Giving Thanks

Last year, a student challenged me to find 100 things to be thankful for. This year, I am challenging myself, because sometimes everyone needs to take some time to reflect on the many blessings in life.

I am thankful for (in no particular order):
1. Finding the love of my life and sharing my universe with him
2. The other love of my life, Leah Joy Fasse, and for the privilege of being her mother
3. The fact that as I sit here and think of how very blessed I am, I can feel my little baby girl having a dance party inside of me
4.  My girls will be sisters! This is a dream come true.
5.  A roof over my head and a lovely place to call home in a safe, beautiful town
6. The most supportive, loving, fun parents I could have asked for
7.  Christmas music
8.  The warm snuggle feeling of the holidays
9.  My God Children- Emmy, Isabella, and Tyler
10. Flowers
11. Taco Bell quesadillas- my craving of the moment
12.  The friends I found in college- the truest friends I have ever, and probably will ever, know
13.  My students, past and present
14.  Leah's rockin dance moves
15.  The fact that my children have all their "cousins" to grow up with in our family of friends
16. Scarves
17.  Clean water to drink- nothing to take for granted in today's world!
18. Democracy
19. Concerts in the summer time
20.  My Nana, watching over us in heaven
21. Hand me downs from my incredible "sister in law", Beth!
22. A career that I truly do love
23. Dancing with my family in the kitchen after dinner just about every night
24. The most incredible in laws
25.  Greeting cards
26. Good hair days
27.  Weddings!
28.  Our sweet (yet annoying) cat, Maisy
29. The Beatles, Coldplay, Chicago, Genesis, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, and so many other fab musicians
30.  A (lot of) college education
31. Snow- just the look of it, not the driving 
32.  The fact that morning sickness does not last forever  :)
33. Watching my daughter and her daddy giggle together
34.  Vacations
35. My camera
36.  Cozy socks
37.  FuzziBunz cloth diapers
38.  Freedom
39.  Lake Ellyn
40.  My crazy, hilarious brother
41. Chocolate!
42. Wine and vodka- I miss you both!!!
43. Working in a safe, healthy environment
44. He deserves another shout out- my husband is just incredible, and I am so thankful for all he does for our family
45. AWESOME babysitters in our parents!
46.  Everything I inherited from my INCREDIBLE mother, even the not so great stuff
47.  Squeezy pouches for kids
48. Licking the spoon
49. Yummy smelling candles
50. Laughter that makes your belly hurt
51. Parties that are so fun you never want them to end
52. Ultrasounds so I can peek at my baby girl
53.  The girls on my board- 4 years later, and we are all still friends
54. Days off from school
55. Walgreens
56.  Having a loving, kind, patient woman to watch our precious daughter
57. Q Tips (that one is for you, Jenni)
58.  My Dad's second to none sarcasm
59. Country Music
60. Ceiling fans
61.  My two oldest friends, Molly and Heather
62.  The fact that our second child is healthy and due in a few months
63. Shutterfly!!!
64. Memories
65. The support of my 2 best friends
66.  Faith
67.  Inspiring people
68.  Hugs from people I love
69. Sleeping in every once in awhile
70.  Amazon.com
71. Pizza
72. The hand made blanket my Gram made for my children Long before she passed, and long before my kids were even thoughts
73.  Awesome neighbors!
74. The girls in my department at work
75. Fertility medication
76.  26 first cousins, 6 second cousins, 4 cousins in law and a whole lot of other farther related cousins!
77.  Flippy cup
78.  My blessing bracelet
79. Hair ties
80. The smell of a new baby
81. Christmas lights!!
82.  The glorious DVR- who watches TV without it?
83. Our almost done basement/playroom
84.  The sacrifices and time my dad gives to help us with anything we need, as much as we need
85. Leah's dimples
86.  My Godmother, Aunt Judie
87.  Homegoods
88. Prayer
89. Downtown Glen Ellyn
90. Cheese
91. The fact that my little love has slept through the night for a LONG time
92. Small businesses
93.  our nice snuggly king sized bed
94. All the priceless videos we have taken of Leah
95.  Comfy pants
96.  Starbuck's vanilla lattes
97.  Etsy
98.  Being able to put the people I love FIRST in my life
99.  Unconditional love
100.  The gift of life itself


Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone. I hope you are all surrounded by the ones that make you feel thankful this season. I know it sounds cheesy and dumb, but isn't that what life is FOR?  Enjoy!!!