Give Thanks

We are right in the midst of the holiday season and I think it is worthwhile to take from another blogger's idea and reflect on things for which I am thankful.  Often, when infertility takes over your life, you dwell on the things that you do not have and the things that make you unhappy, so I will attempt to do the opposite today.

1.  I am incredibly thankful for my wonderful husband.  As much as he can sometimes drive me crazy, he is the perfect match for me and I can't imagine life with anyone else.

2.  I am thankful for my pets.  My cats and dogs bring so much joy into my life and it truly makes a difference everyday that someone is that excited to see me every time I walk through the door.

3.  I truly have the best family in the world.  Even though my mom and dad have been apart since I was an infant, they are perfect complements to each other and I can't imagine my life any other way.  I also have two fantastic aunts on my mom's side that are like two more moms.  My mom also had a brother who was a huge presence in my life (literally and figuratively - he was 6'8" and his personality was larger than life) and even though he died at 44, I am grateful everyday that he was in my life and I think about him everyday.

4.  I am thankful for my job.  It's not perfect and I really have to count every penny, but the teachers that I work with are kind and supportive, the kids are great and the job itself is flexible and rewarding.  I never believed that I was meant for life in a cubicle, so I am very grateful for where I am.

5.  I love our little house, particularly when it is decorated for Christmas.  Maybe I don't have a big, fenced-in yard, maybe my house is almost 100 years old and only has one bathroom, but all of things give it the charm that C and I loved when we bought it.  We have a big, beautiful kitchen, a library in the back of the house, a finished basement, and we save a ton of money by sharing a wall with our neighbors.  So what if it's not the sprawling new construction house on former open space?  My house has history and it is in the middle of a community where my family has lived for nearly 150 years.