Expressing Thanks

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Expressing thanks-- I was having lunch with my friend, Becca, yesterday when this topic came up. She was telling me about how she'd read a sermon recently that was written about five years ago that really resonated with her and that she'd emailed that pastor just to express gratitude for those words. I mentioned that I bet it really meant a lot to the pastor to get that email and to hear how something she'd written 5 years prior was still relevant and making a difference today. I know from having a father-in-law in ministry that compliments feel few-and-far-between, whereas complaints seem to come quite regularly. 

We then got on the subject of how as teachers, we feel the same way. When a parent really takes the time to express thanks, whether it's an email, note, phone call, or in person, it just means so much to us. 

Which got me thinking. I feel really thankful for a lot of things that people do. But, am I actually taking the time to express this thanks---whether it's to someone who I was required to interact with but who was really kind or exceptionally helpful. Or whether it was to someone, like a family member or friend, whose support is often taken for granted. Or, just a stranger and some random act of kindness. Am I taking that time to really show gratitude?

So, today, and moving forward,  I want to be intentional about taking that extra second to express thanks. I definitely don't want to be one of those people who walks around expecting and not appreciating. 

And, I'll start here with a few that have been on my heart this week...

Thank you to the cashier at Babies R Us who let us use two coupons that normally would not have been accepted. It was more helpful than you could know as saving every penny during a time when we have so much to purchase is crucial. 

To our amazing families:  Thank you to my sweet Mom, who gave up 6 days to come stay with us and help us around the house. She spent a day in the kitchen cooking freezer meals for us. She did laundry, helped me organize, ran errands with us, and even came to help out at a reading program I worked with each day last week. It was truly a labor of love and so incredibly helpful as we prepare for baby. Also, a shoutout to my dad who dropped my mom off and drove back to pick her up, arriving with his most-amazing spaghetti sauce, ready to also go in our freezer! I know when my mom comes to stay with me he takes on more of the responsibility around their house helping out with my grandparents, so it means a lot that they were all so supportive of her coming for such a nice chunk of time! Thank you to my in-laws, who have also done so much for us as we have been busy getting ready for baby, from helping paint our nursery walls to paying for us to get our sink fixed! We are so lucky to have families who are so generous and selfless beyond measure.

Thank you to the kind nurse, Nina, who I spoke to earlier today, after having 3 other rather frustrating calls to nurses prior. Your manner was so gentle and kind and exactly what I needed in that moment.  **knowing that I was writing this post, I did actually at the end of our conversation express my appreciation, and I think (and hope!) she felt the love!

Thank you to these sweet mamas (and 1 mama-to-be!) who I have pestered with questions throughout my pregnancy-- Kathleen, Beebs, Ally, Jill, Kelly, Elise, and Kaitlyn. Your advice and willingness to share your experiences has been so valuable and incredibly helpful. I look up to each and every one of you as mommies and am so grateful to share in this journey with you!

Piggy-backing off of that, thank you to this sweet blogger, Christina, who doesn't know me from Adam, and literally responded to a question I asked her about movement monitors, like a day or two after she gave birth! I mean, what a rockstar! I emailed her not knowing she was in labor, and when I saw her blog post that she had given birth I just went ahead and prepared myself for not hearing back (which would have been totally understandable!). I was so shocked and pleasantly surprised to see her response, and such a timely one, at that!

Kind of random, but thank you, Caitlyn Jenner, for giving an incredibly amazing speech about acceptance and respect last night at the ESPYs. As a 3rd grade teacher, I see the beginnings of bullying of kids who are different, and it breaks my heart to know that it could only get worse and what they might face in their futures. Thank you for encouraging others to be kind and respectful, even to people who you might not understand.

Thank you to my incredibly thoughtful friends--Becca, Ally, Kristen, and Jan-- who worked so hard to help make my shower last weekend so special, and another huge thanks goes to all of my loves who came and helped shower baby boy and me! I am so grateful for each and every one of you!

And a huge, ginormous thank you to my hubs. It has probably been one of my most emotional weeks throughout this pregnancy (cue the "I don't even know why I'm crying but I am" tears). Kyle, you have handled each meltdown, each moment with such love, nurture, and grace. I am thankful to the moon and back for you always, and especially in moments like those when it would be so easy to be 1. annoyed   2. flustered  3. tempted to laugh.   

So there you have it, a little thankfulness on this Thursday. But more importantly, a start to being intentional about expressing gratitude and thanks. And hey, you might just be seeing more of these posts if I can get my act together every Thursday ;)

I'll leave you with this quote:

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Happy Thursday!