Crows. Kale. Cozy.

November 30, 2021

Day 1,861

Thankful for these things today: 

Cold air. 

Painted skies. 

Incredible winter light. 

Crows cawing and making all kinds of strange clicking sounds in the woods this morning. The woods are a wild place, and I'm glad to live right in the middle of it. 

A delicious lunch. 

Kale and toasted pecans. I don't know what it is about this combination, but it's delicious. 

Coming home and turning on all the Christmas lights. 

Reading in bed with Adelyn and Tobin. 

Coming to bed at 8. It's a good, good feeling. 

Tomorrow is Wednesday. 

Sweet students. I have a good job. 

Higbee being so happy to see us when we come home. 

The sweetest morning text from Matt. It made my day. My husband texts me just to tell me he loves me. 

Matt is off for four days starting tomorrow. I love driving off to work when I know that Matt and Higbee are snuggled into bed all warm and cozy. It makes me feel cozy to think of them being cozy. 

New yarn for a new blanket for my friend for her birthday. 

Hot tea in a giant mug that I drink in bed. I feel like it would be so much prettier to drink my tea out of a tea cup, but I like having a giant mug's worth of tea. 

Time to rest and sleep. It makes me very happy to know that I get to sleep until tomorrow morning. 

Kitchen dance.

November 29, 2021

Day 1,860

     Thankful for so much laughter today. It was the first day back to work after a nice, long break, and it was hard. I felt a little grumpy. The kids felt a little grumpy. We came home after school and grocery shopping to Matt who makes all of us feel better. I don't know how it happened, but after dinner, Matt and I started choreographing a dance together. It was so good to laugh and be silly and dance with my husband. He makes every day a good day. I'm so in love with him. Madly. Deeply. Forever. In love. 

     Thankful for: 

Time to dance in the kitchen with Matt. 

Laughing hard with my family. 

Lovely food to prepare for my family. I love a full fridge and pantry. 

Higbee jumping up because he's happy to see me. 

Cold air. 

Beautiful light. Fall and winter light is gorgeous. 

The sky. I love how it's painted a different color every day. 

Christmas lights. 

Tomorrow is Tuesday. I like the feeling of Tuesday. 

Time to lay in bed. 

Hugs and snuggles and kisses and talks and time to read with Adelyn and Tobin. 

Texts from Matt. 

A big mug of tea. 

Roasted vegetables and salad for lunch tomorrow. 

Magic and Christmas and more.

November 28, 2021

Day 1,859

     This morning, I watched Elf with Tobin. We were cuddled together on the couch with blankets. It was the part at the end of the movie where Santa's sleigh won't fly because there isn't any Christmas spirit. Everyone starts singing, people start to believe in Santa, and his sleigh flies. It always makes me cry. I feel a bit silly crying at Christmas movies at 39 years old. I used to think it was the magic of Christmas that made me cry, and maybe that's still a part of my tears. Christmas is magic. There's just this happy anticipation that hangs in the air all season long. It's the cold. It's the waiting. It's the lights. It's Santa. It's magic. All of it. It's all magic, and it fills a person up with joy and wonder. Now I think it's more than the magic that makes me cry. I think it's people coming together. It's the collective belief. It's the shared experience of the Christmas season. People put up trees and lights and bake cookies and go see Santa. People sing Christmas songs and carols. People go to church. People celebrate the birth of Jesus. People say, "Merry Christmas." People have traditions that they create and continue with their families. It's the common thread in December all around the world: Christmas. 

     But when I think about it, I guess people coming together is a bit of magic, too. Especially these days when there is so much that separates us. 

     Tonight, I'm thankful for the happy anticipation of Christmas hanging in the air. I'm thankful for people coming together and being kind and generous towards each other. I'm thankful for couch cuddles. I'm thankful for this glorious Thanksgiving break that was long and lovely. I'm looking forward to Christmas break that will be longer and lovelier. I'm thankful for a day spent entirely at home in home clothes. I'm thankful for our beautiful home all decorated for Christmas. It's warm and glowy and homey. Just sitting on the couch in my home makes me feel overwhelmed with gratitude for this house of my dreams that I share with the greatest loves of my life. Each day is Christmas with Matt, Adelyn, Tobin, and Higbee. 

     Feeling so thankful. 

A list for Saturday.

November 27, 2021

Day 1,858

Thankful for: 

A lovely day. 

Cold air. 

Laying in bed with Matt for a long time. 

A nap. 

Time with Steph, Mario, and Matt's mama. 

Good food. 

Laughter. 

Another day at home tomorrow. 

Thanksgiving leftovers.

November 26, 2021

Day 1,857

Thankful for: 

Thanksgiving leftovers day. 

Delicious food. 

Lots of laughter. 

The kids playing a fun game at the end of the day. 

Lots of hugs, cuddles, and kisses from Matt. 

My family. 

Thanksgiving.

November 25, 2021

Day 1,856

Thankful for: 

Thanksgiving. 

Food. Glorious food. 

Family. 

A very long day. 

Laughter. 

Dessert. 

Hugs and kisses. 

Things to be thankful for. 

Wednesday's list.

November 24, 2021

Day 1,855

Thankful for: 

Not having to go to work today. 

The feeling of being in love with my husband. 

Decorating the house for Christmas with my family. 

Christmas music. 

Getting into a little tiff with my family and then making up by all four of hugging and dancing to the theme of Full House. 

Being able to be with Matt all day long. 

Family. 

Being able to be there for Matt's grandpa today at Matt's grandma's viewing. 

Being able to witness the beautiful love that Matt's grandpa had for his wife. He called her: babe, darling, my precious, my love. It was pure, raw, real love. I was honored to be able to see it. 

Baking for Thanksgiving. 

Five and a half days.

November 23, 2021

Day 1,854

Thankful for: 

Five and a half days off with the greatest loves of my life. 

The feeling of driving home for Thanksgiving break. 

Coming home to a clean driveway and yard because Matt was making our home beautiful by clearing the leaves away. 

Roasted chicken and rice for dinner. The house smells of onion and garlic now, and it's lovely. 

Snuggly Higbee. I love it when Higbee wants to cuddle. It's so rare for him to want to snuggle and be very close. 

Extra blankets on the bed. 

Plants home from work for the long holiday. 

Winter light. 

The cold, cold air. 

Hot tea and peanuts. 

Seinfeld. 

Going to bed and not having to set my alarm. 

The way Matt loves me. I would be lost without him. 

Two beautiful souls named Adelyn and Tobin. They make my life full and happy. 

Peaceful morning.

November 22, 2021

Day 1,853

Thankful for: 

A good Monday. 

A peaceful morning. It was cold, cloudy, colorful. 

Hawks on the way to school. 

Texts from Matt. 

Laughing in the car with Adelyn and Tobin. 

A good salad for lunch. 

My students are falling in love with The Little Prince. 

Tomorrow is the last day of the week. 

Kale salad. 

Tea and peanuts. 

Higbee. 

Shopping for Thanksgiving with Patty.

The feeling of begin pretty much caught up with work. 

Thanksgiving food in the house. I'm excited!

Time with Adelyn.

November 21, 2021

Day 1,852

Thankful for: 

Time with Adelyn. 

Starbucks before grocery shopping. 

Listening to music in the car with Adelyn. 

Shopping for lots of healthy things like vegetables and fruit. 

Coming home to Matt who's always happy to see me, kiss me, and hug me. He has the best smile. 

Hugs from Tobin. 

Adelyn helped me grade papers. I'm very thankful for her help so that I could get caught up. 

An easy dinner of bacon and eggs. 

Tea. 

Cold air. 

Talking with Matt. I love to talk with him. 

Watching movies with Adelyn. 

Time with Matt.

November 20, 2021

Day 1,851

Thankful for: 

Time with Matt. 

Time to visit Matt's Grandpa. 

Coming home. 

Time to cuddle on the couch with Matt. 

Adelyn and Tobin. They make my days bright and happy and full of laughter. 

After a very long day.

November 19, 2021

Day 1,850

Thankful for: 

Fridays. 

A baby shower for a friend. 

Baby Emily. 

Good food. 

Cake. 

Laughter. 

An ice cream party for the elementary school. 

Happy days at school. 

The feeling of coming home after a very long day. 

Three for Thursday.

November 18, 2021

Day 1,849

Thankful for: 

Tomorrow is Friday. 

New yarn for a new blanket for my friend's birthday. 

The feeling of a weekend coming. 

Laughing hard.

November 17, 2021

Day 1,848

Tomorrow is Thursday. It's that much closer to the weekend. 

Thanksgiving is coming. 

Texts from Matt. 

The feeling of going to bed. 

Tucking Tobin into bed when he's really tired. 

Watching funny shows with the kids and laughing hard. 

Delicious salads and food prepped for tomorrow. 

Kale and bacon; such an amazing combination. 

Eating healthy. It makes me feel good. 

Higbee. Every time I looked at him last night, he was looking at me. I read that when dogs look at you for a long time, it's because they love you. I'm thankful for Higbee. He's the crazy dog I never knew I needed. 

The sunset. The colors in the sky in fall and winter are the most amazing. The light in fall and winter is my favorite. I've seen the best pink skies on the coldest nights. 

Seeing hawks on the way to work. 

Adelyn helped me grade papers tonight. 

Talking with Adelyn. Being able to pray with her. Being able to have words to help her walk through hard things. 

Christmas is coming. 

Adelyn, Tobin, and I have had colds, but they're getting better. I'm thankful for that.

Delicious elderberry syrup. 

Grandma.

November 16, 2021

Day 1,847

"Death is no punishment to the believer: it is the gate of endless joy." -Charles Spurgeon

     I came across that quote a few weeks ago, and it spoke to me. Now I know why. Matt's grandma passed away today. After I got the news that she had passed, I remembered the quote. 

     I'm thankful for Matt's Grandma. I'm thankful that I knew her and called her Grandma. I'm thankful for all of our chats. I'm thankful for all the love and care she showed me. I'm thankful that she's in paradise walking and dancing and eating good food and seeing amazing sights. I'm thankful for words that comfort the soul when life gets heavy. 

List for today.

November 15, 2021

Day 1,846

Thankful for: 

A good Monday. 

Negative covid test results for the kids. 

Matt. He always loves me and it's comforting. 

Higbee cuddling in bed. 

Tired kids. 

Easy dinner. 

A full fridge and pantry. 

A yummy roasted vegetable lunch for tomorrow. 

Cold air. 

Warm clothes. 

A nice, fixed up car. 

Family. 

Phone calls with family. 

Time to sleep and rest. 

Picture day. It's always exciting. 

The feeling of coming home.

November 14, 2021

Day 1,845

Thankful for: 

The feeling of coming home. 

The smell of my home. 

The feel of the wood floors under my feet. 

Hugs and cuddles from my babies. 

Cold, cold air. 

Happy Higbee. 

Vegetables roasting. 

Matt; he never stops loving me. 

Texts from friends. 

Calls from my mama. 

A fresh, new Monday. 

A big stack of graded papers to return to students. 

Seinfeld. 

Family. 

It was a very good day in Rodanthe.

November 13, 2021

Day 1,844

It was a very good day. Thankful for beautiful places, for Matt, and time to be still and quiet.