'Tis the Season to be Thankful

November has been the month of thankfulness on Facebook and I love it because it is so nice to hear and share what each of us our thankful for in the season where we have so much. Over the last year me and the hubs have a lot to be thankful for and I thought I would take a moment to share it with you. We were talking over lunch yesterday as we went out into the Black Friday quietness - we went out at lunch and it was super dead at Walmart no lie to pick up a few things, but we spent a few moments reflecting on the last year.

This time last year I was very ill. I was on FMLA leave from the university and barely making it day to day with severe anxiety and all that goes with it. I had just accepted the job at TCU and we were making arrangements to move from TN to TX and it was all so fast, so sudden, so crazy. He was in a job he hated, but was doing because ends have to meet. I was in a job that I was ready to leave and needed to leave for my health. We both were not the healthiest we could be and we knew we needed a change. We will forever be grateful for the crazy December 2011 to leads us to this holiday season.

This year hubs and I are thankful that are anxiety is in check and we are not fighting season affectiveness disorder.  I am thankful that I am able to work and love my job. He is thankful that he has a job that he loves and is learning at and building a phenomenal resume'. We have a peace that we are in a place we call home. We love TX. Good things have happened here this year. It has been a true blessing from jobs, to friendships, business opportunities, places for me to advocate, and places to feel like we can give back to friends, family, and students. 

Texas has really been a whirlwind of a dream and there have been challenges, but something he always reminds me of is step by step and year by year our marriage is better, our marriage is stronger, and we are better off in all those day to day things like finances, bills, and savings accounts. We are in a place that works and that is growing. We are happy to be at the part of the tunnel where you can see the end and despite the tunnel we are still happy and doing great things that make us happy.

We have been blessed with new friends. We have been blessed with a community that is growing and that we love. We have been blessed with opportunity that we only want to baby, harvest, and see where it leads. We are blessed with going back to school and we both love it and learning - though he may be a little bit of hard headed in this area over me (but we even each other out!)

This year we finally figured out how we fit in the marriage - and that has been huge! I'm great at record keeping and moving the day to day along. I'm the organizer, the thinker, the dreamer. He is great at keeping calm, looking past the issues, and making sure that I am well, I am supported, and is learning to be a dreamer or learning to actually want things and work towards them. That is something new for us. This process hasn't been easy, but it is real and true.

We have been through a lot this year with my WLS. He has learned that he doesn't have to care for me day to day and allows me to be independent, but he also realizes with this RH he needs to be hands on and remind me to take care of me. He worries, but because he is concerned not because he worries like he used to and I appreciate this. He has been there through my RH, number issues with clothing, re-working my wardrobe, struggling with my hair loss, and all that comes with it, but he has also been there to cheer me on, watch me get dressed up and gather myself to reach for dreams that I couldn't of imagined 3 years ago.

I have watched him lose weight over 60 lbs! I have watched him take on a dreaming role which is not him naturally and I've watched him become leader in a business he only dreamt of doing. He loves it - he is empowered by it - and he is growing and blooming and I love it. It makes me so happy to help him achieve a dream. He has grown up so much this year and he has become a better friend and a better husband in a way that I've only hoped for. I can't wait for the next 2...5...10 years with him.

This year for me particularly I'm glad that I've been able to re-connect with my mom. It has been many years since we've even been able to chat and we do that regularly now. I'm glad of this most this holiday season. My Dad and I have a rough year too - it is hard growing up and it is hard when family happens around a relationship...but we are in a good place to healing as well. This holiday season is a special one and I'm excited for it.

I am thankful to be home.

I am thankful for a travel free holiday season for us.

I am thankful that I was able to put up my christmas tree.

I am thankful that we will have some presents under our tree.

I am thankful for friends near and far.

I am most thankful to be here...in this moment...in this day to celebrate thanks to my WLS.