Blessed

Thank you for my husband. Thank you for loving me, taking care of me, and always making me feel safe. Thank you for building me lots of furniture, fixing everything, and cooking outside on the grill because I don't know how to use the grill. Thank you for always making me feel beautiful, even with extra pregnancy weight, spit up on my blouse, and smeared makeup (from sloppy Madeline kisses). Thank you for showing me every day what amazing man and father you are. Thank you for knowing what I want or how I feel by the look on my face, without me even having so say a word. You have made this mama and our baby girl very happy. I love you.

Thank you for my Madeline. Thank you for your hugs, snuggles, and previously mentioned sloppy kisses. Thank you for letting me dress you up like my personal barbie doll without any complaints. Thank you for bringing out that strong, capable, crazy protective mommy in me. Thank you for your sweet baby giggles. Thank you for mastering my name this week. It was clear as day earlier today - MA-MA! Every day you show me something new, but that distinct Mama today was extra special. I thought my heart was going to burst. Thank you for changing my life. I love you so much it hurts.

Thank you for my family back home. Even though we don't see each other much, I think about you ALL of the time. All 100 of you (haha... um that number probably isn't too far off though!). What would I do without you? I have never been so proud to be a part of this ever-expanding family. In this fast-paced world, everyone always has some place to be or something going on, but when it comes down to it, we are there for each other, 110%. Thank you for always being there. I love you.

Thank you for my friends, the ones I see just about every day and the ones I only speak with a couple times a year. Being so far from "home" makes all of you Washington people more important than you know. You ARE my family, my Washington family. And my friends back home, thank you for always picking up right where we left off. Thank you for understanding that I'm trying to balance mommy time/work time/wife time (which is much more difficult than I ever imagined, I find myself losing that battle sometimes) and so I don't call as often as I really want to. I love you.

Thank you for everything else... my home, my job, my sweet pups, and all of the little things. At the end of the day, I realize how lucky I am and I know I have been blessed. Thank you God for everything, especially this year. 2010 has been more than I deserve.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!