a week of gratitude.

with thanksgiving a week away, i thought i would spend the days leading up to the holiday noting everything i'm thankful for.  even with a. away, i have so many blessings in my life.  let me tell you: life is good.

today i think i need to direct my gratitude toward the loves of my life.  the people who i would give a shout out should i ever win a grammy, or the olympics, or a free box of girl scout cookies.  my family.  

my family started out so small and intimate.  obviously we had my extended family who played a large role in our lives as we grew, but my family was a unit.  we cheered each other on, fought like mad and loved each other unconditionally.  they are the reason i am who i am today and i'm so thankful for such awesome friends.

then, i fell in love.  to the man of my dreams.  he swept me off my feet and carried me away from my family to create another.  our family.  our own little unit.  and i love it.  i love the adventures we have and the amazing connection we found within one another.  of course, two is never enough, so we adopted two handsome boys.  and everyday i am so grateful for our life and our little family.

marriage wouldn't be complete without the family that comes with it.  and a. comes from an amazing family.  i have the brothers i never had and more sisters to add to my circle.  the humor and love and kindness within this family is astronomical.  and they love who a. and i are when we're together.

and then there is the family that chose me.  the amazing people in my life who have accepted me with open arms despite my quirks.  this family is open, honest and full of laughter and grace.  there is no judgment- only love.  i truly value every moment we spend together and i am so thankful for each and every one of these friendships.

without each of these families, i would not have grown into the woman i am today.  and i happen to like who i am, so i owe them all a huge thank you.  thank you for loving me and for being my rock.  i love you all so much!