Top 10 Tuesday – Thankful

Here in the US, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday. Today’s Top 10 Tuesday prompt is things we are thankful for. Thank you, Janai, for hosting this linkup!

So here it is, the notable and the superficial, the literary and the not quite literary:

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My Little Family

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Impossible. I am the luckiest person in the world – three beautiful children, a loving husband, parents who try to help as much as they can, a funny brother, and one wild cat. I’m thankful for all of the people in my life, but those especially.

 

The Public Library

Thank you to the inventor of the public library and to a town that values it! Most of the books that I’ve read this year have been from the library. There’s no way that my family could afford to buy all of the books that I tear through and I love being able to pick out fresh, new books for our kids to paw through. I’ve always believed that libraries are the heart of a community – and they hold a special place in my own heart.

Elections

The US elections were held earlier this month and I am happy to see that we are slowly

moving back to upholding the dignity and decency of our democracy. It wasn’t a perfect night, but most of America chose to embrace our diversity and voted to restore our values and principles. I’m well aware that not every citizen of the world has the same rights as I do and I am so thankful to feel heard and understood by my senators and representative.

My Kindle

My Kindle Paperwhite was a gift from my sweet sister in law a few years ago. I have other kindles, but this one is my favorite! Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to read as much as I have after Bronwyn was born. It’s perfect for nursing and reading – lightweight, easy to hold one handed, and saves your place when you close the cover. There’s no fumbling for a bookmark when you need to jump up quickly!

And, of course, thanks to my public library and our town’s elections, I’m able to check out books for free and have them sent straight to my kindle. What an awesome privilege.

Public Schools

I’ve wanted to homeschool since my first was born, but I have to work right now so it wasn’t possible. My oldest started Kindergarten in August and, while a bumpy road, I’m so thankful that he has a safe and loving environment in which he can learn and grow. He has already changed so much and it’s amazing to watch him.

My middle child, who is 3.5, hasn’t started talking yet. After some evaluations it was determined that he’s eligible to start the (free) pre-school at our public elementary school, which I’m so grateful for.

Public schools are taxpayer funded, which is determined by voters’ willingness to spare no expense for our children. Once I heard someone say that they’ll always vote for children and that’s been my mantra since. Let’s always vote for children.

My Home

We bought our home 5 years ago and I’m still in shock. I never thought we’d be able to afford a home, yet here we are. It’s not perfect or fancy, but it’s the best place for us. I just love it. I also love trying to make it as cozy as humanly possible, which means driving my husband crazy with different ideas.

Flexibility at work

I returned to work when Bronwyn was six weeks old but I was lucky enough to be able to work from home! It has its own challenges for sure, but how lucky am I? And my supervisor and coworkers are flexible and understanding and I am just over the moon. Employers? Take note! This is how you  keep your employees!!

Instagram

Here’s where we get to the superficial part of this post, but superficiality is sometimes needed in life, right?

I love instagram. I love bookstagram and knitstagram and quiltstagram. Sometimes I just need pretty pictures to get through the day and Instagram fits that bill nicely. I don’t follow any reporters or pundits of any kind in an effort to keep this platform as fluffy and nonpolitical as possible. That’s for Twitter, which is also important, but my Instagram is where I go when I need to unwind and take a break from the real world.

IKEA

IKEA was there when I lived in a tiny apartment and needed a way to furnish it as cheaply as possible. IKEA is still here now that I have a much bigger house and… need a way to furnish it as cheaply as possible!

I’m really drawn to the Swedish aesthetic – lots of white, clean surfaces but cozy af. IKEA excels at giving me exactly that. I have a ton of bookshelves from there as well as kitchen items, like pots, a butter dish, a hanging rack for pots/pans, etc. Our dining chairs are also IKEA, but we’ve had them for nearly 15 years and they haven’t held up very well. And I still love IKEA!

Amazon Prime

Look, Amazon is the devil and is going to take over the world. I totally get that. However, how awesome is it that I can order diapers and get them the next day? With free shipping, to boot. It can be hard to leave the house with three kids and I am the quintessential homebody. If I don’t have to leave the house, I probably won’t. Amazon has made it possible for me to stay home even more and for that, I salute them. Thank you, Amazon, for being an evil giant that has wormed its way into the daily life of so many people around the world. Without you, I’d have to put on pants more often.

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And, of course, this blog and the friends I’ve gained through it. Thank you, thank you, thank you for our connection!