It’s hard to believe that it’s already November, I feel like just yesterday we were sitting here in Oregon, smoky air from the wild fires burning our lungs every time we stepped outside. But today, summer is long over with, and we’re officially smack dab in the middle of fall.
Which means it’s officially time for Thankful Thursdays!
This year I have a lot to be thankful for, but today the big thing on my mind is my son, Jensen.
He’s a 2.5 year old ball of energy that never stops moving, or talking – even if I can still only understand about half of what he’s trying to say.
Photo Credit: Shanna Chess Photography
I’m sure if he were here writing this, he would say he was thankful for things like Paw Patrol, Thomas the Tank Engine, cats, dogs, his family, and food (specifically those special mommy-doesn’t-want-to-cook breakfast trips to Starbucks, so he can get egg bites). So I guess that makes me thankful for all of those things too!
But I’m also thankful for his laughter, his “night night huggas” (what he calls all hugs), his cuddles under the “night night d” (blankie), his love of books, his contagious joy, his cheesy smiles, and his unending exuberance for life in general.
I’m even thankful for the nights when he repeatedly wakes me up just to make sure I’m still there, and the days when he pushes me to the brink, tests my patience, and occasionally makes me want to run out of the house screaming, never to return.
I’m thankful for his strong will, his kindness, his friendship, his health, his strength, his curiosity, his determination, his desire to help, his humor, and his sensitive nature.
Most of all I’m thankful that he ushered me into this amazing role of motherhood. Without him my life would have no meaning, my days would be empty, and the colors of the world would be a little bit duller. While being a parent is most certainly THE HARDEST thing I have ever done in my life, it’s also by far the most amazing and rewarding. I feel lucky to be his mom, and I can only hope that I do a good enough job at this herculean task set before me, so that eventually he will be able to look back and say that he was lucky to be my son.
Photo Credit: Sierra Pearl Photography
The Hand-Written Life 
On a similar note, I am thankful for children, for reminding me to enjoy the moment and to fully embrace this life. They are so good at that, especially when they are young. They continue to remind me what is important and that love is the best thing ever!!!!!
Oh yes! Living through their eyes is such a great reminder to see things for what they really are!
Night-night huggas. Those are awesome and definitely something to be grateful for so glad you’re having those and reflecting upon them this November. Such a great pic with the best friends shirt :)
I mean if I’m totally honest it’s hard to be 100% grateful for them all the time…like when I’m just trying to pee without being asked for hugs. PLEASE LET ME PEE. But I know someday he’ll think I’m annoying and never want to hug me so I try to appreciate them as much as I can hahahaha!
And thank you! I love that picture, my best friend took it for us. It’s definitely one of my favorites!
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