November Thankful - Family and Friends

Hello, November!

I started the habit of being consciously thankful a few Novembers back and I thought it's a good tradition to stick to. Even if we don't celebrate Thanksgiving.

It makes me appreciate more of what I have in life. Gratitude matters.

Starting with people close to my heart, I'm really grateful to my family and friends. Cliché, but I'm still thankful for them. For enduring my rants. For encouraging me whenever I feel inadequate (that's almost all the time). For making me a better person.

My family

The support I get from my family is tremendous. This year, I am back home most of them time since I need help with J. My parents could have chased me back but they didn't. They help out a lot with the caring of J and even help plan fun activities for J. Explains why there have been more frequent outings and more explorations. I really appreciate that. I couldn't have done it alone.

The sister always makes it a point to meet up with J and often showers her with love and little gifts. It's not the gifts, but her willingness to be here for us whenever she can. And her willingness to help me bring stuff back from overseas so that I can save a bit of money. I cannot imagine how anyone can put up with the frequent "Can you help me get this, and that, and this when you're overseas?" 

She is also the one who is willing to get an annual pass to the aquarium just so I have company and won't have to do it on my own.

Thank you, beloved!

The brother doesn't really speak much but he's an amazing babysitter. J is always very cooperative with her uncle and sometimes, he doesn't even need to say a word. I also appreciate how he always appears at the right time, like when J is being playful and uncooperative, he'll drop what he's doing to come to her. Without us asking him to. And she stops. Like magic.
I don't know how he did it.

The Husband

I'm still thankful that the Husband agreed for me to stay home, even when that puts a certain level of stress on him. I really can't imagine going back to work and leaving J in childcare centres. Maybe I'm too much of a control freak.
I'm thankful he helps out at home, even though there are occasional grouses.

He still can't make milk for J yet, nor help bathe her, but I'm thankful he spends his time with J because being a dad is more important than being a father.
I'm thankful that despite the squabbles and fights, he is always here for me.

This year, I'm also grateful to a special little person.

My baby

I didn't know I can be strong (both figuratively and literally). I was weak as a child (figuratively and literally, too) and I never know how to stand up for myself. I always had people around me who would. But with the arrival of J, she gave me the courage to be strong. If I don't stand up for her, who will?

In the busyness, we have also forgotten the simple things like saying "Hi" to our neighbours. But J is so social, she made sure we know our neighbours.

Each day, I'm learning new things about her.
But I'm also learning new things from her.

I thank the teacher in her.
I'm also grateful that she is a rather easy baby.
And even more thankful that she's growing up well.

My friends

After I quit, I realised that I really don't have that many friends. But that few, that few who stuck by me and listened to my two-year-old rants, thank you! They are the same people who saw me through my insecurities and gave me a lot of encourgement and assurance. 

You really do not need that many friends in life. What you need, are that few friends who will stick to you through life.


These people made such an impact in my life. I can't imagine what I'll do without them.