I’m grateful for a programmable coffee pot. A fresh start everyday. The rare opportunity to write in the early mornings when the kids are still asleep. 

I’m grateful for my daughter’s infectious grin and the way my son randomly says “mommy I wuv you,” when I need to hear it most. I’m grateful for the ability to grow and feed tiny humans. 

I’m grateful that my husband can fix pretty much anything and I’m grateful for every night that he walks in the door, finally home from work. I’m grateful for nights playing Candyland and Saturday morning pancakes and all the other little ordinary moments.

I’m grateful for cozy slippers and new puzzles. I’m grateful for dry shampoo and quick-dry nail polish. 

I’m grateful for walks around our neighborhood, and those rare, perfectly sunny 75 degree days. I’m grateful that we live in a place where we get to witness the leaves change colors, see the snow fall, and then wait and watch eagerly as our perennials sprout from the ground. 

I’m grateful for the bond between my kids and for the pitter patter of little feet that wake up entirely too early. I’m grateful for a kitchen counter that is constantly covered in coloring books, markers, and broken crayons. I’m grateful for 7:30 pm, every single night. 

I’m grateful for nice people. The helpers. The unsung heroes of the world. Like the kind pharmacists who helped me track down and quickly mixed up an antibiotic for my daughter during an international drug shortage, while I stood there after an hour of searching pharmacy after pharmacy looking every bit the exhausted and defeated mom that I was. 

And I guess while we’re at it, I’m also grateful to live in a country where I’m even able to take for granted the fact that food and medicine are (usually) not hard to come by. 

I’m grateful for modern medicine and science. Isn’t science amazing?

I'm grateful for The Southern California Food Allergy Institute and for every single person in our lives that has adapted and made an effort to keep our son safe and included.

I’m grateful for our local libraries. I’m grateful for books and old Friends reruns. I’m grateful to those who share their words and stories and art with the world. 

I’m grateful for the ocean. I’m always grateful when I get to travel somewhere new. But I feel even more grateful to come home. 

I’m grateful for how magical the simple act of gratitude really is.