Day 29: Being a mom

I love being a mom. I wasn't so sure how I was gonna be as a parent. I am pleasantly surprised by home much I enjoy being a mom to my little man.

I am thankful to be a mom to my sweet boy.

Day 28: Portland Parks

I am so thankful for all of the wonderful outdoor space we have within our city. Portland has amazing parks. Before Levi I enjoyed the parks for their picnic spaces, tennis courts and long hiking trails. With Levi we have been introduced to all the wonderful playgrounds and open spaces the parks have to offer.


What are you thankful for today.

Day 17: My husband

Today is my 4th wedding anniversary.
I am thankful for my husband!

The smartest thing I have ever done was marry this man. He is my best friend, partner and amazing father to our son. Not to mention, funny, charming, and plain ole fun to be around!

(He also does the dishes when I dirty all of them cooking us a dinner feast. And he eats everything I cook. Gotta love that!)

xoxoxo

Day 16: Safety

Feeling safe is something I don't often actually think about. I am just AM safe. I am so thankful for that. I don't worry about my own or my son's or my husband's safety on a daily basis. Can you imagine what that must be like? In some parts of the world when people walk out your door you have no idea if they will come home at all...

I am very thankful for my safety and feeling safe.

(That said, the first month of Levi's life I had nightmares about people trying to hurt him. It probably didn't help that I was sleep deprived!)

Day 15: My Sister-in-Law

I have never had a sister. I have had friends who are almost like sisters, but I am really, really thankful for my sister-in-law. My brother did well when he married this amazing woman.

I am so happy to call her family.
(And I am not just saying this because she is gonna watch Levi overnight next weekend! :) )

Day 14: My Oven

Not my oven, or kitchen - but the more modern version of my oven.

I know it sounds crazy, but I am thankful for my GE profile gas stove with convection oven. I think it has made me a better cook. It is just heavenly to use, although a little hard to clean. (But, I am a really messy cook, as Justin will attest to.)

If I ever move we are buying this stove for the new place. It is just too perfect. :)

Day 13: Long-time Friends

I am so thankful for my wonderful friends who have been with me as I grew up and are still part of my life today. I am very blessed to have not just one, but many such friends!

My oh my, how life has changed.

This weekend I spent time with a woman I was my college roommate. (See peach pie and Russian class posts for more).  Now, instead of being mildly inappropriate in Russian or causing trouble, we spent the day entertaining our babies. It is wonderful to see how our lives have changed, and even though we have grown up so much, we are still ridiculously silly together.

Day 12: Fake Cheese aka Queso Dip from a Jar

Image From Frito Lay

It is good.
What can I say.
Even a foodie has her downfalls.

Queso dip and I have a long history together.

Growing up my mom and I would enjoy Cheese Whiz on rice. In college and beyond, queso, chips and beer are a common sight when my friend H and I get together. It has become tradition.

I am thankful for Queso dip and all the wonderful times I have had around jars of this bright yellow, goopy deliciousness.

Day 11: Those Who Serve

I am so thankful for the people who serve or have served to protect our country.

Thank you. I could not do what you do.

Day 10: Doug Da Pug

I have the most amazing dog; Doug da Pug. I am thankful for the laughter, cuddles, and snorfs he adds to my days.

About 5 years ago we decided we needed a dog. Long summer evenings were spent reading each and every Kennel Club Breed book. We made piles of which dogs met our criteria and which didn't. In the end we had a boston terrier, pug, or french bulldog in the possible pet pile and every other breed in the not gonna work pile. I think we had preconceived ideas of what kind of dog we wanted, but were afraid to admit it. (People and kid dog, small but hardy, snored, curly tail,  (I joke, sort of)) We also wanted a "slightly used" dog. No puppies. Preferably free.

Shortly after school had started we were at a staff back to school event and over beers joked with co-workers that we were looking for a slightly used pug. The next day the co-worker called us and said that their neighbor was looking to re-home their pug. He was 5 years old and named Jose. We immediately headed up to meet him.

Jose greeted us at the door, howled with joy at the thought of a walk, and while we sat with the owners and their small daughter he calmly put up with the toddler laying on top of him chewing on his foot. After an evening of pondering Jose came home with us the next day.

We promptly changed his name to Doug da Pug.

Doug is the best dog! Our lives are fuller and more joyful since he has joined our family. When we are sick he is nurse pug. He dutifully keeps our feet warm and protects us from the mailman. He would be an excellent NORAD - guarding our airspace for crows, airplanes, or large insects.

Levi (1 month) and Doug

Levi (2 months) and Doug

He is as amazing with classrooms full of joyful first graders as he is with his new baby brother. Levi loves Doug. The baby hugs, kisses, and licks the pug regularly. Doug is one of Levi's first words. He is the first thing Levi looks for when he wakes up. I am not sure if Doug is equally enamored, but he puts up with the baby beautifully. I think he knows that eventually, the baby will give him something to eat.

Doug is also an excellent vacuum cleaner

I am so thankful for my sweet pug!
PS. Doug has his own, rather dated blog: http://dougdapug.blogspot.com Check it out for more photos.

Day 9: Plenty

I am so thankful each day that I wake up with cupboards full of food. I know where my next meal is coming from. I have the freedom to experiment with recipes and exotic foods. There are stores and restaurants overflowing with culinary options all around me.

I know not everyone is this lucky.

I do not take this blessing of food lightly. I have never been hungry.
I know of neighbors, students, and entire nations that can not say that.

What are you most thankful for today?

Day 8: Raincoats

Here in Oregon it rains so much it is a joke. For about nine months of the year a constant drizzle is dripping from the gray sky. Without my raincoat and removable down liner I would be stuck inside, or soggy and cold. I love that i can wear just raincoat, just the liner (super warm), or for those freezing rainy days - both!

I am thankful for my raincoat for keeping me day and warm, even in the pouring rain.

(No umbrellas for this native Oregonian!)

What are you thankful for today? Big or small. We are luckier than we think.

Day 7: The library

If you thought I liked food you should see me devour books.

I will read practically anything I can get my hands on. No matter how tired I am at the end of the day I always make time to read a few pages. Because I always need a book on my bedside table I love my local library.
I would be broke if I tried to buy all the books I need to enjoy my fill of literature!

I am so grateful for the library!

Curling up with a good book and a pug at 5 months

(And our weekly visits are helping to shape our mini-reader! We try out books for a few weeks to see if he likes them enough to add to our library. Levi loves the local book babies events, the librarian reads books and sings songs. )

10 months and loves his books!

What are some of your favorite books, I would love to add them to my list.
What are you thankful for today?

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Day 5
Day 6

Day 6: Sweaters

I think my love of sweaters started as a baby. My maternal grandmother was an amazing knitter and made me all sorts of sweaters and hats (often matching my mom). I still eagerly await the first cool, bright day of fall to pull on jeans, boots and a cozy sweater.

Being thankful for sweaters probably isn't that important of a thing - but really, being warm, cozy and feel like you look great. That is something worth thinking about.

What are you thankful for today?

Day 5: My health

Health: You don't appreciate it until you don't have it anymore. My pregnancy was a difficult one due to hyperemysis gravedaruim, which boils down to extreme vomiting while pregnant. Spending months feeling ill and unable to participate in my normal life was extremely difficult. I am thankful each day to wake up healthy.

If you think you may have hyperemysis gravedaruim, please talk to your doctor about your options for medication. Finding a doctor who listens and understands can make your life so much better as you wait for the arrival of your baby.

Day 4: My Job

I am thankful for my job.

I know they are few and far between these days, particularly for teachers. I am lucky enough to not only have a job, but have a job I love.

Teaching is a tough career but also so rewarding. My students amaze me each day, as do my coworkers. The state of Oregon's schools are abismal these days. Last year we saw massive teacher lay-offs. This year schools are struggling to meet each student's need in huge classrooms and less resources. Yet you can walk into almost any classroom and wouldn't know it. Teachers are giving all (plus any reserve) of their energy and creativity. Students are flourishing*. Most kids, other than having less elbow room, may not even realize what a tough year this has been.

Do you love your job? What are you thankful for today?

*I am basing this on my person observations within the schools I have visited. I obviously can't comment on each school and student.

Day 3: My family

My family should probably have been number one on my thankful list.

I had a really rough time being pregnant and most folks know a new baby is no piece of cake. (mmm, cake!)
I am blessed to have a husband, mom, aunties, dad, brother, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law who all helped keep me going through the hard times.

Are you lucky enough to have a family which you are thankful for?

Day 2: Good Coffee

I have discussed my love of coffee here often, so this is probably no surprise.

One of my favorite adventures was roasting fresh coffee beans over a fire in Nicaragua. My friends and I happened upon a small village which a Peace Corp volunteer was working to create a tourist industry based on the local coffee plantation. After a day on horseback, exploring and swimming in a waterfall and learning about shade grown coffee, we had the chance to roast our own coffee.

The little old lady (really! She was tiny!) started a blazing fire in the cook stove in her kitchen. Then we took turns stirring and tossing the beans. They slowly began to change from a light green to a dark, fragrant brown.

I toted that pound of coffee though another few weeks of travel and then home. When I finally got to grind and brew it, I will admit, it wasn't the best cup of coffee. But, I cherished those mugs of coffee because of the memories they held.

Although I love a good esspresso, latte, or cappuccino I would rather have a mug of brewed Stumptown or Portland roasting with a dash of cream.

I suppose this makes me a bit of a cliche. A Northwestern loving coffee.

Oh well.
Long live coffee!

What are you thankful for? Do you have a passion for coffee too?

Day 1: Hot Water Heaters

Have you ever thought about what is the best invention EVER?

I am throwing my vote in for the hot water heater. Not only do I think indoor plumbing is fabulous, but add in all the hot water you could want. That is perfection.

Today I am grateful for my hot water heater. (As is the little man of the house.)

What are you thankful for today?

Giving Thanks

Image emailed to me from a friend. They saw this while driving.

It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day challenges of life that I forget to look around and be thankful for everything that have. November is a wonderful month for me. It is the month I got married. The month my son was born. And it houses my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving!

I have decided that for the month of November I am going to post each day about something for which I am thankful. These will range from the silly to the special.

I would love to see others join in on my month of thankfulness. Please feel free to add a comment to any post about what you are feeling thankful for each day. Or play along on your blog.