10 Things {With Jen}

***So it’s finally November… that month where we are excited about cooler weather, are happily gearing up for the holidays and are trying to take some time to meditate on the things we are thankful for!

That’s what your week has looked like, right?

Let’s be honest. This time of year can be super stressful. Maybe you are supermom and you and your children are keeping a big “thankful for…” list for the whole month of November {I’m making this up off the top of my head, but it seems like a cute idea, huh? If you really are doing this with your kids GOOD for you!}. Maybe you are happily wrapping all the Christmas presents you bought months ago, so that your holiday season is relaxing. But if you are anything like me, you might be in a more frantic place. Maybe you are still finding Halloween candy hidden in your sofa cushions and the last thing on your mind is Christmas decorations. School is in full-swing for your kids, and the class parties and parent conferences just won’t seem to end. Or, if you’re like me, you are in grad school yourself, and this is the point of the semester full of sleepless nights, writing papers and too much caffeine. Maybe you run a handmade shop and the custom orders for the holidays are starting to pile up. Maybe like many of my friends, you had a baby this fall and are still absolutely exhausted from late night feedings and diaper changes. Maybe you are really crazy {again, like me} and you are MOVING the weekend before Thanksgiving. Or maybe you’re crazy like sweet Alissa and are starting some lovely pre-holidays construction on your home.

But even though this season can feel incredibly stressful at times, I have realized that’s no excuse to stop being thankful for the MANY ways my life is blessed. Sometimes when I get too grumpy or negative, my darling husband, Micah {although I never think he is darling right when he calls me out on my negative attitude…} makes me stop and say ten things I’m thankful for. He honestly won’t let me finish my task until he has heard ten legitimate “I’m thankful for…” phrases come out of my mouth. Good man. It has seriously changed my overall attitude when life doesn’t seem to be going my way. So today, in the midst of the oh-my-goodness-it’s-November-that-means-it’s-almost-Christmas-all-I-want-to-do-is-sleep feeling that is in the air, here are TEN things that I am thankful for.

Yes, laundry. Even though I hate when laundry piles up, it reminds me that I have soooo many clean, warm, and stylish clothes to wear each day. Many do not have this luxury. And usually I never get behind on my laundry like this, but the majority of these clothes are from a whole weekend spent camping in the beautiful mountains with beautiful friends. Absolutely worth it.

Shoes {3 and 4}

Even when I don’t feel like working out because I don’t have the time or I want to quit halfway through a run because I am tired, I remember that I am not entitled to my legs. Not everyone has the ability to walk or run. I try not to take my legs for granted. And even though I sometimes complain about the pitiful little workout facility at our apartment complex, it really has blessed me this year by allowing me to work out for free when our budget was too tight for a gym membership.

Kitchen {5 and 6}

Sure my kitchen is tiny and the linoleum and counters are ugly, but I am actually thankful I got to have a small kitchen for my first year of marriage. It was easy to clean and its limited storage prevented me from buying too much at the grocery store. I’m actually a little nervous about having to clean and organize a bigger kitchen when we move. And see that pretty little espresso machine down there on the counter? Best wedding gift ever. That machine and I are pretty much best friends every morning.

Books {7}

Even though the past two weeks have been pretty brutal with work and school…. papers to grade and papers to write is never a good combination, I am so thankful to be a college instructor and to be getting my PhD {a lifelong dream} at the same time!

Big Messy Piles {8 and 9}

I hate messes. I am a clean freak to the core. However, the closer we get to moving the more relaxed I am about letting the piles of “stuff” build up. It reminds me of the big, pretty house we get to move into in a few weeks and it also makes me thankful for the great apartment we had for our first year of marriage.

This guy {10}

My sweet husband is the one who taught me to play “ten things” in the first place. He is so great at encouraging me to live life with a thankful heart!

Now it’s your turn, friends. What are you thankful for today?

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