Warm Fuzzies

Despite having been awake since 4:45 AM, today is one of those days I want to wrap my arms around the world and give it a giant hug. Something about Thanksgiving being right under our noses makes me feel especially grateful (as it should).

When we were in college, Michelle started a tradition that eventually spilled over to all of us. She would write a daily list of all the reasons she was grateful. When I hopped on the gratitude train, Id email it to my loved ones and make sure they all received their due shout-outs. Not only did it serve as a reminder of all the reasons I should be grateful, but it also helped me to stay positive and look for the good things in each and every of my days.

I realize this year that I have so very many reasons to be grateful and wanted to share them with you. Perhaps the spirit of Thanksgiving will reach each of you, and you can make you own lists!

I have two sets of wonderful families to spend the holidays with.

I have my own, from my aunts and uncles who feel more like siblings, cousins and great aunts and uncles, a grandmother who flies in each year just for the occasion, all the babies and little ones in our family and last but certainly not least, my amazing great grandmother- for which I feel especially grateful. How many people my age know their great grandparents? I feel so blessed to be able to spend my holidays with four generations of our family. It is all of these people that help me feel that necessary family tie when my mom is out at sea and cannot be here to celebrate/overeat with.

In addition to all of those wonderful people, I have Dereks family to share the holidays with. His parents, who make me feel as though I have belonged at their table all along, his brother and sister in law who feel more like friends than Derek’s siblings, their precious daughter Macey, all of his cousins, aunts and uncles. As a matter of fact, two of his cousins- Riley and Kelby, are people I consider to be my friends as well.

I have an amazing job that makes me incredibly happy- it pays my bills, keeps a roof over my head, keeps me fed AND its fun. I have found that not everyone can say they love what they do. I finally feel that I have found a job and a place that I truly enjoy being. Each day is filled with both fun and challenging experiences and I have loved every minute of learning the business. It helps that 99% of the people I work with have an equally happy outlook, so we all walk around with really silly looking grins on our faces. Its hard to be in a bad mood, even at our 6:00 or 6:30 AM meetings. The icing on the cake would have to be my boss, Eric. He is so laid back, patient and a very cool lunch buddy-I count my lucky stars twice for him when I think about my job.

My friends. How on earth would any of us survive adulthood without our friends? Not only does it help to have your support system remind you that maybe youre not all that crazy but they also help pass the time between my ups and downs- and they make it fun. I can honestly credit my friends with so many of my accomplishments- not that Ive done anything all that impressive, but it helps to know theyre right behind you,ready to catch you if you fall. It helps to know that if you fail they will still love you and they’ll still be behind you- waiting to lend a hand or a provide good hearty laugh.

I am grateful for my health (which may have something to do with the fact that I am paying out the nose for coverage until my new insurance kicks in from my new job). I found a plan that costs less than the ungodly amount COBRA expects you to pay, but if anything were to happen to me, I would be paying off that ever so high deducible for what I can only guess would be the next 300 years. I feel lucky to feel healthy and strong when I wake up in the morning. Sure, I'm not a morning person but I still get to wake up every morning- that itself is a blessing.

Rest assure I could go on for days about all the reasons I am grateful, but for now- I will leave it at the above reasons.

Be sure to count your blessings as often as you can!