Thankful.

There are so many things to be grateful for each day. So many beautiful, simple pieces of life that have become our normal, our ordinary, but they are actually extraordinary. As we head into the last month of the decade, I would like to take this moment to stop, breathe, and reflect on the miracles in my every day life.

G O D ‘ S L O V E

Because of Him, I have everything. Without His grace, I have nothing. His love endures forever.

B E N E L

Boy, did God outdo Himself with this one… B is my home and my greatest adventure. He calms my soul and he drives me crazy. He accepts me fully, but he pushes me to my highest potential. He fights for us and for our family in the most genuine way and I can’t thank him enough for how he loves me.

M Y B A B I E S

Because their love is unconditional. Because their smiles light up my entire universe. Because the joy they bring to my life is indescribable. Because they are made of stardust and wishes and magical things. Because they have filled a place in my heart that I didn’t know was empty.

M Y P A R E N T S

I’ve always loved and appreciated my parents, but upon becoming a parent myself: that grew exponentially. They raised me in a way that has given me nothing but joy in my heart when I look back on my childhood. One parent may be gone now, but I feel his presence every day. And the one that remains does everything she can to ensure that I never feel alone. Being born to those two was the first time God blessed me. 

F A M I L Y

Family is not just an “important” thing. It is truly everything. I have a huge, supportive, loving family and then I somehow married a man who has the same. Our children will never go without love in their lives, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold. Our family ties run deep.

F R I E N D S

There are friends, there is family, then there are friends that become family. I’ve been fortunate enough to be blessed with friendships that have turned into so much more. Family isn’t always blood. 

H E A L T H

Not everyone gets to live their lives to the fullest. Not everyone gets to live life freely. Some lives are cut short entirely too early. Health is the truest form of wealth. I feel blessed for each rotation around the sun that I get to witness. 

C A R E E R

I get to do what I love with people that I admire, every day. I have learned so much and grown so much and there is still so much more ahead of me. I can’t wait to see what is next to come.

O U R H O M E

Home is a place where we are loved. A place we can find safety and shelter from the storm. A place we can share meals and stories and laughter. A place where we can be pantless and no one cares. A place that is ours.

T H E W O R D “ N O “

Life has truly taught me to master the art of saying NO. Believe me, this isn’t something that comes naturally to me, but some of my experiences have made this word a necessity.

No to negative words + negative people.
No to toxic relationships.
No to underestimating myself.
No to holding grudges.
No to perfection.
No to worries, doubt, fear.

but also…

T H E W O R D “ Y E S “

Yes to positive change.
Yes to new experiences.
Yes to happiness + fulfillment.
Yes to forgiveness + grace.
Yes to positivity + self-love.
Yes to LIFE.

I urge you to take a second and bask in the beauty in your life, no matter how big or small. According to UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, “regularly expressing gratitude literally changes the molecular structure of the brain, keeps the gray matter functioning, and makes us healthier and happier”. So say thank you, feel grateful, soak it all in. There is so much to be thankful for and not enough words to express my gratitude, so I will leave it with this:

For food, in a world where many go hungry. For freedom, in a world where many live in fear. For family, in a world where many walk alone. I give thanks, Lord. 

“I’m thankful” *Marshawn Lynch voice*

Z.