I am thankful for eggnog

I am thankful for my husband

I was scrolling through iPhoto and realized I have a lot of memories stored in there, and quite a few photos of my handsome and funny husband. I'm a lucky lady.

I borrowed the collage idea from Kristen. She has some beautiful ones up right now (not of Bryan).

I am thankful for Handyman Chris

Chris came over this afternoon to help us hook up our dishwasher. We've had the dishwasher for two months, but have been washing dishes by hand ... until today. Yay for working appliances!

I am thankful for quiet days at home

Every once in a while, it's nice to just be home, especially while it's pouring down rain outside and warm and dry inside. At one point this morning it was raining so hard I thought the roof might start leaking. The sound of it was so intense I turned off the music so I could hear it better.

After my breakfast of French press coffee with hazelnut biscotti creamer and an onion bagel smeared with cream cheese, I did three days worth of dishes, which is always a rewarding accomplishment, and got ready for the day. I was supposed to go to Merry Go Round baby store in Bellevue with Jenny, but she is sick today. Instead, I ate the last of my leftover homemade boeuf bourguignon for lunch.

Then I peeked into the spare bedroom to see whether I had the energy to tackle the massive organization that needs to happen in there. I didn't. Now I'm making a triple batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, basking in the aroma filling the condo, and thinking about how lucky I am to be able to have days like this.

We may not be especially wealthy (compared to some), but our lives are so rich and we are free to live the way we wish. Every night at dinner Bryan thanks God for our jobs, which is something I more often complain about than am grateful for. But having a job is not guaranteed, and the fact that Bryan can set his own schedule and take off for pre-natal appointments, and I will be able to quit working before Amelia is born, well, that's pretty great.

This brings me to a question that's been roiling around in my head for a while now: Why am I so blessed when others suffer? Why was I born in America in the 20th century instead of during the Black Plague in England? Why did I get a good family instead of a drug addict mom and an abusive father? I don't deserve it. I'm no better than anyone else. My life hasn't always been as happy as is it is now. I, too, have suffered, and maybe my suffering, while different from the pain of disease or hunger or war or torture, is comparable. So I'm not complaining, I just hope those whose suffering I don't understand are able to find glimmers of hope and joy like I do, and someday their lives are redeemed and made beautiful. I guess my job, as Richard would say, is to bless others and make Christ's kingdom manifest here on earth. If anyone can tell me how to do that, let me know.

I am thankful for getting kicked in the stomach

I started feeling Amelia kick about a month ago. I had been nervous in the weeks before since I hadn't yet felt any movement that I could clearly differentiate from normal tummy rumblings. So when I felt a definite pop in one particular spot, I knew this was different. A few days later, as our plane was descending into Boston, I had Bryan put his hand on my belly in that same spot, and he got to feel his daughter's movements for the first time.

Since then, she has kept up her active kicks and punches, and each time I am in awe of her tiny powerful limbs. What a blessing that we are given this outward interaction with her while she is still being formed. I have even started noticing patterns to her movement. She always seems to kick during my 9:30 class, my 1:30 class, and around 7:30, when I'm usually laying on the couch, she does somersaults and backflips. I want to hold her with my hands so badly, but for now I must be content with her charming acrobatics.

Thank you God for entrusting us with the gift of this life. Please help Bryan and I to care for her, to love her as you love her, and to raise her to be a godly woman.

I am thankful for public transportation

I read Jane's post about riding the Metro to and from work everyday, and the inspiration that comes from forced proximity to a wide range of people. I used to ride the bus downtown when I worked at Amazon, and actually really enjoyed my commute. I could read for an uninterrupted half hour, and saw interesting people every day. I would sometimes try to imagine what people's stories were, where they worked, what their lives were like. I miss that. These days I drive by myself half an hour to the middle of nowhere. The closest thing to a co-commuter I have is the guy who drives the blue Prius 35 mph in a 45 mph zone. I see him everyday, and instead of inspiring my love of humanity, he just makes me mad. I need to discover some way to rekindle my love of observation and the gratitude and inspiration that come from living in this world. Maybe instead of holing up in my condo watching "Law and Order: SVU" I should get out and feel the heartbeat of the city. Anyone want to hit Pike Place Market with me? We could ride the bus.

I am thankful for Craigslist

I am thankful for Craigslist. I had this antique steamer trunk with rusty latches that Bryan was encouraging me to get rid of before Amelia is born. It has been occupying some prime real estate in our living room since we got married, and while charming, was completely unfunctional for our purposes. Bryan wasn't convinced it would fetch my $40 asking price, and wondered why I didn't just throw it away. However, a nice young engaged couple just came by and carried it away to its new life. We have our living room back and I have two hot twenty dollar bills burning a hole in my pocket. Thanks Craigslist!