Gratefulness has truly been a practice lately. For all you die-hard fans of this blog, you know that life has been a bit messy for me lately (and for those of you who are just tuning in, you can read more in my post titled “Life Lately” from a few months ago). But today I am challenging myself to write a whole post on what I am grateful for – it is a challenge not because I can’t find things to be grateful for, but because I haven’t been the best lately about actually taking the time to reflect on and put into words what I’m grateful for. But this is what Thanksgiving is all about, so here we go:
Things I’m Thankful For
These are the people and the things that have been bringing me so much joy this year, and this is my love letter to them.
Keith
I could write hundreds of things that I love about my husband, but I will try to keep it brief today. This man brought new meaning to the “in sickness” portion of “in sickness and in health” after my miscarriage and surgery last summer, and I only fell deeper and deeper in love with him through that experience. He is truly my partner and teammate and I’m not sure I could ever find the words to express how thankful I am for him.
Family
From my parents who came to stay with me after my surgery, who cried with me and held me, to my brother who called me nearly every day for a while and who always seems to know what to say, to Keith’s family who have been so supportive of us, to my extended family who have kept Keith and me in their prayers, I truly feel so lucky to have the best family.
Friends
Going to college three states away from where I grew up and moving several times since then means that I have friends spread literally all over the country. Sometimes I feel lonely and miss the friends who are far away, but I am always so grateful for the times we do get to spend together and for the ability to pick up right where we left off whenever we get the chance to talk on the phone or video call. Of course I love my friends who live close so much and the fun things we get to do on a more regular basis. And for the friends who have checked on me, come to visit me, cried with me, and shared their own miscarriage experiences with me, thank you. I’m thankful for you.
Luna
Luna is, quite honestly, the best dog in the world. Does she do things that annoy me on a daily basis? Yes, of course. But overall she’s such a great dog and here’s why: not only does she never make a mess in the house (unless she’s sick), but she never chews on anything that isn’t one of her toys. She’s always ready to play, and she loves kids and is so gentle with babies. But most importantly, she is somehow so intuitive to my mood and always knows if I am sick or sad, and refuses to leave my side if I am. If she hears me crying, she literally runs from wherever she is in the house and puts her head in my hand to pet her because she knows it will make me feel better. And she’s right. It works every time. Like I said, best dog ever.
Photography
I am beyond thankful for the couples, families, and businesses I have had the honor to photograph, and I am so proud of how my skill with my camera and my editing style have progressed to the point I am at now. When I’m behind the camera, everything else just fades away as I focus on what I’m doing. Photography has also given me the opportunity to learn about website design and to become a writer (even if it is just here on this blog!). But most importantly, it gives me a creative outlet that I never got from being a nurse.
Home
Creating a beautiful home for us has brought me so much joy! I have loved turning our builder-grade house into a peaceful and comfortable home that we love coming home to and spending time in. I find it so fun to be able to thrift different pieces, find what works, and swap things out if needed until it looks and feels just how I want it to. And of course, regardless of how it looks, I am so grateful to have a home that I get to share with Keith and Luna.
Traveling
I’ve spent my whole life longing to see new places and go on new adventures. I am so grateful for all of the amazing places I have been able to explore. And, of course, I am grateful for the jobs Keith and I have that allow us to budget a trip fund.
Fall
Oh glorious autumn, my absolute favorite season. The colors, the crunchy leaves, the sweaters, the hot drinks … what’s not to love? Every autumn, I am so grateful for the change in temperature. To quote Anne of Green Gables (another one of my faves) “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
Hiking
As an adult, I’ve never been one for regular exercise. But this last year, I have been getting outside way more and actually enjoying my daily hikes (except when it got too hot during the summer, then I would go on walks in the park). My mental and physical health have benefited so much, and I’m so happy that I finally found an exercise that I love.
Final Thoughts
Thank you so much for reading all that I am thankful for. I’m sure there are things I missed, but maybe I’ll do this again next year. It was actually incredibly humbling to sit down and list out everything like this. It’s a nice shift in perspective. Now, I would love to hear what you are thankful for down in the comments! And Happy Thanksgiving!
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. This blog post contains images that I took myself for personal use and enjoyment and are not intended to be used for marketing purposes. Most of them were taken on a cell phone, and all of them are unedited. If you are interested in viewing some galleries of my couples, intimate wedding, and elopement photography, click here. If you’re interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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