Thinking of thanking...

The run up to Thanksgiving has had me doing a lot of thinking, as cliche as it is, about what I'm thankful for and it's no short list.  I thought I'd share some of my thankful thoughts here.  Forgive me if I get a little sappy.

1.  I'm thankful for my health and fitness.  While I've been on a mission to lose the pounds over the past few years with some success, the thing my little weight loss adventure has given me most is a healthier, more fit body.  While I still can't just get up and run a 10K without a little training, at least not well, I feel great most of the time and am happy that I can be active and healthy (knock on wood!).  Now if I could just lose that last 10 pounds!

Call this my "before" photo, taken Christmas 2005

And my "after" photo, taken on by 27th birthday

2.  I'm thankful for stable employment.  I say that with no smugness or superiority.  It has broken my heart to watch so many of the people I love wonder where the next paycheck will come from.  I am thankful that as a government employee I don't have to worry about the ups and downs of employment in the private sector.  That's not to say I'm immune, but I have a bit more security.  And it makes me all the luckier and more grateful for stability in a job that, most days, I love.  I'm also thankful for my family's stable employment.  As a govie, Ben enjoys a similar stability.  My parents jobs also have unique elements that have protected them.

3.  I'm thankful for the memories.  I know it's sounds campy, but one of the things I am most glad of is that I've been able to travel to be part of all the special moments in the lives of the people I love.  Weddings, new babies, visits just for fun.  I'm so glad I've (we've) been able to do these things and I have the pics to prove it! (Pics below, just a handful of the memories I'm so thankful I was able to share in!)

Alyce and Dave's Wedding (Clarkston, MI, May 2005)

Scott and Shannon's Wedding (Pinckney, MI, July 2007)

Teresa and Nick's Wedding (Chicago, Oct 2007)

Most of the gang at G and Chuck's Wedding (Farmington Hills, MI, July 2008)

The ladies at Boxy's bach party (Detroit, MI, June 2009)

Missy and Bowers Wedding (West Bloomfield, MI, July 2009)

Boxy and Nick's Wedding (Ann Arbor, MI, Aug 2008)

 

And Dan and Erin and Jen and James, I didn't forget your wonderful weddings, I just don't have pics!

4.  I'm thankful for Ben.  Even after six years he still makes me laugh every day and even surprises me from time to time.  He's the first person I want to tell...everything.  He's always the brightest spot in my day.  I could go on, but we'd be risking some serious sappiness.

5.  And last, but certainly not least, I'm thankful for family and friends.  I am blessed with a wonderful family that even across the miles is there for me unconditionally and with friends of whom I can say the same.  As we get older and we spread further and further from one another, yet we still make time to be together, I realize how lucky I am to have incredible friends and now the incredible husbands, wives and children that come with them.  I can't wait to see how our friendships grow and change as the years pass.

My wee baby brother and me

Alyce, Dave, Ben and I in Avranches, France

The college gang meets Michelle and Gustavo!

Cole and I at Caribbean Breeze

Lots of DC friends all together to celebrate Nicole's birthday

At Teresa's Bachelorette Party

In VA Beach with some of my favorite people

And finally, an oldie but a goodie...if only Jomo were in this pic it would be perfect

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!