The things I am thankful for are countless.  We have wonderful friends, a loving family, a warm house, food on the table, and more laughs than tears.

This year I am trying to reflect on the things I am thankful for, yet often take for granted.

Vida was our first baby.  It sounds hokey, but I believe that a special pet can change your life.  We were newly married at the time and had just moved across the country from Los Angeles to NH.  It wasn’t an easy time.  We were stuck between our old life and our new life and were rarely on the same page.  I was starting to get the baby bug but my husband wanted nothing to do with the idea.  We settled on a dog, never expecting her to grow our hearts like she did.  Vida showed us unconditional love and taught us both how to nurture and care for another being.   She strengthened our marriage and prepared us for parenthood.

The kids torture her daily with dress up and pretend games, she has medical problems galore (see beautiful cherry eye above), and we don’t walk her nearly enough.  Yet she remains our patient and loyal companion.  This little dog has given us a lot.

But what am I most thankful for this year?  It’s something so many of us take for granted until we don’t have it – our health.  Having lost two members of our family this year, my husband’s grandmother and my sister’s father, we have learned how precious and fragile life is.  We have also learned this even closer to home.

Earlier this year Max had surgery to correct a hernia in his diaphragm.  We expected the surgery itself to be the worst of it, but Max had unexpected complications in recovery and we had quite the scare.

Thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses at Boston Childrens, he is as good as new.   I look at him now and it is hard to believe the rocky road we had once been down.

 

Look at my muscles, momma!

 

While I don’t take our bond for granted, I expect there will come a brief time in her teenage years when Maya might.  A friend snagged my camera and shot this photo a couple years ago.  It remains one of my favorites.  My son is going through an epic ‘daddy phase’ at the moment, so it feels good to know that I always have my biggest fan by my side.

Every day is a gift.  Hold your babies tight.

This Thanksgiving I am appreciating all of the happy times.  What are you thankful for?