Timely Thankfulness

My family does not do the whole go around the table and say what you're thankful for thing. But this year one thing keeps popping up in my head when I think about being thankful: time. This may seem like a vague thing to be thankful for, but let me explain. 


First and foremost I am extremely grateful for all of the time our new little family spends together. With Joe in law school, every minute of his time is precious. He has been working very hard to get his work done during the day so we can be together in the evenings, even if it means getting up early and waiting for the bus in the cold. Also, before moving to Chicago, both Joe and I had stopped working by the time Lily was born. That gave us almost two full months together to get a little bit used to our new life. It really means a lot to me that we got to just hang out and get to know our daughter for that long. 


I am also thankful for the time we spend apart. We are fortunate to have the means for me to stay at home with Lily while Joe goes to school during the day. As much as I have been complaining about it, it turns out I really love it. As she's getting older, it's more fun and I can spend more time doing things i like such as cooking, unpacking (yes, sill), and decorating for Christmas! Then, once Joe gets home, he gets to sit with Lily while I get a chance to be alone. I like listening to them laugh and play together while I cook or just sit in another room for a few minutes. 


And, finally, I would be horribly remiss if I did not say how thankful I am for the time so many other people have given to us. Both Joe's and my parents were absolutely essential to getting us relocated to Chicago. We would not have been able to do it without them. Now that we're here, I'm so grateful that they get to spend so much time with Lily. It is wonderful to live near family with a child. I'm so glad she'll be close to all of them as she grows up. And I am equally grateful for our friends in many different places. Thank you for letting us hang out with you and your families, answering ridiculous questions about pregnancy and parenting, and just being cool people. 


So Happy Thanksgiving everyone!