Thanksgiving in February

No, I'm not pulling out any turkey and stuffing - largely because I don't even really care for turkey. And no, you haven't missed the majority of the year. It's not Thanksgiving on the calendar. It's February 1. We're headed toward summer (I hope) and not back into winter.

But this week has brought about a big old helping of gratitude in my heart, so I am pausing on this Friday (which somehow feels like a Saturday) to give thanks.

My Facebook memories notified me this week that it's been three years since Ryan and I set foot in this house for the first time. January 29th, to be exact, was our house-hunting-versary. I would show you a throwback picture from that day, but I didn't take any. (Boy, I hope you were sitting down when you read that.) It's true. We so firmly had no intentions of buying this house that I didn't even bother to snap a single picture when we came to tour it.

And yet less than two months after that day, we purchased the house and moved into it, and this week, I was profoundly grateful (again) for that move.

We've been Polar Vortexing (again) here in the Midwest, and the sub-zero temps and ridiculousness of it all made me grateful...

* that I'm no longer commuting to Fort Wayne. Oh, how I remember those days when one hour each way became two hours each way and all four hours of driving were laced with tears and high blood pressure.

* that Ryan is no longer commuting to Kokomo. When the travel advisory maps started lighting up with yellows, oranges, and reds, I was so grateful that I didn't have to worry about his hour (or more) on the road each way and other drivers who might not be attentive in his path.

* that I'm not on carpool duty this year. To be completely fair, that was a short drive in the grand scheme of what we have driven in our commuting days, but I'm so glad I don't have to worry about my own safety OR the safety of two kids who aren't mine on slick city roads.

And even though our house popped and cracked like most probably did, and even though I had to mop up melted ice from the windowsills each morning, I was grateful...

* for a warm home. Ryan and I both commented that this house holds heat so much better than our old house. It was so laden with character, as older homes tend to be, and part of its character was that it had been insulated before insulation became as hard core as it is now. We'd bundle up under piles of blankets and sport layers of clothing to stay warm. Now our home is comfortable, and we are grateful.

* for power. Ours flickered for a bit one morning, and we learned later that many around us actually lost power for a few hours. We have no idea how we dodged it, but we were thankful.

* for reliable cars. We didn't have to go far in the worst of it, but I was thankful that I didn't feel like I had to worry about whether or not the car would start when we were ready to come home.

And in the middle of all that, I found myself grateful even further...

* that we haven't had to drive back and forth to Indianapolis in all this. We are thankful that Ryan's mom is home and going to see or stay with her involves a much shorter drive with significantly less traffic.

* that we were able to open our home to friends. Last night we had some friends traveling through town, and we were able to share our guest room with them and provide a hot meal after their day of chilly travel. When we tentatively set this up a month ago, I wasn't sure if it would actually work out, between the unpredictable weather and Ryan's mom's health. But to have them here was a gift, and to be able to share our blessings with them was an even bigger gift.

So we're grateful. We're eager for summer, much like the rest of you, I'm sure. But we are grateful for safety, warmth, and the chance to share what we have with others.

I hope as we begin this new month and burrow a bit more into 2019, that your heart can find much to be thankful for, too!