Friday Favorites: Grateful

Thanksgiving is next week and I've yet to do a "Thankful" post.  So today you get Friday Favorites full of things I'm thankful for!

1.  I am thankful for my home.
I am thankful to have a lovely home for my children to grow up in and make memories in. I am thankful to have a place to call my own.  I am thankful to have a place to retreat to at the end of the day.  I am thankful for a place we can all feel safe.  I am thankful for my little family that makes this house a home.

2. I am thankful to have grown up in a small town.
If you know me outside of the blogging world, you know that I come from a tiny town in rural NY where the cows may just outnumber the people.  Growing up, I would never have guessed I would be THANKFUL for growing up there.  But living in a small town was truly such a blessing.  Yes, everyone knows your business.  Yes, people talk and gossip.  Yes, 3 other girls in your class have the same shirt as you because JC Penney is the only clothing store within a 25 mile radius.  BUT... when the chips are down and you need help, those same people are there for you, no questions asked, with amazing kindness and generosity.  Those kids that you've gone to school with since kindergarten are more than just your friends, they are your extended family. Small town folk truly come together to help those in need, whether it's through a fundraiser, a spaghetti dinner, a bake sale or manual labor.  Growing up in a small town truly taught me the meaning of community.

3.  I am thankful for my job.
Yes, many days I curse my job.  Many days I come home exhausted and stressed.  Many days I imagine moving to the Bahamas and working as a bartender.  But deep down, I know how fortunate I am to have my job.  This job gives me financial security.  It pays for our home and the little luxuries we have come to take for granted.  It has allowed me the flexibility to work from home once a week, to take time off when needed, to chaperone field trips and attend class parties.

4.  I am thankful for the town I live in.
Here I am at 40, living in another small town.  But unlike my hometown, which I would consider rural small, my current town is suburban small.  So while the town itself is small, there is shopping, food and entertainment very close by!  The town hosts parades, festivals, Christmas tree lightings and fireworks.  We have more than one amazing restaurant and an amazing bakery downtown.  There is a town pool and multiple playgrounds. There's a Farmers Market from May-October on the waterfront.  There's a library with fun kids activities. The town has an amazing youth sports program.  We also love our school.  We love that it is small yet still has so many opportunities and special programs.  We love our son's teachers and all the amazing work the PTO does.  We love that our kids will have a small town upbringing, but big city advantages close by.  We are blessed to have found this place.

5.  I am thankful to be a mother.
Originally I didn't want to be a mom, then after 2 miscarriages I thought I COULDN'T be a mom.  But here I am, a mother of 2 little boys that I love with all my heart. Motherhood has taught me the true meaning of love.  Unconditional love.  The true meaning of sacrifice.  It has taught me how to put another's needs and wants ahead my own and do so freely and without hesitation.  It has also made me truly appreciate and understand my own mother. Her strength, her struggles, her sacrifices. Her never ending love and commitment to give me the best life possible.


There are so many other things I am thankful for, but I think this post is long enough. : )

What are you thankful for?


Linking up with:
Andrea at Momfessionals

The Queen in Between