Thankful

I am not sure what has prompted this mushy-gushy thankfulness that I'm feeling right now.  Maybe it's because summer break is here and my time is spent doing what I want.  Maybe it's because we are at a good place right now in our lives here at the Stacy household. 

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that our SIX year wedding anniversary is coming up in two days.   

Whatever it is, I like it.

Being thankful isn't something that only occurs in November when you're sitting at a large table, surrounded by family and pigging out on turkey.  I honestly wish these feelings occurred more often, but then perhaps they wouldn't feel so...special.  Right now I am basking in this thankfulness glow.  I'm not sure if it started the other day when Jeremy cooked our first grilled meal of the summer, using plenty of fresh beef and veggies for kabobs, or if these feelings surfaced after hearing a song on the radio that reminded me of the early dating-days, when Jeremy and I would talk on the phone late at night. To think that there was a point in our lives when we didn't know each other very well is so strange to me, and yet I remember those days clearly.  I remember thinking that we would just end up being friends after our first date.  I remember when we kept dating each other simply because we wanted the company.  And I remember the exact moment I fell in love with him, when I realized what an amazing guy he is.  (This moment occurred during a cab ride back to my apartment after being out at the bars...not exactly the most romantic moment, but comparing him to a friend's not-so-great boyfriend at the time really put things in perspective!)

Not to say that we haven't had hard times.  We've argued and gone to bed mad.  He does things that get on my nerves and vice versa.  Sometimes I want him to read my mind - but we all know that doesn't work very well!  We have unspoken expectations and are then let down when things don't go our way.  But in the grand scheme of things...we're pretty awesome together.  :)

And I think we are pretty awesome parents together too.  We both desperately want another baby and the feelings of disappointment that it's not happening as soon as it did with Ava has been hard to deal with...but, after speaking to a few friends, we've decided to take a more relaxed approach.  I feel at peace about it right now and know that when the timing is right, it will happen.  In the meantime, I am enjoying every moment with my little family of three. 

I'm thankful for the normalcy of our lives.  I'm thankful for the mundane.  Yesterday we played outside before dinner, just the three of us.  It wasn't anything special - just some bubbles, a baby in a stroller, and digging in the dirt...but it reminded me of my own childhood, spending carefree evenings outside in the warm air.

Spending relaxed time outside helps us notice things we may otherwise miss.  For example, this bird.  The poor thing was injured and sat in the tree for hours.  You can see his curled up foot that he refuses to put any weight on...I wonder what happened to the little guy?

Camouflage...you're doing it right.

We also thankfully noticed this wasp and his little nest hanging above our garage.  RIP wasp.  So sorry for spraying your home, stepping on you and destroying your tiny abode.  Okay, maybe not that sorry.

 Jeremy grilled chicken for dinner and I made pasta with alfredo sauce and "pickles" aka zucchini.  Just a normal dinner on a normal night...but I'm thankful for that.

The baby needed a "pickle" dipped in ranch...

Life is short.  Be thankful for what you have...it makes life SO much better than dwelling on hardships, negatives and things you cannot change. 

Here's to looking on the bright side!