of growth for me as a person as well as our family. Last Thanksgiving we were still new in town. Just settling in and just starting to get to know some people who I am happy to this year call my friends. I had just started a new job in September and the kids were settling into their first full year at their new school.

This year has been a whole different story. We've made friends with some of the people who last year we were just starting to get to know. One thing I truly missed when I first moved here was having girl friends to call up to see a movie or grab a cup of coffee with. This year in addition to all my best friends back home who I still talk with often, I have a handful of women who I have gotten to know better over the last year and am thankful to call my friends.

I am thankful the kids have settled into their school here in Maryland well and are excelling in the gifted and talented programs. While I may not agree with everything the school does they seem to be providing challenging work for my kiddos who in turn are doing well.

I am also thankful the kids and hubby have made friends here in Maryland and everyone seems more settled.

I am thankful for my job. I love those two girls a ton and truly enjoying playing and learning with them each day. I am also thankful for the additional income I can bring to our family to help us meet our financial goals. I am thankful my job allows me the flexibility to spend no school days and summer vacations with my own children.

I am thankful for hubby's job. While millions of Americans were laid off this year, including several people at hubby's small company, Nate still has his job, a fact I do not take for granted.

I am thankful for our house and our neighborhood. We may lease not own but our house is adorable and suits our family of 5 perfectly right now. We have fabulous neighbors including several of the kids friends. Our street is a dead end with only six houses so the kids can ride bikes and play out front. We live close enough to the school that the kids can walk every single day. These are all things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my family, both immediate and extended. My kids are wonderful, smart, caring, helpful kids and I really couldn't ask for more. I love you kids! My hubby is also fabulous, my best friend, someone I truly enjoy spending time with and miss when we're apart, he goes out of his way to do nice stuff for me all the time. Each day I am truly thankful that God brought the two of us together to share this life together. I am thankful for our extended families. While some relationships may be close and we talk often, others may not but I still think of all of our family often. A lot of things in life come and go but family is forever.

I am thankful for the ability to travel and pursue hobbies and interests that make me happy. This year we traveled a lot and there are very few things I enjoy more than traveling. I start planning our next trip before we've even left on our next. Running is a love I found this year that I never thought I would have. We've also spent plenty of time outdoors this year, camping, hiking, rafting, all things I am thankful for.

So everyone, what are you thankful for?

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