30 Days Of Thanks

I really wanted to participate in the 30 days of thanks that I saw so many people posting about on Facebook. I loved the concept and I thought it was really fun to just think of something I was thankful for each and every day because it's very easy to see the negative and not always think of something positive. To be honest, I don't know if I will ever participate again. While I have SO much to be thankful for I feel like it's almost annoying. My (our) life is far from perfect and I feel like this only shows the good and good and happy things aren't everyday real life "things".

Day 1: I am thankful for a family full of women who are strong, God loving, positive and wonderful role models. It's become more and more apparent to me the past few weeks. {when I wrote this one my Aunt was at the end of her battle with cancer. She fought for 7 years and was a true fighter. And a few weeks prior to that two of my aunts were in the hospital}

Day 2: I'm thankful for beautiful places in California. While the desert isn't our favorite place to live we are able to visit so many places within a few hours. It's a blessing to know that we can hop in the car and be at the beach, in the mountains, in the city or someplace else. It makes living at Edwards that much more bearable.

Day 3: I'm SO thankful for this little load of sweetness. He's brought so much joy, love and humor (and if we are being honest, gray hairs) into our lives. Our hearts are overflowing and our days are so much happier with him in it. I'm pretty sure every single night I go to bed I tell Ryan that "I just love him so much and isn't he so cute?" We are so incredibly blessed to be his parents. 

Day 4: I am thankful for this handsome man. He is such a good guy, a blessing to my life and my best friend. I love him more and more every day and am super, super proud of him. He's become such a good dad and has grown so much from the person I met almost 7 years ago. He always puts up with my weirdness, quirkiness and silliness. He goes on adventures with me and supports me even when he thinks I'm crazy. He's a good provider, friend and husband. I am so glad that God put him in my life and can't wait to see where life takes us. I am SO thankful for him.

Day 5: I'm SO thankful to have the BEST parents. We are so grateful to have them...today and every day. They are always so supportive and loving. They're the BEST grandparents to Dominick; they make sure that they are present in his life byvisiting, skyping or even just talking to him on the phone. They have made so many visits to see us and make sure our trips home are always a good time (make our favorite foods, let us borrow a car, throw baby showers, birthday parties or even just get all of our family together, go with us to our favorite places (pentwater, restaurants, etc.) and make sure we are always comfortable). They gave me a great childhood with unforgettable memories, they taught me lessons, were always present for my accomplishments, school and sporting events, supported me, spent many weekends at volleyball tournaments (not always just Saturday's, sometimes Sundays too), took us on wonderful vacations, paid for my college education (something that is a HUGE investment), showed me what a good marriage was, and that's only a few things and most of all gave me a life that I probably would never of had, had they never chose to adopt. They'll never know how truly thankful we are for them or how much we love them.

Day 6: I'm thankful for growing up in Michigan. Yes, there are bad parts and the economy isn't "booming", but it was a great place to grow up. I loved summer time at the lake or bonfires at night. We experienced a true Fall with colors and crisp air. A winter with beautiful white fluffy snow and snow days as a kid. And a Spring where everyone came out of hibernation, flowers bloomed and life picked back up. I'm thankful for the memories and the people Michigan holds. I can't even tell y'all how many times I tell Ryan, "I can't wait to go home" or "I really miss Michigan"...it's too often. It will always be "home".

Day 7: I'm thankful for country music...it seriously makes my heart happy. It reminds me of home and when Ryan and I first started dating how much he used to hate it and now he's a fan. I have so many memories at country concerts with friends and they're some of my favorite memories.

Day 8: I'm thankful for Katie McMullen, Dominick's daycare provider. Being a working mom isn't always easy, but it makes it easier knowing Dominick is being well taken care of and that he actually ENJOYS being at daycare. He LOVES Ms. Katie and she is so sweet and nice to him. We know that we don't have to worry if he's being taken care or of his well being. When we see her outside of "daycare hours" he still wants to be with her and goes to her. When she PCS' or we do will be a very, very sad day not only because she's a great person and friend, but because she's been such a big part of Dom's little life.

Day 9: I'm thankful for two handsome brothers who are so special to me. They always had my back and looked out for me when we were younger. They're handsome, kind, funny, and have beautiful families. I have so many memories with them that I will always love and remember. I'm so thankful to be able to have them in my life.

Day 10: I'm thankful for my two sister in laws. I consider myself pretty lucky to have them both in my life. They're not only family, but two beautiful people who I am so thankful for. I am so grateful I can contact them for parenting advice or just to say hi. I love being around them when our family is all together.

Day 11: I'm thankful for our veterans. Past, present and future.

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die. -G.K. Chesterton

Day 12: I'm thankful for a good sleeper. In the beginning when Dominick was waking every couple of hours I never thought I would see a full nights rest again. When he was 7 or 8 months and we moved him into his crib it was the best decision we ever made and I wondered why we didn't do it sooner (because I liked him in our room). He LOVES his crib and for the most part has been sleeping through the night (minus a couple nights) ever since. He doesn't like being woke early in the mornings to go to daycare and often tells me "no no" or "ni-ni" and if he's really tired he will even ask to go to sleep. I am SO, SO thankful for a good sleeper. Now I must go and say a prayer that I didn't just jinx myself

Day 13: I'm thankful for our house. It keeps us warm when we are cold, cools us down for the majority of the year and has kept us safe. We have hosted Thanksgiving, Christmas, a 1st birthday party and casual nights with friends in this house. It is our first house on a base (our first base). We've spent our three years of marriage (minus the 6 months Ryan was at basic and tech school) in this home. We use the living room and bedroom to retreat from our work life and parenting joys (and struggles). We eat dinner as a family in the dining room or where Ryan sat many nights studying for the SSgt test and his CDCs. We have a "catch all" room where I sew and where my parents (or other visitors) sleep. We have a garage big enough for my car, a fridge and other things that don't fit "inside". The kitchen has a sink full of dishes from a meal that was cooked nearly every day. We brought our favorite little baby man into this home watched him grow and do so many firsts in this very home. This house holds his nursery where we've changed so many diapers, read books, rocked and played. He's explored all the nooks and crannies of this house. We've turned a white walled, 3 bedroom, 1 garage house into our home. It's our happy place, a place where we can all be together. We have celebrated, cried, struggled, fought, made up, loved and started our family in this very house. When we leave it behind I will be very sad.

Day 14: I am thankful for mint chocolate chip ice cream and Faygo grape soda.

Day 15: I'm thankful to only work 4 hours on Fridays. Nine hours Mon-Thurs make for long days, but it's worth it to start my weekend a little early every week and getting to spend a few more hours with Dom is always fun! Im thankful for the opportunity to work these hours.

Day 16: I am thankful for the opportunity to get pregnant, have a healthy and mostly easy pregnancy, carry a baby for 40 weeks and 5 days, deliver said baby and successfully breast feed for 11.5 months (we stopped early in purpose). There are so many people who want to do any of those things and are unable. While there are many things that I do not love about my body, I love that it was able to do all of those things.

Day 17: I am thankful for our Ed-bests (Edwards friends). To say that we have some AMAZING and lifelong friends here is an understatement. 

Day 18: I'm thankful for my extended family; aunts, uncles, cousins. I love that my family is all relatively close and that I got to grow up being so close to them or only a couple states away. And now that I'm not around for them all that often I even secretly kind of love the Gould Goodbyes (but that's just me...Ryan I still don't think is a huge fan)

Day 19: I'm thankful for long lasting Michigan friendships. While many of our friendships have changed we know that there are still a few who always make time to see us and will always be there no matter the miles or time between us; whether it's a phone call, text, skype date, e-mail or facebook. Moving away has really taught us a lot about who are true friends are and who were "in the moment" or "at the time" friends. We miss our favorites SO much and making memories with them on a regular basis.

Day 20: I'm thankful for cameras and pictures. I love being able to look back on pictures and relive those moments and feelings all over again.

Day 21: I am thankful for God's faithfulness. 
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Day 22: I'm thankful for CHRISTMAS! If you know me you know my love for Christmas. One year in college I even put up our Christmas tree BEFORE Halloween (and I've actually been asking Ryan if we could put ours up since the beginning of November...he doesn't share the same love as I do). I know Dominick won't remember this Christmas, but I don't care. I'm SO, SO, SO, SO excited. I love that this year we will get to spend it in Michigan (not on Christmas, but close enough), spending time with my little family, making memories and traditions, all the sparkle and twinkly lights, stockings, the warmth of the season, how most people and places are SO festive, receiving Christmas cards (I think I even squeal, do the crazy clap and jump up and down when the first ones start trickling in), shopping and finding the perfect gifts, wrapped presents under the tree and of course I love the TRUE meaning of the season. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. However if I never had to listen to another Christmas song for all of eternity I might not be sad....well maybe not all of eternity, but I am NOT a lover of Christmas music.

Day 23: I'm thankful for all of my senses. It's such a blessing that I am able to see, hear, touch, taste and smell; something not everyone has the luxury of.

Day 24: I'm thankful for days with my family. After the past week of Ryan being so sick and being mostly "quarantined" to a separate room and so busy with work/school I am glad we got to spend so much time together as a family this weekend and am super excited for a long weekend with my boys.

Day 25: I'm thankful for good health. For the most part our family is healthy and that is a HUGE, HUGE blessing

Day 26: I'm thankful for e-mails like this one reminding me that our trip to Michigan is coming up.

Day 27: I'm thankful for Calli and Rocky; for their sweet personalities, loyalty and love. They made us a family before we knew we would be a family.

Day 28: I'm thankful for my handsome nephew, Blake (who turns FIVE today) and my beautiful nieces, Kyla and Joslyn. They've brought so much happiness and love to the Oleson clan.

I'm also thankful for being able to spend holidays with special friends. The past three thanksgivings (along with many other holidays) we have been away from our families and traditions. Being able to spend those holidays with friends is something we are SO grateful for.

Day 29: I'm thankful to have a job. While I would rather spend all of my days with Dominick and it's not my dream job it provides is a second income. We are able to live comfortably, buy a few more wants and not just needs and go on more adventures, making memories together.

Day 30: I'm thankful for our cars. They're reliable, get us from point a to b, travelled cross country and have been good to us.

I have so much to be thankful for each and every single day. While this thankful challenge is coming to an end I have MILLIONS of people and things to be thankful for. From the tiniest little things to the big. I am so blessed with the life I live. My heart is overflowing.