Ten Things I'm Thankful For Right Now

My Dad and Anna at the new beach house. November 2012. The first of what I assume to be many photos taken in this very spot.

ONE | My parents. Most of you guys know that I really appreciate and love my parents. They are a huge part of my life and I'm thankful for them all the time. Right now I feel especially thankful for them and am excited to get to spend Thanksgiving with them this weekend and help them move into their new house at the beach. They have helped me so many times in my life - it feels good to be able to actively help them as they begin the next phase of their own life stories in a new house.

TWO | Chris. Yep, that Chris. It's been over a year since the end of our marriage and we continue to work to make this new relationship work. It's not easy but we are both choosing to make it work in a new way. It's an everyday choiceand a different sort of commitment. I'm thankful for the effort he continues to show.

THREE | Music. It's still playing loud and I'm feeling it so intensely. Mumford & Sons. Dave Matthews. Ray LaMontagne. Just a little bit of Christmas music so far. Live music is on my list to make happen in 2013.

FOUR | Learning stuff all the time. Bring it on.

FIVE |Simon & Anna. Could I do a thankful post and not include them? Right now I'm feeling thankful that they are just such fun kids. I love watching them communicate with one another - they are amazingly good for each other. He teaches her and she teaches him. There hasn't been a lot of arguing between them lately so I'm thankful for a smooth patch.

SIX | Witnessing bravery. In the last week alone I've been privileged to witness two friends demonstrate big time courage in their lives. Taking chances, moving forward, stepping outside their comfort zone, making things happen. Blowing me away in awesome ways. I wish that for all of us - to see it and to live it.

SEVEN | Friends. They know who they are. Old and new. Lifting up, laughing, crying, watching all day Twilight marathons, commiserating, celebrating, calling up, planning, inviting, conversing, showing up. The greatest gift I've received this past year is the recognition of how very important friends are in enriching my daily life. I have no idea why it took me 37 years to get that straight in my head.

EIGHT | The small size I chose for December Daily this year. I decided (because I'm living the length and the width and it's something on my life list) that I'm going to take a crazy little trip in early December and do a bit of my December Daily on the road. I'll be sharing daily just like I always do.

NINE | Making it through. The last two weeks I've been super conscious of the cycles of life and of people's ability to make it through stuff. It happens everyday, all around us - people are making it through. Marveling at the human experience of loss and growth and vulnerability and authenticity and faith and love.

TEN | Poetry. Came across this one twice this past week. Must have needed to read it again:

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.