Thankful

One of my absolute favorite things about Thanksgiving is that it's a holiday dedicated to the practice of giving thanks.  We try and practice giving thanks in our household daily because we really do believe that it's good medicine but when Thanksgiving rolls around every year I love carving out time to sit and reflect on all of the things I have to be thankful for.  Here are the 17 things that I am thankful for in 2017.

1. Faith 

My faith has grown in huge ways as a result of our move to Texas and my new role as a full-time mommy.  The journey hasn't always been easy, but experiencing the unchanging goodness of God up close and personal has been such a gift.  

2. Shawn

My list of all of the specific things I am thankful for about Shawn is very long.  He's incredibly handy around the house, he takes great care of my vehicle, he is unbelievably diligent about keeping our kitchen clean and he's never once complained about sharing in any of our household responsibilities.  Beyond that, he respects my boundaries, eats all of the new recipes I throw his way and wakes up with Nicole whenever he doesn't have to work so that I can sleep in.  He also happens to be a man of great character and deep faith.  He's the best! 

3. Nicole

I have wanted to be a mom my entire life and having that long-term dream fulfilled in Nicole's birth two years ago has been unbelievable.  I'm convinced that there is no easy road to being an intentional parent, but no matter how hard the journey gets, I'm so thankful that I get to call Nicole my own.

4. Our new van

100% of our traveling feels easier now that we have a van.  Nicole's carseat has a permanent home, I can easily load Nicole's stroller into the back of the van and the driver seat easily adjusts so that both Shawn and I can trade off driving various places with ease.  It's probably our best purchase of the year.  

5. Our summer in Wisconsin 

Not only did we escape the majority of the unrelenting Texas heat, we had a great time with our family.  It was a unique opportunity and one that all of us will remember forever.  

6. Our neighbors 

When our current house came on the market, Shawn and I both immediately thought, "that's our house".  We weren't together at the time but we both shared the same initial reaction and the same hope and enthusiasm.  As it turns out, there are a lot of reasons to second-guess purchasing a house sight-unseen but it only took 10 days of actually living here to start seeing God's hand behind it all.  Our neighbors are hands-down the best part of our current house.   We are surrounded by some really great people.  

7. Our church

Finding a church we could regularly attend was one of our top priorities when we moved.  It didn't take long for us to walk through the doors of our church and settle right in.    It's a place of belonging, service and learning for us.   It's been a wonderful place to call home.  

8. MOPS 

MOPS is good for me on so many levels.  I get to connect with other moms about things unique to this season of life on a regular basis, Nicole gets to connect with teachers who love her and be around same-age peers, plus the breakfast they serve is always super yummy :).  

9. Amazon

More specifically amazon prime.  It is the reason we have shampoo in our showers and Christmas gifts to exchange.  

10. My cooking class 

It's been really fun for me to gather with a handful of faithful women every so often and introduce them to new food and new cooking techniques.  It's also been a tangible way for me to keep my own cooking simple and accessible.  

11. The library 

Our library is tiny but amazing.  We know all of the staff there by name and they are always quick to extend kindness towards us.  Since it's indoors, it literally felt like a safe shelter that I could bring Nicole to when we first moved and I was trying to navigate the Texas heat.  Our relationships have grown and deepened over this past year (and so has the number of books we've read!) and I will always consider the library to be one of our best "spots" in the area.    

12. FaceTime

FaceTime keeps our family connected when Shawn travels and allows us to sit face-to-face with so many other loved ones as well.   

13. Hand-me-downs 

Thanks to the generosity of some of our friends here, we have only had to buy a handful of clothing items for Nicole since we moved.  Some people have let us use their baby and toddler clothes, other people have gifted us their hand-me-downs.  In both scenarios, Nicole has had exactly what she needs and I feel blessed by it every single time I get her dressed in the morning.  

14. Aldi 

Something that I've been learning about myself is I really love small establishments.   Our Aldi is very small but every asile feels familiar and every employee feels like my friend.  Not to mention, their food is super affordable which means that we always eat well.  

15. Audio books

I would have only been able to read a fraction of the books I "read" this year if it weren't for audio books.  I really hope there is a day when Nicole will want to listen to audio books with me in the van, but until that day comes, I am very thankful that I can listen to books while I do chores during the quiet of nap time.  

16. Focus on the Family 

I can think of no better resource for marriage or parenting and I have absolutely loved learning from their daily broadcasts on both topics.  

17. Our house

The longer I live in this house, the more I love it.  I have even adjusted to doing laundry in my garage and occasionally killing a cockroach in the bathroom.  We have enough space to be comfortable but not so much space that the house is unmanageable.  I'd also like to add that hiring a pest control company has gone a very long way in keeping me sane and willing to stay in Texas :).

What are you thankful for this year?
Have a wonderful holiday tomorrow!
Love,
Erica