Day 6

Today is Election Day. I've voted in every major election since I turned 18. It was the first big girl thing I did after turning 18. I registered the day I turned 18. I don't smoke so going out and being able to buy cigs wasn't a fancy fun thing to do. But voting, that right there just always sparked something in me. Being able to participate in a decision that was so much bigger than myself. Over the years I've voted for some great presidents and other offices that were up for election at the time. I remember watching the John Kerry & Bush debates. I hated John Kerry with every fiber of my being. I remember being so glad I had a right to vote that year. Unlike most people I loved (and still do) George W. Bush. Something about him was relatable. He seemed human. He made mistakes and didn't speak perfectly. His past was a little sketchy. He had faults. Just like the rest of America. The current president and his opponent.....I personally don't like either of them. This time voting was a challenge. Trying to pick the lesser of the two evils was a hard decision. I like and dislike different things about each of them. Regardless of my lack of enthusiasm for the candidates today, I'm thankful I had the right to vote. I'm thankful to have been able to get up and get out there to my polling place and let my vote count. I know as a woman, that right isn't one we've always had. It's important that we use those rights when we have the opportunity. So today I'm so very thankful that I have the right to go and vote for our nations leader. It's is something most people don't take very seriously and a lot of people take for granted.

Day 4 & 5

Today I'm going to play catch up. Talent broke out in hives yesterday and was sick so I missed a day. He seems better today so I'm going to try and get caught up on this today.

I'd like to say I'm thankful for my Mom & Daddy. Together they raised me to be a hardworking and gracious individual. They both taught me different things. Dad taught me how to fix stuff, solder, install light fixtures, and what all the tools were in his garage. Mom taught me how to bake, sew(even though I suck at it), be a great mom, and be a nurturer.

I love my parents. They are wonderful people. They have given me all of the tools I needed to be a good parent. All the things I needed to know what to do and how to raise my own child. I couldn't have asked for better examples to follow.

My Mom is my favorite Saturday date. We go and shop and do girl things together. We always have fun. There isn't anything I can't share with her. She's such a great mom and I'm so thankful that she's mine.

My Daddy is my sounding board. Whenever I need someone to just let me vent or be upset or just talk, he's there. He's my comforter when I need someone. He has always been such an amazing Daddy. He was the first love of my life.

I've been blessed beyond what I deserve with them. They are truly amazing and I just hope that they know just how amazing I think they are. So days 4 & 5.....I'm thankful for my awesome parents.

Day 3

Today I am thankful music. Without it my life would feel so empty. I've always said that I'm a music junkie. That music is like oxygen to me. It truly is. Today while on the way to take my grandparents their van back I heard a song on the radio that made me a little teary. It's a song I've heard a million times and today it just hit me a little harder simply because I'm starting the month of November. Sometimes the words I feel in my heart are hard to speak but I can find you a song to say exactly what I need to say. I'm truly thankful for music. I'm glad I get to share the beauty of music with my sweet boy and see his love for it grow. It makes me happy that he already comes to me and asks for the radio to be turned on so he can dance. So that's my thankful for today.

Day 2

Today I'm thankful for my husband. He is the love of my life, best friend, biggest supporter, greatest reality check (when needed), and best father to our child.

Seth and I have been together for almost ten years. We will be married for eight years in May. When we met neither of us were looking for a relationship. Ours just kinda happened. We really seemed to click and never really wanted to see anyone else. I fell very much in love with this green eyed boy that most people said was not a people person. I got to know a side of him that I'm positive not many people have ever seen.

When we had Talent, I think I fell more in love with this man. He was up for over 30 hours while I was in labor. He was tired and worried. Labor was 22 hours long. Things weren't progressing like we were hoping. It was looking more and more like a c section was on the horizon. He stayed right there with me and never left my side. He watched me as I threw up water (because you can't eat or drink anything during labor) every time they laid me down to check me or upped the medicine to start or restart the contractions. He never went running and screaming from the room. He held my hand or a bucket for me. He stayed. He wiped my face. He took care of me. He took care of me in the days following delivery. After the c section and I had to get up and walk. He helped me out of bed and the shower. He even put in a different shower head so I could shower easily. He was amazing and still is. He tries to give me days to sleep in. He takes Talent with him sometimes so I can have a little time to do things I need to do without a little boy screaming "Mom!" the whole time. Seth amazes me every single day.

I'm just thankful to have him. I'm thankful to have found someone in this world that loves me as much as he does. He's a pretty amazing guy. He has his moments where he is stubborn and pigheaded, but, he takes care of me. He loves me. And I'm so glad I have him.

30 days of thankfulness. Day 1

So for the last few years I have been doing 30 days of thankfulness. For those of you that don't know why or how this started I will give you a brief explanation.

A few years ago I was convince that Thursday hated me. The month of November in particular started the thought process that led up to me being convinced of this. I got into a huge fight with the best friend I'd had for 10+ years and she told me she basically hated me. We stopped talking. It happened on a Thursday. Our dog had to be out to sleep because his stomach got twisted and it broke our hearts to make that grown up decision. It happened on a Thursday. Thanksgiving day my sweet Uncle Paul, one of the greatest men I've ever known, passed away. The next day my Grandma Inez died. A few months later a man from my church that I was very close to passed away, and yes, it happened on a Thursday. So much happened in November alone that the next year I decided to help me get through the month without having a breakdown I would try and focus on the positive instead of the sad. So that is why I do this. I still struggle with these losses. Most of them anyway. So today we will kick off this years 30 Days and keep up the tradition. It's a healing process for me. And it helps me to remember to be thankful for the things & people God had blessed me with.

Day 1

Today I am thankful for the people in my life that cater to my child's special allergies. Talent is allergic to many things. Milk, egg whites, soy, wheat, & nuts. He can have everything but nuts in moderation. He absolutely has to stay away from all peanut or tree nut products. We carry an epi pen in case he's ever exposed. It terrifies me to think of him being exposed. He's not old enough to tell me he's having a hard time breathing or anything. So it's scary to me. Last night was Halloween. So you know that means candy and lots of treats. I debated on even letting him celebrate. He's little and doesn't understand. But my two BFF's here wanted to see him. So I decided I'd take him to their houses only. I got a call asking what he could have. They made sure to have safe treats for him. They took the time to get things so he could have treats at their houses too. I know that he will never get to celebrate Halloween like everyone else because I'm going to be way to protective because of his allergies. But I am glad I have friends that want to let him be included and make sure he has safe treats when he comes to their homes. It means so much to me that they care. I'm so fortunate to have such great people in my life. So today, that's what in thankful for.