The holiday season always brings about a wave of reflection, nostalgia, and gratitude. While I firmly believe we should embrace and celebrate gratitude all year long, I can’t help but soak up the spirit of the season. So a quick list for your Sunday afternoon, here are 7 things I’m grateful for…
- My Wonderful Husband – Deployments are hard. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a giant liar. My husband has been gone almost 6 months and through it all, he has been amazing. Small things like emailing me once a day – even if he can only write a few sentences, sending me flowers when things get stressful, and even mailing me handwritten letters made all the difference. He will be home soon and I can’t wait to give him a big ol’ hug.
- Our Faithful Companion – Jax has been such a wonderful addition to our family and has become the best companion. With my husband gone, he certainly has taken on the role of man of the house, investigating every strange noise and protecting me from perceived threats by sitting on my chest. He is a cuddly love who occasionally drives me absolutely bonkers but I couldn’t be more grateful to have him as a part of our life.
- Health – If you follow me on Instagram, you are very aware that I do my best to stay fit and eat well. I try not to take for granted that this is the only body I get for this life and therefore, I should take care of it. Yes, that does mean I occasionally I have a bean and cheese burrito – but happiness is part of health, right?
- Adventures – This year has been full of adventures, including races, Hawaii, and lots of Disney Days. We have been fortunate enough to be in a position to enjoy life to the fullest this year and are thankful to have wonderful friends to enjoy all these adventures with. Speaking of…
- Friends and Family – My husband and I have so much love in our life. I don’t know how we could have gotten through this year without the love and support of our family and friends. From the wedding through helping us plan to move back to Arizona, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the people in our lives.
- San Diego – As our time in San Diego comes to a close, I can’t help but think about how amazing this city has been for us. We have really grown as a couple here, met amazing people, and had phenomenal adventures (I think Hank is still recovering from the All-Star Game). I now fully understand why people love it here so much and this is definitely a love affair that will last a lifetime.
- Being an American – I don’t want to get super heavy for my last one but this is something I’ve thought a lot about lately. Regardless of politics, I’m very grateful this is the country I belong to. As I watch the news, I become painfully aware that I truly am fortunate to be here. Now, don’t get me wrong, “it could be worse” is never an excuse for complacency and I will continue to fight for those things that I believe in. But I’m taking a moment to reflect on the fact that because I’m an American, I have the freedom to believe what I believe and fight for what I think is worthy of a fight. That’s something truly to be thankful for.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday week. Take time to hug your family and friends a little tighter. Remember to shop small businesses on Saturday (have you seen my Etsy shop?) More than anything, be thankful.