A cause to care about

I'm just under the wire, but I didn't want the month to end without touching on a subject I'm passionate about.

January is Human Trafficking Prevention month and I hope to help spread awareness about this very real problem. While it is a global issue, you might be surprised to learn that human trafficking and modern-day slavery exists in our home states, in our cities, and sometimes, in our own neighborhoods - human trafficking was reported in all 50 states last year. See the infographic below for more information about the scale and magnitude of this issue.

The good news is that there are ways to join the fight against slavery and trafficking. If you're interested in getting involved, here are a few ideas:

Give. 

• This week only, buy any item from the Sevenly shop (here) and $7 will be donated to The Polaris Project, a leading organization fighting trafficking and modern-day slavery. I'm loving this slouchy sweatshirt!
• Donate to UNICEF's Child Protection Programs (here).
• Purchase an item from the Somaly Mam Empowerment Store (here), to support their mission in creating a world where women and children are safe from slavery. I have this bracelet and love it!

Raise awareness.

• Share the phone numbers below online and post this flyer to get the message out to victims. 
• Follow organizations like The Polaris Project, UNICEF's End Trafficking, and Somaly Mam on Facebook and Twitter. Share updates with your friends and stay connected!

Contact your legislators.

• Ask Congress to support the welfare and protection of children (here).
• Ask Congress to support efforts to prevent labor trafficking (here).

If you or someone you know might be a victim of trafficking, call 1-888-373-7888 or text INFO or HELP to BeFree (233733) to be connected to a 24-hour help hotline.

via UNICEF

Changing your outlook for the new year

How about changing your perspective on the new year rather than setting resolutions?

My friend shared this Forbes article with me and I wanted to share it with you. The seven words you see above are the main themes for this mindset shift and there is a quick exercise associated with each.

Last year, I wrote intentions for how I wanted to spend the year (here) and this year, I'm energized about trying a new way to create a happy, healthy year for myself.

Happy birthday, Papa.

It's the most wonderful hardest time of the year

The holidays have been different since my dad passed away 6 years ago. 

But this is the first season that I have felt the loss, his absence so keenly. It's like grieving all over again and I'm overwhelmed by how much I miss him.

The day I found out seems like a scene from a movie. I was at work, around 9:00 AM and I got a call - the call. I got up from my desk, rushed to an empty office, but before I made it inside, I heard it and yelped, No. Three of my colleagues, all women, were beside me, arms around me, crouched down in front of me, in an instant. I can't remember if I was crying.

One of them handed me a $20 to take a cab home. I went to my boyfriend's apartment, climbed in bed, and slept. What else could I do?

The memorial service was a blur. Still is a blur. I wouldn't remember who was there if not for the guest book. The weeks and months after that, I cried a little, but not a lot. I had nightmares, but during the day, I was a shell of myself, going through the motions.

And I realize that I have been pretty numb all these years. I've missed him every day since he died, but I have been avoiding how much it really hurts. How scary it is to say, he's not here and never will be again. How hard it is to admit that I used to pray, plead, bargain so that he would live long enough to see grandchildren. How shocked and stupid I felt that I took for granted he would live long enough to walk me down the aisle. Why didn't I pray for that instead?

My dad's name is Sam and his birthday is on December 13. My husband and I are putting together a little gift for him, for me, to celebrate. I'll share it with you on Friday.

If you're missing a loved one this Christmas, bless you - it aches, I know. Let's remember them together.

What is self-care and why is it important?

For some, the term "self-care" sounds uncomfortably close to "self-help," which carries a bevy of judgments with it. But I would argue that far from being only for busy moms or those who need serious help, self-care is something that everyone should practice.

But what is it?

via Roost

Self-care is anything that you do to take care of yourself and to cultivate a healthy body and mind. Maybe it's meditating or getting enough sleep. Or it might be eating clean. It could be implementing technology-free days, going for long walks, or journaling. It can be any combination of activities and habits that make you feel balanced, happy, and healthy.

But other than making you feel good, why is self-care important?

Quite simply, I believe that self-care allows for a fuller life. How can we find the motivation to get out and explore new opportunities and experiences when depression or anxiety is holding us back? How can we focus on the present if the pain of the past or the uncertainty of the future takes up too much space in our heads? How can we be better friends, spouses, parents when we don't take care of ourselves first? 

I'm not saying it's easy. It can be extremely difficult to recognize and change unhealthy habits, behaviors, and thoughts. Many of us rely on loved ones to get through difficult times and no doubt, it's great to have a support system and it can even be part of your self-care routine. But the truth is, no one can take better care of you than you. So even if you rely on your friends, a therapist, or your spouse for support, I would challenge you to be in the driver's seat of your own health. To seek out those activities and habits that make you feel like your best, healthiest you. To recognize that maintaining a healthy body and mind can help you live more fully.

But before I sound too preachy, I'd like to offer my own self-care experience.

It has definitely been a journey. I've realized, after much difficulty and unnecessary stress, that I am my healthiest me when I exercise and go to counseling regularly. There are other things, like writing and eating healthy that help, but counseling and exercise are the big ones for me.

When I'm practicing self-care, I feel like I can stay on top of my emotions instead of letting them control me. I feel strong, balanced, and connected. When things are going poorly, sure, it still sucks, but I'm able to keep them in perspective. I spend less time focused on what's running through my mind and more on just living my life. It's incredibly liberating.

And yet, it's still hard. I sometimes feel embarrassed about seeing a therapist and about needing to see one (even though I truly believe that everyone could benefit from talking to an unbiased third party at least once) and body image and exercise have long been a source of stress and anxiety for me. But I've found that by framing it as living healthy and taking care of myself, the focus shifts from what is "wrong" to what I can do about it, which is empowering. It's not fool-proof, of course, but I see enough of a difference in my personal happiness and in my relationships that I'm sold on the value of self-care.

But I want to know, what's your relationship with self-care? How do you cultivate your healthiest you?

Coming of Age Albums

I'm lucky that music has always been a big part of my life. My parents had a pretty fantastic record collection and we were always listening to tapes and CDs in the car. My dad was a fan of the old school Kingston Trio, Johnny Cash, Elvis. My mom grew up in the 1970s and exposed me to everything great from the Bee Gees to Queen.

And don't get me started on musicals. We're talking VHS tapes and/or soundtracks to Les Mis, Annie, Sweet Charity, The Sound of Music, and every-Disney-movie-made (because, let's be honest, Disney movies are musicals!).

I don't have a favorite band or artist or even genre. If it's good, I probably like it, but there are few albums that clearly stand out in mind as formative. These are the handful that will always remind me of important/hard parts of my life and I think of them fondly because, well, they got me through.

Anthology of Bread - Bread, 1985

When things didn't really make sense as a kid, I remember putting this record on. It was comforting somehow. And then, later, squealing to see "Make it With You" quoted in The Virgin Suicides. 

Paul Simon - Paul Simon, 1972

Sometimes, on the weekends, my mom and dad would put on records and we'd clean the place or mom and I would dance, while my dad sang. "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" was my favorite. Those were happy times and Paul Simon will always remind me of my childhood.

Blue - Joni Mitchell, 1971

This album essentially got me through my first real heartbreak and if you want to know how, check out this article, or at least, the last paragraph.

Reflecting on these albums, they seem pretty emotionally indulgent, but I guess that's what I see as one of the benefits of music. It should speak to you, just like a really good book or movie can. Music can be fun (hello, girl anthems!), but it can also provide a channel for processing heavier things.

But I want to know what you think - are there any albums that define a part of your life? Did they get you through any tough times?

Album covers via wikipedia.org

The Myth of a Blogger's Life: How Blogs Distort Reality

Blogs across the world show us houses furnished more stylishly than ours, recipes fancier and healthier than ours, and mothers looking perfectly polished and trim, smiling baby in arm, running her own business and managing to cook dinner for her husband and all we're left to do is think, Wow, her life is so perfect. Or the more judgmental, Wow, she must really care about looking perfect. 

Image: Elements of Style

We make judgments about how a person's life "must be" based on posts that have been crafted to appeal to a broad audience, but the simple truth is: Blogs are not reality. At least not 100%. And blogs definitely are not diaries. We see a carefully curated fraction of a blogger's life through her blog, not a full view of who she truly is.

Even if a blogger covers tough subjects or the not-so-pretty in life, it's likely still not an accurate representation of how emotional, messy, and chaotic life can be sometimes. Instead of revealing every gory detail, there is a way to reflect on the difficult parts of life in a constructive, eloquent way that focuses on lessons learned. And sometimes, it's just about sharing our story. We are social creatures and simply knowing you're not the only one struggling can be a great comfort.

On the other hand, if a blogger chooses to laugh, to focus on the lovely over the controversial, it is a personal choice she has made for her blog and what she is willing to share. If you want to know how she feels about healthcare reform and gun control, if she volunteers, or how she feels about organized religion in the 21st century, you might be reading the wrong blog and you'll likely have to ask her directly. Some blogs may touch on these topics, but for those that don't, trust there are thoughts, opinions, and special moments that a blogger chooses to keep to herself. 

Don't do yourself a disservice and compare your life to what you see on blogs. Similarly, give bloggers credit for having lives that you don't see.

revisiting 2013 intentions

since we're mid-way through the year, i wanted to check-in and revisit my intentions for 2013. i wrote intentions instead of resolutions because i liked the idea of creating goals for the type of year i wanted to have, rather than a list of year-long to-do items.

just like i'm trying to shift the focus from working out x times a week to living a healthy lifestyle, my 2013 intentions are more about creating balance and happiness than crossing things off a list. 

while there is always room for improvement, i'm happy to say that i have been able to find more balance and time to unplug and reconnect by:

• committing to no more than 2-3 blog posts per week
• frequently going on outings without my phone
• reading and writing more often
• going to yoga more often
• taking a week-long, technology-free vacation with my husband
• working on creative projects and DIYs

i'm slowly, but surely redefining what productivity and success means to me both professionally and at home, which has stemmed from examining what i'm passionate about, what i'm good at, and how i want to spend my time. i don't have everything figured out and, at times i still feel like i don't know what i want to be when i grow up, but simply bringing awareness to it is helping me gain clarity. i'm also putting more emphasis on caring for myself and my relationships. i believe self-care is key to a happy life and healthy relationships and i plan to write more about it in the near future.

if anything, my intentions for the year have made me realize that we have to give ourselves permission to create the kind of life that will fulfill us. even if that means paving new ways and challenging societal norms and familial pressure. it means taking risks, pursuing our passions, and carving out our own definition of a meaningful life.

illustration: cate parr

reflecting on a year of marriage

since we just celebrated our one year wedding anniversary, i wanted to take a minute to reflect on our first year of marriage and what i've learned.

lorenzo de gregorio photography

in no particular order:

1. marriage really does take work...

2. but it's totally worth it.

3. it's really fun to celebrate a whole bunch of "firsts," like your first Christmas as a married couple.

4. even if you feel ready for it, marriage is an adjustment, and it takes some negotiation and time to settle into it.

5. being married makes you feel kinda grown up...

6. and people treat you like you're more grown up too.

7. saying "husband" feels strange for a long time...

8. but i like the way "wife" sounds when he says it.

9. you realize you have a blank slate to build and shape your little family so it's what both of you want.
10. it's important to grow together, but just as important to grow as individuals.
11. i'm proud to wear my rings and i love seeing a wedding band on his hand.
12. not everyone will respect your marriage; it's your job to protect and honor it.
13. it's important to treasure these early, quiet, simple days.

on authenticity

have you ever been in an environment or with someone who made you feel like you needed to hold back, temper your behavior, even say things you don't fully mean? 

jessica durrant illustration

i've had friends who were quick to poke fun or outright ridicule my interests and quirks. oftentimes, it was something as innocuous as an eye roll of, say, my predilection for anything disney-related. on the surface, it would make me feel silly and embarrassed. but on a deeper level, it felt like rejection of part of my personality.

we've all known those types that will cut you off mid-sentence if you say something that opposes their sensibilities. he or she will often summarily squash any point you were trying to make and tell you that you're wrong or face you with combative sarcasm. i've never been the type to talk over people, so i admit, i'm always taken aback when people show such bravado. 

i've also seen corporate settings where "professional" means a uniform of brown, black, or navy. or where talking about your interests outside of work gives the impression that you're not focused on your career. in an environment where everyone dresses similarly and only talks about how busy they are, how do you individuate? i reference now my post on identities because the challenge of clear self-expression extends beyond your significant other. 

it can feel stifling to have friends or colleagues who don't really accept all of you. if you find yourself in that situation, you have to ask yourself whether it's worth it - to temporarily deny part of who you are. 

i've come to realize that a real friend will love your authentic self and that the most rewarding workplaces celebrate individual strengths as part of a larger whole.  

five things

i'm sure you've seen this trend going around the interwebs, but i just got tagged by the sweet lindsay, and i thought it might use it as a way to tell you a bit more about myself; more of the kind of things that i don't share too often. hope it doesn't get weird up in here.

via

i was bitten by a doberman when i was five. i had emergency surgery because it really messed up my face and neck. i had three more surgeries from the ages of eight to thirteen after that. the last one was right before i started high school and for the first few weeks of class, i was still bruised and had to wear a nose guard. everyone thought i got a nose job and i was mortified. i have scars on my neck and face, but i'm really lucky i had such an amazing surgeon; most people don't notice them anymore, including myself. oh, and i'm not afraid of dogs. just dobermans, but who isn't?

i will cry at almost every movie. i'm a total sap.

i care too much about what other people think about me. growing up, i was never all that popular; at times, i was downright unpopular. when i was really little, like five years old, i was bullied physically by a mean girl named lindsay. and then again at - wait for this - christian summer camp, by another lindsay. i never fought back and i couldn't understand why they didn't like me. thankfully, the bullying stopped there, but i still struggled on and off with fitting in. i overcompensated for a while in college and became kind of a jerk. i was careless with people's hearts and i will always regret it. flash-forward to today: i try my best to be honest and kind, but i still worry that people, especially other girls don't like me.

i miss performing. you might already know that i've performed in dance shows, musicals, and plays most of my life. i'm not the strongest singer or dancer, but i love the stage. i miss the rush of opening night, the lights, the costumes. so much fun.

i write. creatively, that is. not quite as much as i used to or as much as i'd like to, but i write fiction, poetry, songs. sometimes it's just a line or two that pops into my head. i started a novel when i was in college, but the chapters were deleted in the great pc crash of 2005 and i never rewrote them. it's probably just as well; i'm sure it was drivel. i would like to write a book, though, at some point.

and now i'm tagging emily, julie + lauren, rhiannon, and jill!

the mrs. complex

i recently reflected on identities in relationships, particularly in marriages, and it got me thinking about the role of a bride.

it's no secret that the wedding industry has made a business out of walking down the aisle, but it seems that we have now managed to commoditize the desire to become a bride, a wife.

james christianson photoraphy via

i don't mean to pick on kate spade (they're one of my faves!), but their wedding belles line is a perfect example, with their "mrs" products. my sweet husband bought the kate spade mrs key fob for me while we were still engaged and i couldn't have been happier. i felt proud about becoming a mrs., a wife; and certainly it is exciting and should be celebrated.

but the role of bride or mrs. isn't what defines me. yes, i am someone's wife, but i am also a sister, a professional, a reader-of-novels, a hot yoga enthusiast...

i wonder if we get so caught up in being the bride, becoming the mrs., if we aren't setting ourselves up for disappointment when it's all over. there's so much thought, energy, and time that goes into getting to the i do's, what happens when we're no longer a bride? do we get the post-wedding blues? do we transition into mrs. mode and start nesting, trying new recipes, hosting dinner parties? and is that enough to keep us fulfilled?

it's not just for the brides-to-be; if we wrap up everything that makes us us in our relationship with another person, if we derive our sense of being and belonging from someone else, are we not losing sight of ourselves and trading our own inner strength for codependency? i think of the empty nester mother who has poured all of her love and energy into raising children and suddenly finds herself without an outlet for that energy and dedication. does she become depressed because she's no longer needed? does she struggle as she tries to refocus her energy? or become needy of the children she's sent off into the world to live their own adventures?

i'm not saying this happens to all full-time moms, to all brides, wives, girlfriends, but i do think that it's an easy trap to fall into. regardless of what role you play, it's important to hold fast to those inherent characteristics that define you and to those things make you happy and fulfilled. relationships certainly can be part of it, but you're more than just a mrs., aren't you?

on identities

via

i've been thinking a lot about identities and individuation since our wedding last year. as a married lady, there are a lot of societal conventions, traditions, and habits to sift through. 

should i change my last name? should i start thinking about planning a family? should i start learning to cook pot roasts?

i realized that i was pressuring myself to think about whether i should or shouldn't and not do i want to. when i started re-framing the questions to things like, do i want to change my last name?, the answers weren't clear.

because it is my name
i always thought i would change my name right after we were married and liked the idea of our family sharing a common name. and then when it came time to do it, i realized i wasn't sure how i felt.

is it not strange that the name you call yourself for (in my case) 28 years, changes just like that? further complicating matters, i lost my dad five years ago and my last name in many ways feels like my last outward ties to him. sure, there is the possibility of keeping it as a middle name, but it doesn't quite feel the same.

so much of my identity, who i am, is wrapped up in the signature i've been signing since i learned cursive. and yet, i still like the idea of taking james' name.

the royal we

as married couples, we tend to get in the habit of referring to ourselves as "we" and this "we" can take on an identity of its own: 

"we like this restaurant..."

"we're not big fans of..."

"we're tired and staying in..."

certainly, one of the reasons you might have married your partner is because you share similar interests, ideas, and/or tastes. and when you agree on, say, the quality of a restaurant, it's just easier to say, "we like it." but i wonder if all this "we" talk slowly starts to meld personalities. maybe you both like the restaurant, but you enjoyed the chicken parm, while your husband/wifey, couldn't get enough of the steak.

i've found that it's important for me to take a step back, clearly define what's mine (ballet, blogging, banjo), what's his (guitar, photography, fixin' stuff), and what's ours (the rolling stones, HBO series, trying new sushi spots). it's not that i want to keep them separate, but i want to make sure there's room for all three in our relationship.

SO, i'd love to hear from you. have you had similar thoughts? wildly different?

on girlfriends

there's nothing quite like a great girlfriend is there? if you've read my new about me page, you know how i feel about it. 

it wasn't until my bridal shower and bachelorette, when most of them were together - friends made in different times in my life - all getting along and laughing together, that i realized the extent of my girlfriend family.

my girls have been there through scary times, they have stuck up for me and supported me, and they have taught me about forgiveness. i love that my relationship with each one is real, colored by serious moments, but more often than not, we're having fun together.

it feels a bit lazy to lump them all into one group because they are all so unique, but i can say that a common thread is that they're all intelligent, talented, kind, driven, humble, and fun-loving. so, yeah, they're pretty much the best.

do you have great girlfriends in your life? are you like me and think they're a special kind of family?

*all photos my own

on control

photography by james roy

keeping up with my "get out and do" intention for 2013, james and i went to granite peak to snowboard this past weekend. well, that was the plan.

the plan was for james to teach me to snowboard because we both thought i might take to it better than skiing. i had been skiing only twice before, once when i was 9 and once at 22. both trips were to colorado, and the last time, in telluride, i was wholly unprepared for the mountain and the skillz of the group i was with. i was the last person down the mountain every run and completely out of my league. 

even though i was terrified and slightly mortified at how bad i was, i still wanted to be a part of the ski culture. i still wanted to take winter trips, get out in the fresh air and feel comfortable on a mountain.

james is from wisconsin and has the whole winter sports thing down pat, so we both felt confident that he could teach me to snowboard. we set out for granite peak, gear in hand and our spirits high. 

i got fitted for boots, rented a board, and we trekked out to a bunny hill to learn the basics. and that's about where things fell apart. i couldn't decide if i felt more comfortable with my dominant foot in back or front, i didn't like "scooting" to the lift with one foot out of the bindings like i was on a skateboard, and i definitely couldn't find my balance. i couldn't make it more than a couple of feet without falling over and i couldn't control my speed.

that's the scariest, isn't it? the feeling that you will hurtle down a hillside, out of control and gaining speed? we like to have the sense of control over our lives - that things will not spin out of control, and if they should start to, that we have the power to slow it down and get back on track. 

i wanted james to just tell me how to do it and boom, i would be able to board. and james wanted me to be more patient. i was about ready to throw in the towel and head back for chicago, sure that i wasn't cut out for granite peak, let alone any more trips to colorado, and that's where my ever-patient husband asked me to trade in my boards for skis and try it again.

i didn't want to ruin our trip, but my confidence was shot and i wasn't sure that putting on skis was going to change anything. and that's when i remembered that i did have control. 

i could control how i reacted to the boarding attempt, how i internalized it, and how it would color the rest of my trip. i told myself if i could hack a mountain in colorado, i could manage a wisconsin peak on skis. 

james suggested i take a ski lesson the next morning (which i had never done before, somehow...) and we swapped out my board for skis. and then it all fell into place. by comparison, the skis felt so natural and we took several greens (i.e. beginner runs) the rest of that afternoon. the lesson the next morning further boosted my confidence and we skied the rest of the day.

believe me, i am still very much a beginner skier, but i have the tools now to slow things down when i get going too fast. we're already planning our next trip to granite peak and plotting out how to ease into the blue runs.

 via

balance

illustration by izak zenou

with the start of the new year and the flurry of articles and blog posts on resolutions, i have been thinking a lot about my own goals for the new year, goals for james and my relationship.

i don't know that i will write down a list of resolutions this year. although i'm the goal-oriented, list-loving type, i want 2013 to be more about intention and cultivating a lifestyle that makes me happy.

emily's resolve to leave work earlier, av's get real pledge, and this article reminded me that being plugged in 24/7 isn't what energizes, motivates, or inspires me. it leaves me feeling drained, really. this blog is absolutely a creative outlet for me and i love the interaction i have with my readers through it. that being said, there's a huge part of me that needs to shut off the screens and create with my hands. to write the old-fashioned way. to get out and do. 

i think it's particularly challenging for bloggers because we want to be accessible. we don't want to miss out and we definitely don't want people to forget about us. i feel pressured to keep up with the "big guys" by posting amazing, perfectly designed content daily, but the fact of the matter is that i have a full-time job that i actually really like, a marriage to nurture, and hobbies and interests outside blogging that make me happy.

so, this year, i'm going to take some of that pressure off. i removed the GFC counter from my home page, i'm not going to stress over my stats, and i'm going to show myself some grace. i will work hard to unplug more often and for longer periods of time. i will encourage my husband to do the same so we can enjoy our time together without distractions. i will read more books, play more music, explore more of my city, and get together with my friends more often. 

these are my intentions. what are yours?

   

the future is bright

2013 is almost upon us and before another year flies past, i wanted to take a moment to reflect. 

our world, our nation, our communities, and our personal lives have been hit with tragedies this past year. while we need time to heal, i take comfort in the loving kindness people have shown each other. 

empathy is one of the most powerful gifts we have - it calls us to action, prompts us to give of ourselves, to cry with others, to show support and solidarity. when i am utterly overwhelmed by violence and hate in this world, i am reminded how much love there is too. quiet love like strangers praying for each other, sending cards and gifts. what else can you call it but love?

it inspires me to show more patience and kindness with my own family and friends, with strangers. i think of days when my heart was heavy and how a stranger showed me a small kindness that meant so much. it's been a smile when i needed to see a friendly face. it's been an anonymous card in the gym reminding me that weight is just a number. it's been prayers from people i've never met. 

"be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" - ian maclaren

we are all bound together by the simple fact that we live in this world together. the realization of that fact has the power to reach across countries, across religions, and brings us all a little closer. 

operation: friendship for newtown

thanks to sarah, i learned about Operation: Friendship for Newtown and loved the idea. lynzy of sparkling footsteps created a program to collect green and white friendship bracelets and notes for the kids in newtown.

what happened has been on my mind a lot and i was really excited about being able to help in some small way. making bracelets seemed like the perfect project for Christmas vacation and my little sister even helped out by writing a note for the kids.

if you're like me and totally forgot or never knew how to make a friendship bracelet, the Operation: Friendship facebook page has video tutorials! i used a 4-string tutorial and it was easy-peasy. all you need is embroidery floss from a craft store and a piece of tape and lynzy will take care of collecting all the bracelets and notes to send in one big package.  

images by james roy photography

we love newtown

i haven't found adequate words to talk about what happened in newtown because it's hard to make sense of something i can't understand. 

all i know is that my heart hurts for the children we lost and the adults who tried to save them. for the parents who will never be the same. for the children who survived but will always remember the terror of that day.

and i know i'm not alone. 

thankful.

via

since today is all about giving thanks, i leave you with a reflection on the things i am thankful for: 

our family. my family went from, i-can-count-them-on-one-hand to almost-too-many-to count this year and i couldn't be happier. i love my little family in texas with all my heart and i feel blessed to be welcomed into a big, loving family which is mostly here in the midwest.

our jobs. i am grateful for the opportunity to work - the cherry on top is that i love my job and the people i work with!

our health. i am so thankful that we are both healthy and for the access to great healthcare.

our love. i referenced it here and don't know if i can say it any more succinctly. i am thankful my husband loves me wholly and unconditionally, for his kind and gentle way; for building me up and giving me courage, for making me feel beautiful, but never making me feel like that's what he loves most about me. for the little things like cutting the crusts off my sandwiches, never eating the last cookie, running to the store when i'm not looking because we're out of ice cream/wine/my allergy medication. for cooking me dinner almost every  night and cleaning up around the house. for getting me flowers every month on our anniversary just like his grandpa did for his grandma. for making me want to be a better, kinder, more giving person. 

so, that was sappy and now i made myself cry. happy thanksgiving! 

i'm off the rest of this week, celebrating with my in-laws. i hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving holiday and safe travels!