Gratitude and Thanks

This Thanksgiving it has been a breath of fresh air to see so many turn the internet into a place of gratitude and thanks. Even celebrities turned to the internet and social media to share what they are grateful for.

I’m not always the best at sharing everyday on social media but one of my favorite family traditions on thanksgiving has been to go around the room at dinner and share what we are grateful for most during the year.
Today I’m taking a moment to reflect and share on the past year and the things we’ve been most grateful for.

FAMILY:

There were so many times that I just wished life could slow down. The kids were so busy with school and work and activities that we were always on the go. All of a sudden life came to a screeching halt and I had every moment of every day with them for awhile. It was so precious to have that time but also difficult to see them struggle so much. And as much as I loved them and this time with each other I realized that our family is much, much healthier when we are busy. But I am so grateful for the extra time that we had this year and for all of those family and framily that love and support our family.

WORK:

When things started to open back up I got to see how much the teenagers especially thrived by having a job and working. This year brought a lot of changes for us. My first went off to college and that was hard to let go. Watching my son keep changing schedules from hybrid to online to in person and back to online again. Watching the kids work through emotions of multiple quarantines. Watching how hard my son has worked to play football and be able to have a season. Watching how strong my kids have stayed mentally through multiple quarantines. I'm thankful for work and the appreciation my children have for it.

NEW BEGINNINGS:

This year was a leap of faith for me and I am thankful I took that leap. To hear my husband on Thanksgiving tell the family that he was so thankful to be where we are now was priceless and a testament to how hard we've worked to get our family to where we are now. We have a long ways to go but we are getting there. I am so thankful for new beginnings and blended families.

LOVE:

May it sound cheesy but I am grateful I didn't close my heart off. I really wanted to. It was easier too. But I'm grateful I didn't. I love my husband and his daughter. I am grateful for my stepdaughters mom and stepdad. I am grateful to serve in a position where I can be a support to my husband and his ex. None of us is perfect but we are doing our best to make it work for our families and I appreciate that we are giving each other the ability to adjust and adapt. I think for me, loving my husband and stepdaughter has been the easiest part. I believe a lot of our trials and experiences often prepare us for the next thing. And I've had the opportunity to learn some important lessons from two of my nephews and am grateful those opportunities prepared me for my husband and my stepdaughter to come into my life.

There was so much to be grateful for this year and even though it came with so many trials and so many discouraging days where I wish I could help every family I work with, including my own, I am grateful for so much too.