Happy Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and the second one celebrated with Vivi.  Holidays are always hard for me -- most of the time I end up depressed and trying to fight off feelings of anxiety and overwhelm.  So instead of focusing on that this time around, I'm really trying to make a concerted effort to see the things that I am thankful for.  It is the season, after all.  Here's a few (ranging from little to large, thanks knows no size right?):

1.  Shoes.  Today Vivienne got her first pair of kicks.  It has been an epic journey these last few weeks and I have been stressing out way too much for a pair of toddler shoes.  It's just I want her feet to be supported, and for her to be able to run without her ankles caving in, and I NEED to support her arch, and omg it's freezing in SF right now and she needs boots!  See?  Major stress.  Finally I caved in and we went to Brooks, the amazing shoe store that fitted her foot, gave her a balloon, and we tried several pairs on that were an absolute perfect fit for her individual feet.  She has chubby feet, and WIDE feet.  Oh can I also say that I would love to create a shoe line that has girls shoes in other colors other than hot pink.  Thank god the ones I settled for, and the ones that Vivi seemed to feel the best in were Ecco's pair of ankle boots in metallic.  Anyway, I'm thankful we found a pair of kicks for Vivi.  Done.  Oh, maybe I did splurge for a pair of fuzzy Bearpaws too.
2.  My house.  I'm thankful that while so many people have suffered such devastating losses this year, I am still living in my nice house, with all the comforts I have always enjoyed.  I also quit my job this year, and Mitch is going on sabbatical.  It's going to be tight at the Weathers house, but it is all by choice, and we certainly have not suffered as some have.  We are fortunate.
3. Health.  Yeah, yeah, this one seems obvious, but I really feel thankful that we are not going through any major health crisis nor did we in the last year.  I have enough on my plate just trying to keep my pain issue under control, and not flared, that I don't want to forget the fact that we are all healthy.  Mitch is healthy, Vivi is thriving, and I am healthy.  It's all I could ask for.
4. Food.  Mitch has made two of my favorite recipes every week for the past few months.  Salty chicken, and barbecue chicken with green beans.  I love this.  It makes me more than happy.
5. Our backyard.  I'm thankful we have a beautiful backyard in San Francisco!
6. Friends.  We've had some amazing times with friends this past year, and it warms my heart just thinking about all of my times with them.  More to come!
7. Family.  I'm thankful for our families and how much they love Vivi.  There's nothing better than watching your baby be loved!

There are a lot of things to be thankful for beyond this list.  I have a baby that makes my heart ache just thinking about her, a husband I am still madly in love with (after 13 years!), and we're all ok.  It's not a perfect life but it's mine.  I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and to those who find the holidays a less than happy time, I've been there, and know how you feel (even if I'm determined to make this year different!).  Just hang on, they'll be over before you know it.

Let's eat some turkey!

xo