Thankful
The holiday season is upon us! And yes, I consider Thanksgiving to be a part of the holiday season! That means it’s time to take stock of everything that happened this year — both good and bad — to truly appreciate all that we’ve been gifted with. After much consideration but without much fanfare, here is what I am thankful for so far in 2022:
1. My family. There’s a lot of thanks to give here, so let’s break it down further:
My Husband is the most supportive partner I could ask for. It was with his encouragement that I took the plunge and went back for my PhD! He has taken on extra parenting and household responsibilities as a result of my research and studies, and for that, I am ever so grateful.
My Son makes my heart so happy. Even on the days when he’s pushing my buttons (threenagers are the best!), he is my favorite little guy. He’s funny, kind, and just a good kid. I love how his mind works, and I get a kick out of hearing how he perceives the world. I’m a lucky mama.
My Parents living so close to us. Part of the reason we chose to live where we do is the proximity to my parents. Initially we joked that this was going to result in an “Everybody Loves Raymond” situation, but so far it has worked only to our benefit. Baer gets to visit his Tutus at a moment’s notice, and we have babysitters who are ready, willing, and able to watch my guy any time. He has an amazing relationship with his grandparents, and we are so lucky for this time with them.
My Extended Family: my father-in-law and his girlfriend; my mother-in-law; my brothers- and sisters-in-law; my grandmother; and all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. In their own way, they’ve made my life happier and easier and have just brought so much joy to my heart.
2. My friends. You might argue that friends are extended family, and this is true! I love my friends with a fierceness that I reserve for family. I am so lucky that I have people all over the country these days — it feels like no matter where I go, there’s always someone to visit. It feels like every time I see a gif, meme, or tweet, there is always someone I need to send it to. How lucky am I to hold so many people so close to my heart?
3. My health. I talk a lot about how my job makes me more conscious of my own physical and mental health, and it’s true. These days, I pay close attention to my mental health (burn out, overstimulated, overbooked), and I try to find outlets to offset some of these feelings. I also find ways to appreciate my physical health and maximize it: I go to Orangetheory every chance I get, and I work hard on increasing my pace and my strength. I get massages when I can. I walk as much as possible. I will never, ever take my health for granted.
4. My program/course of study. How lucky I am to have an undergraduate program and a master’s program so amazing that I came back for my PhD! My professors were so supportive of everything I did when I was initially in the program that coming back to UW-Milwaukee was a no-brainer on my end. I’m so fortunate that they pushed me to apply and that they then accepted me. I’m so happy studying what I do and for who I get to study it with.
5. My mentors and co-workers. They have truly taken me under their wings to show me the ropes of academia. It still blows my mind, two semesters into my program, that the professors I held and continue to hold in such high esteem know me and want to help me grow as a professional! That just shows what an amazing program UW-Milwaukee has. It reminds me how lucky I am to have stumbled into this program full of smart, supportive occupational therapy professors.
6. A steady income. I haven’t spoken too much about this previously but essentially being a one-income family these days makes me appreciate my husband’s career that much more. During Covid, I was furloughed for a while, but Nate’s job didn’t change — if anything, it did for the better; he didn’t have to travel for a year! Hearing stories about jobs lost and incomes cut makes me that much more aware and appreciative of how fortunate we are to be in our financial position.
7. Travel. Again, the ability to travel is something I completely took for granted prior to Covid that I appreciate more and more as the years go by. The ability to hop on a plane/train/car and go somewhere and see new things — well, that should never be taken for granted again. So many positive experiences and ideas come out of travelling (an appreciation for a different location, different culture, or different cuisine; time away from the rigmarole of everyday life; and seeing the history that you’ve only previously read about) that we should stop and appreciate what it brings to our lives.
8. My Instagram. I get to share myself (my likes and dislikes, my happiness and sadness, my humor, my stories, my battles, my reality) with an amazing audience who relates to me and who I relate to. It’s made my transitions to a wife and a mother easier because I found that I wasn’t alone in feeling the way I feel or having the experiences I do. Somedays, IG is my therapy. Thank you for being here with me — it means the world.