Thankful

As Thanksgiving approaches it's easy to start thinking about all the things you are thankful for, well easy for me. I'm thankful for my family, my beautiful daughter who brings laughter, love and adventure to my life. My husband, who supports us, is patient, kind, and willing to be silly to make his girls laugh. My parents, who are always there when I need them and provide such comfort and shelter and wisdom. I'm thankful to live in a place that I finally feel is a home. We've made a life here with friends, clubs, activities. We know our way around, we now where to feed ducks, where the best slide is at the best playground, where to find the cutest hair ribbons and cheapest used kid's books. I feel like we belong and I haven't felt that way in a very long time. Actually it's been a long time since we've lived somewhere that I thought I might actually want to stay, for most of my adult life it's either not been an option or not an option I wanted. This is different and I hope we can stay. I'm thankful for seeing and learning new things through my daughter's eyes every day and have the excuse to come up with something new to do and see instead of sleeping in and watching TV all day. Though some days I'd be really thankful for that too. Today we went to a playground with a group of wonderful Mommies and their babies and then to a duck pond. Later we'll make some home-made Christmas presents and decorations. Laylah may not remember making them but when she'd older she'll take them out of storage that first week of December and be proud knowing she helped make them when she was little, maybe even show them to her babies one day, that makes me smile. I love this time of year and I hope I make it special enough that she loves it too. I'm also turning 31, which is a little daunting, another year farther away from my twenties. But, in another way it gets me excited. This year we'll have another baby, I've decided. 31 is a good age to try again and Laylah would be three when the baby is born. That way if we want more after we'd still have time. So I'm thankful that this year brings so much joy, so much excitement, some challenges, but so much love. I feel like finally things are falling into place the way they should be, the way I've dreamed of, and I can't ask for more than that. Thanks, thanks, thanks!