birthday gratitude.

As I continue to celebrate my [28th] birthday, I've been thinking about all that I am thankful for:


[1] First of all, I'm thankful for a birthday that fall so close to Thanksgiving, where I find myself really thinking about what it means to have gratitude and really live graciously.


and for the other things:
[2] I'm a little thankful for reality television.  Though when I was watching my healthy dose of it this past weekend, I had the sobering thought "wait-the-camera-crew-is-really-there-watching-Kris-and-Kim-fight-that-must-be-awkward."  Um, maybe I should be thankful for my own naivete. 
[3] Despite the contradictory evidence, I really am thankful for my husband.  In almost three years of marriage and a total of five years of togetherness, he has found a way to stay sane and keep me amused [which is quite a fete].  He tries super hard.
[4] My mom wins at birthdays.  Hands down.
[5] I am very lucky that married into the. best. family. ever.
[6] I have the most loyal best friend a girl can ask for.  She's known me and loved me through bangs, braces, eighth grade fashion choices [read: waffle shirts and overalls], bangs again, break ups, some more bangs, and my journey through marriage and motherhood.  I would be so lost without her.  It's an added bonus that fate has brought us to the same city again!
[7] I love social media.  Really, I love being able to spy catch up on people who really have no idea who I am.  In turn, I appreciate the real flesh-and-blood relationships I have with people.
[8]  It is an unexpected joy to watch my friends become spouses and parents.  I really cherish being apart of their lives.
[9] I dig my-still-sort-of-new job.  And I am super thankful for the friendships that continue from my old job!
[10] And, oh yeah, that Wyatt kid is kind of cool too :)