Last year we posted a few things we were thankful for and since ’tis the season to be thankful, we’re at it again.
Vanessa
5. My job. I am so grateful for my job with IDEA Public Schools. There are days when I am exhausted and days when I feel like I’m doing a terrible job, but at the end of all days (good and bad) I am grateful to work for such an incredible organization that is making such a great impact. Growing up, college wasn’t really an option, so I didn’t quite comprehend how large the achievement gap was until I joined IDEA. The past year has truly humbled me and opened my eyes to how valuable an education is and I’m thankful to be part of such an amazing movement. I’m also thankful we have this week off…I love my job but a recharge was overdue.
4. My friends and family. This year has been rough between traveling and other things and I am so grateful to have a “favorites” list full of people I can call at any hour of any day to simply talk or vent to about life’s happenings. This also goes for my co-worker family, I am so grateful to have met like-minded people who understand my workaholism and hyper frantic phone calls about anything and everything. I’m grateful for Matt and his unending patience with me. Not many men would be comfortable with a woman traveling as much as I do and gladly take the front seat of this whole parenting thing Monday through Friday. I know that at the end of the day Matt truly wants me to be happy and that makes him the greatest friend of all.
3. The basics. I’m thankful for the basics: house, car, food and clothes. As much as I hate our stupid apartment in Austin, I’m thankful to have a roof over my head. As much as I complain about my gas guzzlin’ SUV, I’m thankful to have a vehicle that takes me where I need to be. As much as I complain about the weight I’ve gained and how my “fat jeans” are just jeans now, I’m thankful because that means I do not go without a meal (ever). And well, I think we’re all lucky that I have clothes so you don’t have to see said weight gained body without them ha.
2.Books and music. There is nothing like a great song to take any day from craptastic to fantastic and the same goes for a good book. I’m thankful for Spotify. The last several months I have spent hundreds (maybe a slight exaggeration but at least a couple hundred) of hours in the car and if it weren’t for my favorites list with everything from Glee to The Lumineers to David Bowie, I think I’d need therapy. I’m also thankful for the wonderful contributing writers to some of my favorite publications like Huffington Post, The Atlantic, Thought Catalog and, my guiltiest pleasure, DListed.
1. Sweet Caroline. I’m thankful my daughter has unconditional love for me and she doesn’t understand how much time I spend away from her. I’m thankful for her growing mind and body and that she is healthy and wise. I’m thankful for her natural sense of humor that keeps me laughing and smiling. I’m thankful that no matter what mistakes I make, all that matters to her is that we end the night with a glass of milk and a bedtime story. I’m incredibly thankful for her growing imagination that affords me the opportunity to catch up on emails and trashy TV when I’m home. Overall, I’m just thankful that I have a beautiful, healthy and loving little girl that reminds me every day that all you need is love, hugs and kisses.
Allison
5. VMware: I’m pretty sure the company my husband works for was on my top 5 list last year too and it still remains there. Sure my husband has accomplished so much on his own and the company doesn’t make the man, but the company sure as hell pays the bills and affords me the opportunity to be a stay at home mom and for that, THANK YOU VMWARE!
4. My Sister, Lisa: I hate to single out only one family member, but I just have to! My sister and her family made Austin their second home to Houston this summer and she decided to move into my neighborhood. Yes, having her so close definitely has its perks (like a free babysitter), but it’s so much more than that. It’s the days she comes over to hang out before heading to the bus stop to wait for her kids, the opportunities we have for family dinners, my niece and nephew frolicking in our backyard with Lincoln (who lights up when he sees the kids), our Monday Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor Pad nights, and the chance we have to be living SO close… we won’t have this forever so I relish in it while I’ve got it and am so beyond thankful for my sis!
3. Health: I know, so boring; however, I am so grateful for health in so many forms. I had a dear friend who lost her niece earlier this year (Vanessa and I blogged about baby Olivia’s story, here) and it just made me so thankful and grateful for what I do have…and that’s my son. I squeezed and rocked Lincoln extra long and hard after Olivia’s passing. I realized then that many parents have completely different hurdles in life and mine are honestly, nothing. Just the fact that I get to sing “You Are My Sunshine” to Lincoln every night before bed is a blessing in itself. I also suffered from a pregnancy loss last November and was beginning to feel like growing our family was going to be an uphill battle, but then thankfully, we were blessed yet again and are expecting Baby Boy #2 in March. Health is good.
2. My Husband, Wesley: Marriage and parenthood just keeps on getting better for us. I seriously can’t imagine a more perfect person to spend my life with. I feel so incredibly lucky and thankful that one, I met Wesley two, he stuck by my side and three, that he’s given me the greatest gift of all… motherhood. He’s a heck of a person, the coolest uncle, an amazing husband, and a spectacular father. I’m genuinely in love with this man and am beyond thankful for his unconditional love, support, humor, whit, dominance {eh sometimes it’s a little too much :)}, and his ability to put me at complete ease. He {think Jerry McGuire}…. completes…. me! Seriously though, he’s my best friend.
1. My Sunshine, Lincoln: Oh my little Lincoln. I was looking back at his first two Thanksgivings and it’s incredible how much he has changed. Everyone always says that kids grow up in a blink and I never really understood…until now. This little dude keeps me on my toes, has taught me patience {still kind of working on this one}, understanding, all about cars, planes, and trains, and has shown me the most unimaginable love I have ever felt. Even when he wakes up an hour earlier than normal and it’s still dark outside, I can’t help but grin from ear to ear at his spunky, bright eyed and bushy tailed attitude. He’s never met a stranger, will talk your ear off {I’m not always sure what about}, and genuinely loves life. This is my last Thanksgiving for Lincoln to be the sole apple of my eye so I will dote on him for as long as possible. Lincoln has given my life an entirely different meaning and purpose and for that, I am THE MOST THANKFUL.
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
