I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving with you and yours.

This entire month I’ve been creating space to give thanks in all areas of my life, and each day in November, I identified something I was thankful for. I’ve done this for the past few years, and I’ve found it powerful and therapeutic. It has helped me reset and focus on what is important to me. Here is my list. I hope it inspires you to do the same in your way.

Nov 1: I’m incredibly thankful for my daughter Maxine. I went through three miscarriages within a year before her, and it was a tough time in my life. Being pregnant with her during the height of the pandemic was not fun, but it was a blessing in disguise. The pandemic forced me to stay home and take care of myself, and that is exactly what I needed. Last year at this time, I was having my baby shower and getting ready to give birth; time flies. Here is our first and our latest selfies. I love her so much my heart is going to explode.

Nov 2: I’m thankful for my two kitties BB and PJ. These two lovelies made me a fur mom and have brightened my day for ten-plus years. I don’t give them enough attention these days, but I love them so much. One important thing I intend to do this month is take them to the Vet. It’s so important for pets to have yearly checkups. Also, my PSA of the moment, pet insurance is everything. If you can afford it, get it. It will help in the long run.

Here is a picture of my two beauties, BB (white tabby) and PJ (orange tabby)

Nov 3: It is definitely an acquired taste in entertainment, but I enjoy the Masked Singer. For those unfamiliar, it is a reality show where celebrities perform in a mask and leave clues for a panelist of judges to guess who they are. The performances are great and all, but what I love about the show is that my husband and I watch it together and try to guess who the celebrities are. It is something we both do together. My husband is great at guessing the identities, but I’ll never admit that to him.

Nov 4: I don’t drive anymore; my husband does all the driving and is usually the one with the car. When I need to get around, I Uber, and I used to take the train daily, but I haven’t been on mass transportation since the pandemic shutdown. Today I had to pick up a food delivery, and I had a round trip set with the same Uber driver, and my daughter came with. My thanks today goes to my driver. Not only was he extremely friendly, but he was also great with conversation. We talked about our families, the pandemic, and work. Some Uber rides can be extremely awkward, but sometimes they are pretty pleasant.

Nov 5: My mom will be my focus today. I’m thankful for her every day, but she comes to mind today because we enjoyed a lovely virtual chocolate tasting together. Jeez, I don’t know where I would be without my mom; she basically raised me by herself (my parents separated when I was three). She drives me bonkers most of the time but I honestly don’t know where I would be without her.

Nov 6: Today, I had a fantastic spa day with my childhood friends. We don’t get to see each other often, but when we do, it’s like no time has passed. The spa was amazing and had a lot of features, but we each booked a Korean Body Scrub, and it was everything. Now the scrub itself wasn’t exactly fabulous (beauty is pain people), but the results were. My skin came out glowing! My technician took care of me and is who I’m thankful for today. She scrubbed me raw, massaged me a little, cleaned me up and my bathing suit, and did it with a smile. Thanks for taking care of me!

Nov 7: Today is Marathon Sunday. My day has been filled up with memories of me running the marathon in 2017. I ran/walked it, and it took me forever, but I finished. I wanted to quit so many times, I hurt myself a few days before, I didn’t train as much as I wanted, and the weather was awful, but I kept going. Friends along the way, the crowds cheering me on, and the random strangers sharing their stories helping me along the way were a god sent. I’m so thankful for the memories, and I’m determined to beat my score in the future.

Nov 8: Today is my Auntie Oyee’s Birthday. I have a special place in my heart for my Auntie because not only was she my babysitter when I was a baby, but she has been a confidant all my life. She always supports me, and for that, I’m truly thankful.

Nov 9: I heard from my old co-worker Sandra today, and I’m so grateful for her friendship. My old work environment was a bit toxic in many regards. She always had my back and supported me when I needed it, and I can’t thank her enough.

Nov 10: I’m very grateful for my love for adventure. Tomorrow, Andrew and I will climb a side of a skyscraper. Let’s see how it goes!

Nov 11: I’m very thankful for our Veterans. My life would be very different without their sacrifice and service.

Nov 12: I’ve been volunteering with The New York Junior League since 2014. The league is a women’s volunteer organization focused on empowering women and improving communities. I’ve learned so much, met a ton of great women, and have been able to use my professional skills for a good cause; I’m very thankful for that.

Nov 13: Today, I had brunch with my girls. I’ve known this group of friends for over 25 years. So thankful that even though we don’t see each other often, time doesn’t change our friendship.

Nov 14: Every Sunday, my husband and I try to visit my in-laws for family time with the baby. His brother’s family and sister also attend, so it always feels like a party. I’m grateful for this special time, and Maxine is always around family.

Nov 15: I’m writing this as I watch my baby Maxine take a nap. I’m internally grateful for the quiet moments to myself that I’m able to get. Whether to plan, read, meditate or exercise, I know it is super important to take the time.

Nov 16: It’s getting pretty cold here in New York. I’m grateful that I have access to heat at all times.

Nov 17: I’ve been trying to exercise for some time and have struggled to find motivation. I came across the Conqueror Virtual Challenges. You choose a location ( most of them are bucket list locations), the number of miles you want to accomplish, and set a goal on when you want to complete it. You log your physical activities and receive information about the location you choose when you reach specific milestones. It took me a minute to figure out some of the app features, but I’m loving it right now and am grateful I found it. It makes exercising fun and a game. The best part is you get a medal to show off after. The location I chose is Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Nov 18: Sleep is hard to come by these days as a mother to an 11 month-year-old, but thankfully Maxine has been sleeping through the night. I hope to keep that up.

Nov 19: Last year around this time, my father fractured his hip. It was awful, I was just about to give birth, and he also caught pneumonia and Covid in the hospital. Anything that could have happened did. I’m so grateful that he pulled through and fully recovered. He has to walk with a walker or cane, but that’s life. I’m just so happy that I can continue to make memories with my Dad.

Nov 20: Today, my focus is on my apartment. It’s a hot mess, but it’s mine. I’m so thankful for its shelter and comfort. There are so many individuals and families who are homeless, and it breaks my heart. At this moment, I feel so blessed.

Nov 21: This weekend, I took part in my Sorority’s virtual 5K. Even better was that I could use the miles for my Angkor Wat challenge. I’m thankful for my body, most specifically my legs, for keeping me active. I always take my health for granted but that is something I’m working on.

Nov 22: I’m incredibly grateful for my husband, Andrew. We’ve been together for a total of 12 years. He is an amazing father and my best friend. He pushes me to be the best version of myself and I’m thankful for that.

Nov 23: I’m an only child, but I was lucky enough to be surrounded by my cousins all my life. Rose and Lizzie are my two cousins who are more like sisters. We don’t see each other as often as I would like, but they have always been there for me, and I’m very lucky to have them in my life.

Nov 24: I recently signed up for an Oyster CSA. Every other week I pick up fresh oysters and seafood. This week, I picked up oysters and littleneck clams. This is my second pick-up, and so far, everything has been yummy. A huge thanks to World’s Your Oyster Co. for putting this all together.

Nov 25: I’m thankful for you. Thanks so much for reading.