Thirty Days of Thankfulness

I'm sure everyone who has a Facebook has seen many of their friends posting daily what they are thankful for. I mentioned a few weeks back that I loved the feeling of thankfulness that everyone seems to be feeling this time of year, so you'd think I'd have been the first to jump on that bandwagon...but well, I just don't have the memory for that. I started the 30 day photo challenge earlier in the year and made it 5 days...maybe? So rather than try to keep up with that, I decided to share my thirty days of thanksgiving right here, all at once.

November 1: I am first and foremost, thankful for my God. Without him, I would have nothing to be thankful for. Anything good in my life is thanks to Him. It is nothing I have done, but everything He has done.
"I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."- Psalm 69:30

November 2: I am beyond thankful for my husband and son. They are my everything. Without them, I don't know where I'd be and I am thankful every day that I was chosen to be Matt's wife and Shaun's mom.

November 3: I am thankful for my parents, for being wonderful and supportive in every way. They truly made me who I am and I thank them for that.

November 4: I am thankful for my sisters, Hope and Heather. Though we didn't always get along as kids, I never had to worry that they would not have my back if I needed it. And I have never laughed as hard as I do when we're together.

November 5: I am thankful for my brother, Jeff. Though I never met him, I am thankful because he taught me to be understanding and accepting to those who are different. This has made me a better mother to Shaun because of that.

November 6: I am thankful to one of my very best friends, Erica for getting me through the bad times and understanding what I was going through, without judgement. I am forever thankful and grateful to call you my best friend.

November 7: I am thankful for my other best friend, Brittany for always standing by me, even when she didn't necessarily agree with my choices. She has always been one of the few who I knew I could always count on.

November 8: I am thankful for my wonderful friend Tiffany, for breaking me out of my shell...or at least enough to sing at church every week. It is one of my absolute favorite memories and something I miss greatly. She also took me to church camp one year, and it forever changed my life. I owe her so much.

November 9: I am thankful to my fellow Autism mommy friends who I've been so blessed to meet. The circumstances of our friendships might not be ideal, but I am very thankful for the support and advice I've been given by all of you!!

November 10: On this 236th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps, I am thankful to the military and all of the wonderful opportunities it has given our family. While military life is not always great, I know we have a steady paycheck and a place to live. We've also been places I would never imagined (even just living here in California), that is only because of the Marine Corps.

November 11: I am thankful for the veterans. Particularly, of course, my husband. And also my Great Great Uncle Theodore, WWII Navy Veteran. He was my hero and I miss him daily with his wonderful war stories and the Navy vs Marine Corps battles he would have with Matt when we'd visit. He has been an inspiration to me, and I hope that he is looking down and is proud of the person I have become.

November 12: I am thankful for all of the amazing teachers and therapists that have helped Shaun to get to where he is today. I am constantly in awe of how far we have come since his original diagnosis and I owe so much of that to all of them.

November 13: I am thankful for Camp Illiana, my beloved Church Camp I always speak so highly of. This place has really helped to make me a better person (and a better Christian) and brought some wonderful friends in my life. It is a place that immediately felt like home and even now, years later, is still one of my favorite places on earth- a safe haven.

November 14: I am thankful for all the negatives in my life, they have made me stronger and brought me to where I am today.
"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."- 2 Corinthians 12:9

November 15: And on that note, I am thankful for my previous relationship. It taught me what true love was NOT, and allowed me to recognize the real thing when I found it.

November 16: I am thankful that my mom always encouraged me to keep writing. Even when I could not think of one single thing, she'd encourage me to keep trying. Always.

November 17: I am thankful for couponing. That might sound silly compared to everything else on this list so far, and maybe it is, but it has certainly been helpful in keeping within a budget and helping my family to save money...which means less stress for this mommy! So once again, I say...I am thankful for couponing!!!

November 18: I am thankful to anyone who has ever helped us, in anyway!!

November 19: I am thankful for this blog and all of my readers. This blog served as a great distraction and outlet while going through my husband's yearlong deployment, and has been a great way for me to share my son's progress and raise awareness for Autism.

November 20: I am thankful for Facebook. Not because I'm addicted (though I am), but because being far away from all of my family and friends, it has been a great way to keep in touch with everyone and share photos of Shaun and our family.

November 21: I know I've said this already, but I'll say it once again...I'm soooo very thankful for my husband. With my anxieties, I'm sure I'm not the easiest person to live with, but he accepts me and loves me anyway, and pushes me to do things I never believed I could do before.

November 22: I am thankful for Thomas the Tank Engine for being a great learning toy for my little boy- helping to teach him his colors, numbers, reading and even improving his speech. I love that my baby has something that he loves so much.

November 23: I am thankful for 'conversations' with my son about Santa Claus. It might seem like nothing to ask a four year old what he wants from Santa and being told an appropriate response, but for Shaun, this is wonderful. This is the first year he's really seemed to get it (though he's loved Christmas and Santa for ages, he never really 'got' it) and I'm so excited. The same goes for watching him trick or treat, open birthday presents on his own, etc....

November 24: On a less serious note, I am thankful for the UPS and mailman...haha...they always bring me great goodies;)

November 25: I am thankful for our house. While I wish we could live closer to home, and hopefully we soon will, I do love the place where we are. Looking out at my wonderful ocean view every day is a great reminder of how truly lucky we are.

November 26: I am thankful for California weather...like I said, I wish we were closer to home, but well, I'm not ready for the snow just yet...or ever!!

November 27: I am thankful for my wonderful mother in law who on this day in 1983 brought my amazing husband into this world. I cannot thank her enough for that and I could not wish for a better mother in law (afterall, she take my side instead of my husband's...haha...what more could you want? ;))

November 28: I am thankful for the rest of my family, and my husband's family as well. I have been very blessed, beyond a doubt.

November 29: I am thankful for my new Thirty-One business, my sponsor and director. Already I am loving this amazing company and the support I've been given and I cannot wait to see where this road leads.

November 30: I am thankful for whatever our future holds, because I know wherever we end up, it will all be God's plan for us.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11