Gratitude for Family and Friends: Reflecting on Life’s Greatest Gifts
As Thanksgiving approaches, I am reminded of the small things in my life that bring glimmers of love. I used to hear the saying “stop and smell the roses” and boy as my kiddos grow, I am always trying to soak in every single moment I can with them as they are right here and right now. It is so easy to be swept up in the busyness of life. If we forget to “stop and smell the roses” we miss out on that is right now. Motherhood has taught me the most to important things are right now. Maggie and Mason will never be this age again, they will never be who they are right now again. I want to soak up every bit of them as they are right now. I want to share a few thoughts.
Being Thankful for family: The heart of everything.
Becoming a single mom - I knew my family would be there to support us. If it is through helping get Maggie to cheer while I am training for a powerlifting competition, or its it is picking them up from daycare because Maggie asked her Oma to get them early so, they don’t have to stay until I am out of work. Maybe it is showing up for Maggie and Mason in the sweetest and most loving ways. Maybe it’s your brother driving 4 hours to spend 2 hours with you all to celebrate Mason’s birthday. Maybe it’s your sister and her husband coming to celebrate Maggie’s birthday in the midst of wedding craziness. Life is crazy with two kids, there is no way ever that I could do everything I do and show up in the ways I can in all the areas of my life, if it were not for my family.
Friends, old and new: The blessing of connection
Through life we have friends that come into our lives, and they show us that family is not just blood. It’s the people that choose to love you through all the moments. I am lucky to have a few friends, that have been there through all the phases of my life. They have seen me at my lowest. They loved me through the days when I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Then there are the new friends that make their way into your life. New friends bring fresh perspectives, energy and experiences into your life. They can inspire growth. New friendships remind us that connections can be formed at any stage of life, enriching our sense of community and keeping our worlds vibrant and dynamic. Recently, I had an experience where I had some people that I have not known for very long, show me that the kids and I are family. They showed up when they didn’t need to, and they might our life so rich with love. Whether they are old friends that have been there through the phases of you, or they are new friends, having people who love you as you are make your life richer with love.
Recently I had two moments that reminded me of how much I am grateful for the life that Maggie and Mason and I live. Maggie had a cheer competition on her weekend with her dad, and I wanted to be able to go to a powerlifting competition and show up for Bobbijo (an amazing powerlifter I know!) My parents understood this. So with everything that has to do with Maggie’s cheer is based out this way and not in Binghamton where her dad lives, my parents got her to her team for hair and then got her to her competition. I was able to go to both the powerlifting competition in Salamanca, and then to Owego for Maggie’s cheer competition. If it was not for my parents, I would not be able do both. Another instance was when Maggie, Mason, and I went to Conneticuit to see my best friend Nicole. See, Nicole has been there through it all. She loved me at my absolute lowest, she answers every single call when I need her to talk sense into me, recently she has reminded me of how fucking worthy I am, and how Maggie and Mason are worthy - I just have to be able to open myself up to be hurt (that is a whole other story, and I am getting off track). When we were in Connecticut, Mason was not listening, and Nicole could see I was struggling with him. She told me to take Mags around to the event we were at, and she sat with Mason and her daughter while I was able to go get some 1:1 time with Maggie. It’s hard when the ratio is always 2:1, getting that 1:1 time with each of the kids is so important for both the kids and me.
At the end of the day the most important things cannot be measured in any other way than love. The love in which we feel, the love in which we give, and the love in which we allow ourselves to receive. When there is gratitude for the love in our lives it helps you find joy in the present and appreciate life’s smallest moments. What are you grateful for? Not just in this season of giving thanks, all the time.
Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings. I appreciate you! ❤️