Day 8 - Technology

T e c h n o l o g y

Holy cow where would we be without it?! Honestly, our world has become so tech-driven that it's extremely difficult to function without it. I am incredibly thankful for technology from the computer I'm writing this on, to my cell phone so I can communicate with my friends and family, all the way to the technological advances in healthcare! I, like nearly all others, have really become dependent and take advantage of technology that we don't realize how great we really have it!

Day 7 - Purchase

P u r c h a s e

No, no I didn't just get a new car, but it was really hard for me to come up with something to be thankful for today based off of the word "purchase"! I really haven't purchased anything within the last several months so I had to dig deep. I am going to be in the market for a new vehicle very soon since the weather is getting quite chilly. My poor car has been there for me through a lot, however it's starting to wear down. It's been sputtering for awhile now and, like me, doesn't care for these freezing temperatures. Since I drive, on average, about 300 miles per week for work, having a reliable vehicle that will start for me and get me from point A to point B is a must. 

So today I'm super thankful for the ability to be able to have a steady income so that I am able to save money back every paycheck to go towards a nice, new vehicle. (or at least new to me!) I am thankful to not have to scramble around for every penny and 'settle' for a used car that isn't really what I want. 

I've really loved the Honda Fit cars! I've driven one a few times and love how they drive, the mpg, and how much space they have for being a compact car. I'm open to other options, though! 

Day 6 - Warmth

W a r m t h

It was a little chilly today with a chance of snow tonight and even colder temps tomorrow! Perfect to be thankful for everything warm. There's just something about a long warm bath that makes everything better and bonus points if you have a book in hand and a good candle to set the mood! I take a lot of baths, especially when I'm cold. Doesn't matter if it's first thing in the morning as I'm sipping my coffee and waking up or the last thing I do in the evening to help relax me before bed. Thankful to have heat and to have a bathtub to warm up and relax in!

Day 5 - Excitement

E x c i t e m e n t

My oh my how thankful and excited I am to FINALLY have my first practice slipper done! My grandma told my mom that the only thing she wanted for Christmas was for me to crochet her some slippers. When grandma asks for something special like this I can't disappoint! I didn't realize how time consuming it would be for me when I accepted the challenge. I tried two other rather difficult patterns before settling on this one which I could actually do. It is far from perfect, but I still have another slipper to try before digging into the pair I'm actually going to gift her. 

I fell in love with crocheting in January this year. I was elbows deep in my microbiology clinical rotation at GPH. My mind would run a million miles a minute worrying if I set a culture up right, identified an organism correctly, or worried if I missed something important on a gram stain. I couldn't fall asleep at night so I decided to give crocheting a shot. We were lucky enough to have a snow day during our rotation, so Britt and I ventured to Hobby Lobby to get some yarn and start a crocheting project that day. I taught myself from YouTube videos (thanks YouTube!) and have grown to love it more and more! I have another Christmas gift I want to crochet after I finish these and then I'm going to attempt to make a small lap throw. 

Definitely thankful for this hobby that keeps my hands busy and my mind clear.

Day 4 - Friendship

F r i e n d s h i p

Oh how I wish I could travel in time and take a picture with my friends! Like everyone, I've had many friends come in and walk out of my life, even recently. But there are those select few who remain in your life forever, no matter the circumstances. I have several friends I could outwardly express thanks to, but Christine and Emily are my number one besties! I have been friends with Emily for 10-ish years (give or take a few) and Christine for about 8 years. I've celebrated with them, laughed with them, and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning with them. In their own ways they've seen me through thick and thin and we've supported and held each other through THE toughest moments. 

These are two of the strongest women I know and I'm so, SO grateful I can call them my friends! It's such a shame that they live states away. I have the ability to pick up right where we left off with both of these ladies, even if it's been several years since we've had a proper conversation. 

Thanks to you two WONDERFUL and POWERFUL women for who you are and for your everlasting friendship to me - I value it dearly! xoxo

Day 3 - Morning

M o r n i n g

I am so thankful for routine..... especially my morning routine! Every morning I set my alarm 15 minutes early to sip on my coffee as I wake up and mentally prepare to tackle the day. I used to be a night owl but as I've gotten older I have come to enjoy appreciating the few extra minutes or hours I get when I get up early. During the week I'm up at 4:45 and out of the door by 6. That extra 15 minutes really makes all the difference in my outlook for the day. I don't feel rushed and it's a few minutes of peace I get completely to myself. I'd really like to incorporate some yoga into my morning routine to help get the blood flowing and start the day off on a healthy note. I just struggle to muster up that much energy right when I hop out of bed ;)

Day 2 - Comfort

Co m f o r t

I am so lucky to have 2 very sweet animals who sense when I'm upset, sad, happy, or excited. They are both still in the puppy and kitty stage so at times their need to play overpowers their sweet side, but they are so loving and know when you need to be comforted the most! Snuggling up with them after a long day or first thing in the morning is the best! They have a way of making me forget about some of my stressors. They make our home nearly complete and I'm so thankful we adopted these furballs!

Day 1 of 30 Days of Thanks - Person

P e r s o n

Today I am thankful for my husband, Josh. For everything that makes him up to everything that he makes me what to strive to be. I fell, and remain, in love with his fun and quirky personality, dry sense of humor, and kind and compassionate heart. I'm grateful that after a long day he is the one I get to come home to at night. Even when we aren't talking or doing anything together, just being in his company makes everything complete. I'm so thankful that he supports my hobbies, my ideas, my talents, and my crazy hours at work and on call. I couldn't ask for a better man to spend the rest of my life with! He will always be my person.

30 Days of Thanks

Ahh November - a month of

             cooler temperatures

                         cuddling to keep warm

                                   apple cider

                                             pumpkin spice

                                                       being thankful

I've done one form or another of the 'gratitude challenge' in the past, but it's been quite awhile and I wanted to take it on again. It's easy to just come up with something off the top of my head at 10pm at night when I've forgotten to think about it - so I wanted to try being a little more creative, something I've really been lacking. 

Thanks to Pinterest, I found a list that I really like of 31 things to be grateful for. Each day for the month of November I'll post with a picture and blog of that days 'word'. I can't gauretee that each photo will be of one I took that same day (because lets face it, I DO forget and life is busy), but I want to try! 

If you want to join me, here is the list that I'll be using:

If you choose to do it to, have fun with it! I'm looking forward to sharing just a few of the things that make my life full.