Giving Thanks

So many things to be thankful for this year! For starters, there is Adrianne. Beautiful, intelligent, sweet, angelic Adrianne. She is so literally perfect in every way. I know every parent says that about their child but...seriously. If I had an actual chance to change something about her, anything at all, I would be completely at a loss. There is nothing about Adrianne that I would change, ever.

Then there is Michael. My stubborn, handsome, can't-get-enough-of-his-company Michael. He taught me how to value myself as a person and transitioned my life into the perfect thing it is today. I can never seem to feel satisfied with the amount of time I can devote to being with him. But I love it.

I am thankful for my whole family, really. Especially my mother, who couldn't possibly be a better mama if she tried. She spoils me, even though I am grown and out of the nest, finally building a nest of my own. I am thankful for a huge family (that has doubled in size since Michael and I got together) that has been nothing but completely supportive of me as I have begun raising my family in a slightly less than traditional fashion. And I am thankful that my baby girl has two beautiful cousins that she already gets along with so well.

I am thankful for my home, even though I know it is temporary, this little apartment of ours. It is perfect for us for right now and we really got lucky when we found it. It was a steal, really. Not to mention our wonderful landlords. I hope they know how much we appreciate how hospitable they are.

I am thankful for two easy, enjoyable pregnancies and for the ability to bring my first baby quite naturally into the world. I can only hope my second baby arrives just as easily as the first.

Speaking of which, I am thankful for the gift of modern medicine, without which things could have gotten very ugly for me very soon after Adrianne was born.

I am thankful for the changing seasons. They keep me on my toes and remind me always that time is swiftly passing me by. They also help me to appreciate every little moment, every shift in temperatures, the colors, the smells.

Finally, since I am getting very sleepy as I sit here and type this, I am thankful for peaceful moments. Times when I can change into my "big" girl clothes in the comfort of my own home and sit on my couch, maybe put my feet up and just relax. Times when my darling girl can get practically nakie and run around with a cheese stick in her hand in her bathrobe, even though outside temperatures are freezing. Times when it just feels good to be alive and that we might just be existing in our own little bubble, where time is stopped and all is perfect, at least for a little while.