Well, as we near Thanksgiving, I figure I won't have a whole lot of time to sit down and really reflect on all that I am thankful for and actually put it in writing. So, I'll spend this fabulous Friday evening doing it as I sit here with my darling husband watching Seinfeld and Duck Dynasty with a fire in the fireplace.
Obviously, this year pretty much tops the rest of my 27 years of life in terms of blessings. So here is my abundance of thanks to give.
* being a stay-at-home mom. I haven't worked since we moved up here. And, that's been a blessing on it's own. I've been able to follow Christian around the world and travel to see my family as much as I wanted. But, I never really thought I'd want to be a stay-at-home mom. Now, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I have some rough days when Max drives me a little crazy but I absolutely love being able to care for him and be the one that sees every little thing he does every day. It's such a blessing.
* where we live. As ready as I am to move back down south, we are so lucky to be renting our house in the town we live. Moorestown is such a cute little area of New Jersey and it's super convenient. We're 10 minutes outside of Philly and have all the luxuries of surburbia along with the quaint Main Street shops and restaurants. It's a great town that makes you feel like you've stepped back in time about 40 years when you see all the kids playing outside. If we were going to stay in the northeast, this is definitely the place to be. But, it's wicked expensive here (the main reason we're renting).
* military benefits. Being a military dependent has it's definite perks. The main perk is the unbelievable health care that we are blessed with as a family. Christian, Max and I are all covered 100% for any healthcare costs. It's insane. My labor and delivery came out to about $25,000. And, that was an uncomplicated birth. I was in the hospital for three days and it cost $25,000. New Jersey has the highest labor and delivery costs in the country. Guess what I paid out of that $25,000.... $52. Yes, only fifty-two dollars. So thankful. And, I've never paid a single bill for any of Max's visits (even though I take him any time I even think he might be sick). As a military wife, I put up with my fair share of crappy deals but man, this one is such a blessing.
* the way my mom & dad raised me. The older I get the more and more thankful I am for the way I was raised. I was raised with manners and etiquette. I was raised to be thankful for what I have. I was raised to respect my elders and not to be shy. I am so thankful that even though my parents divorced when I was very young, I never once saw them exchange harsh words with one another. They are what co-parenting is all about. I have awesome parents.
* facebook. Ok, maybe I'm addicted. But, being so far away from all of my friends and family really sucks. And, frankly, Facebook makes me feel a little more connected to everyone. It really helps! So, before anyone judges someone else for being on Facebook all the time or posting 8,000 things per day, give them a break. Maybe they're a little lonely. ((guilty)) :)
* being southern. I'll admit, three years ago, I was so excited to move to the northeast and get out of the south. For one reason or another, I started to have a somewhat negative feeling about the south and I was ready for a new adventure and new culture. Well, now I've had a taste of another culture and region of this country and now more than ever, I miss the south. I am so grateful for my true southern roots. And my family's roots are strong and deep in the south.
* this one may be a bit "out there" for some of y'all but oh well. I am so thankful that I have stayed committed to breastfeeding Max. It has been one of the (if not THE) best decisions I've made as a momma. I admittedly hated it in the beginning for a few months but I never really had a good enough reason to quit... as much as I wanted to. Now, Max will be nine months on Monday and I'm proud to say we're still going strong. It's definitely a crazy commitment and it's still exhausting sometimes but it's worth it, in my humble opinion. And, to add on to this one, I have to say that I'm so thankful for my cousin, Ali, for being my support system! I have called her (and still call her) about a zillion times with random questions about nursing and she is always more than willing to answer. If it wasn't for her, and my great, supportive husband, I probably wouldn't have stuck it out.
* speaking of my husband... :). Christian is my rock. He is my best friend and the love of my life. He drives me bat-shit crazy sometimes, too. That's what a healthy marriage is all about, right? haha We are goofy as hell around each other and I am most comfortable in life when I'm with him. I'm so proud of him as a man, husband, military service member and most importantly, father. He has blown me away with the love he has for Max and their relationship gets stronger by the day. Just recently, Christian has started putting Max to bed at night. Max is the sweetest and most loving as he's going to sleep. So, last week, after Christian put him to bed for the first time, he came downstairs with tears in his eyes (of course acting like he didn't have tears in his eyes) and said "that was awesome". Uh, yeah, my heart melted. And, MY eyes are tearing up as I type this. And, he's been putting him down every night since. :) I love that man so much.
* and of course, my Max. Holy moly how this little boy has changed my world. (ok, I'm tearing up again) A year and a half ago, I saw the word "pregnant" on that little test and knew my life was changed forever. I never knew just how much it would change though. When Max was born, I struggled with postpartum depression and it sucked. It sucked really bad and I never want to experience anything like that ever again in my life. But, things got better and Max and I finally built that bond that everyone talks about. And, man, that bond that I have with my little guy is mind blowing now. He brings so much joy and bliss to my life. Watching him learn new things every day is absolutely amazing. He has changed me and made me realize what is important in life and taught me that sometimes you just have to let go and let things happen as they may. Que sera, sera. I'm so proud of how smart he is. Just yesterday, he said his second "word" (baba). Today, I sat down with him and we rolled his ping pong ball (one of his favorite things) back and forth between us. Then, when it rolled under the tv cabinet, he crawled over and crouched down trying to get it from underneath. So cute and so smart. When we're outside and he hears birds singing, he stops and makes his little "hey, what's that" noise. His favorite book is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See". It's the only one that he'll sit still for. Oh, man, I could go on and on. But, being a mom is by far the most important thing I've ever done in my life. Nothing has ever and will ever compare to that. No job, test, or material possession can EVER live up to the feeling of being a mom. Nothing. Max is my biggest accomplishment and blessing and I am so thankful that I am able to spend every day with him. To say "I love him" doesn't even begin to capture what I feel for my baby boy. There are simply no words.
So, this year is certainly a special one for us. I'm thankful that I'll have my husband home for BOTH Thanksgiving AND Christmas this year. Even though he'll be gone most of the time in between the two holidays, it's great that he'll be with us on the important days. :) Also, the cat is out of the bag that Max and I are coming to Pensacola on December 9th! I was trying to keep it a surprise for my mom but I have a big mouth and too much excitement. It slipped. :) So, I'll see y'all in less than a month!!! woohoo!
Happy Thanksgiving, folks! Would love to hear all that y'all are thankful for. :)
xoxo,
Chrissi
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