"Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks." -Shakespeare

Every year around Thanksgiving, as most bloggers do, I write about the things that I am thankful for. This year, I'm looking at my blessings in a whole new light. A lot of them are not your typical things to be thankful for. Of course, those things I have listed in the past, my family, my husband, my job, I am constantly blessed to have. But the things that I want to be thankful for this year most of all, are the things in which I have always taken for granted.

Sitting next to Adam's hospital bed after his surgery a couple of weeks ago, I was watching him with oxygen connected and running up into his nose to help him breathe. I remember studying the movement of his chest, smooth and slow breathing out, but choppy and hurried breathing in. It looked like it was so hard for his body to take that one breath. That simple breath that we so often take for granted. And as I sat there by his side, holding his hand, I was not only thanking God for him at that moment, but for the very breath that I was taking for granted.

As I sat there, my breathing got slower and deeper. And with every breath I took, I was praising God for such a an overlooked gift.

Today I am thankful for the breath that keeps me alive.

Last week, we were handed a gift by someone that we barely know. I don't feel like I should announce what this man did for us here on my blog because I know that he was not doing it to be seen by men, for his reward will be greater than any praise he would get here on earth. But I will just say, it was a life changing gift. In the blink of an eye, this person, whom just months ago was a stranger to us, took so much burden and worry off of our shoulders. And he did so, just because he could. Just because we are all children of God and because he wanted to help us.

I've never witnessed anyone do something of this measure for anyone in my life, especially someone that they just met, so needless to say, we were truly touched. When Adam got into the car with me on that Wednesday night and showed me the gift, we were both in tears.

Today I am thankful for the kindness of strangers.

I have a lot of perks with my job. The flexibility is great, the relationships that I build are wonderful. The insurance benefits are the absolute best, and the events that I help put on are always a blast. But my favorite thing about this job, without a doubt, are my co-workers. Never in all of my 11 years of having a job, have a I ever become really good friends with every single one of my co-workers. This job is different. All of the girls in the office with me are so great. We have such a fun time together whether we are on a road trip to a training telling funny stories, at staff retreats singing Karaoke, or even just in the office on a regular day. It really is such a relief after working a long 60 hour week, getting back to work on Monday and coming in your office to a Sonic Drink that your co-worker picked up for you, or a little gift of encouragement that your boss left you. I really am blessed to call them my friends.

Today I am thankful for my friends at the ACS.

{The friend and co-worker who always brings me Sonic Drinks. Thanks Misti! :)}

And finally, something that I have always said I would never take for granted... and I hope I never do. God has blessed me beyond measure in this area. Yesterday, I got home from work and met my husband at the door waiting on me with that "I'm so excited your home" look on his face. Then I walked back in the back and found a poem that he had written for me.

No, ladies. Chivalry is not dead.

It was the sweetest poem and it was really long too. I was very proud of him. One thing that I appreciate about Adam is that he really wants to know the heart of me and he really makes an effort to tune into his creative and artistic side. I am just so happy that he has a creative and artistic side! It makes me sad to hear a lot of women talk about their husbands doing sweet things for them before they got married, like opening the door for them, or surprising them with flowers, and after a while ... it just stops. But Adam continues to win my heart over and he doesn't have to do it with flowers and candy. He just takes interest in the things that I love, because he loves me. And that is all I need.

Today I am thankful for the romance in my marriage.

So you see, Thanksgiving doesn't always have to be about the big things in life that you think about often, and repeat at the dinner table on that Thursday in front of everyone. [Even though you have asked your mother repeatedly to stop asking us to do that because it is super lame and embarrassing. That was for you, Taylor.] Sometimes, it is about being Thankful for the little things in life that almost always go unnoticed. The things that would make a huge difference to you if you didn't have. Some things that we take for granted like a simple breath. And some things that maybe life snuck in on you, to see just how grateful you can be.

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if Thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse

may be Thy praise.

~George Herbert