Thank you notes – December 2020
It’s easy to get so caught up in the hustle of life that we forget to appreciate the small miracles that happen every day. I created the monthly Thank You Notes post to help me relive the happy moments, savor the gratitude, and share them with you. I hope they also inspire you to think about what you have to be grateful for and share them with us.
Thank you PPE…
…for making this moment happen. I don’t know which one was happier, GG or Piper, but they both needed this hug. I know we all complain at times about having to wear a mask, but no one was complaining here. Thank you Larry for snapping this photo, so I could enjoy the moment from afar.
Thank you neighbors and friends…
…for all of the thoughtful holiday gifts.
These small gestures made a huge difference during this socially-distanced holiday season.
And, of course…coffee. Thank you Larry for surprising me with this one. Thank you Starbucks for the holiday cups that bring me a ridiculous amount of joy.
Thank you children and grandchildren…
…for spending part of your Christmas Day with us.
We had to make some adjustments for COVID, but everyone was healthy and joyful.
For that I am deeply grateful. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is this: don’t take anything for granted. Appreciate all that you have.
Thank you Universe, God, fate…whoever or whatever made this family time at Christmas possible. It was much appreciated.
Thank you Mother Nature…
…for this beautiful sunrise. One of the few benefits of starting work so early is you get to witness the earth waking up in spectacular fashion.
It wouldn’t be Thank You Notes without a cloud pic, right? Thank you office with a view. Thank you eyes.
And finally, thank you Celestial Zoo Pet Rescue…
…for giving us Buddy, the newest furry member of our family. He is not yet officially home, but we’ve been approved to adopt him, and we couldn’t be more excited! (Watch for a future post on our experience as first-time pet adopters.)
Your turn
- What are you most grateful for in this moment?
- Have you ever adopted from a pet rescue?
- What else is on your mind? Anything at all. I just love hearing from you.
Both of our cats had been rescued and when my husband and daughters went to look at them they couldn’t decide on which one they wanted. Their foster parent said they could have both for the price of one. Of course they came home with both! At first I was dismayed, but only for a minute. We had them both for almost 18 years and they were wonderful pets!
I can see how that could happen Cindy. Once we started looking at rescue sites, we wanted to rescue all the dogs!
It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas! I bet Buddy will be a great addition to your family… lucky dog! It will be fun to learn more about how you picked each other and how he settles in.
We did have a lovely Christmas, Janis. Now we’re just lying low for a bit to make sure our safety precautions were enough. So far, so good. I hope your holiday was good as well. We are so excited to meet Buddy in person. A virtual visit definitely is not the same.
Hi Christie – I LOVED all the family Christmas photos (especially that first hug and the matching pj’s one) And Buddy looks adorable – I bet you’re so excited to be getting a new family member – I think we’ve all learned to grab every little moment that brings joy – and kids and dogs (and cats) are top of the list!
My December round-up is going to be a couple of weeks late – but it’s FULL because it’s been a great month. See you in January! xx
Having our youngest granddaughter be able to hug her 93-year-old GG after so long was pretty amazing. There’s nothing like physical connection. Speaking of which, it was good to spend time with all of our children and grandchildren in person. We had to split up in smaller parties and take some extra precautions, but we were together and it was marvelous! I’m glad you had a good month as well and look forward to hearing all about it.
Thanks for sharing your Thank You Notes. They always lift my spirits – even when I don’t realize they need lifting! I love your office with a view —
Thank you Janet. I’m glad you enjoy them. In our primary home, my office is in the basement, so I especially enjoy this stunning view when we are in Southern Utah.
Hi, Christie – Buddy is absolutely adorable. Congratulations! I can’t wait to read more about him.
I wholeheartedly agree that 2020 was a great teacher for not taking anything for granted.
Thank you for sharing these thank you notes with us. I greatly enjoy this series.
Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy year ahead!
Isn’t he cute, Donna? As soon as we saw his photo on Petfinder, we were drawn to him. We are excited to get him home. Thank you for the kind words. Happy new year to you and yours as well.
Hi Christie, It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas. The hug photo is precious. Congratulations on getting approval to adopt Buddy! He’s a handsome dog. Happy New Year to you and your family.
It really was a good Christmas, Natalie. I hope yours was as well. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Delighted to meet Buddy. He is a lucky fellow going forward. Not sure how life has treated him to this point, but the moment your family was approved to adopt him…he won the jackpot.
Glad you were able to figure out a way to be with fam for the holidays. This virus has taught us how to be creative and adaptable, huh?
I just saw a bit on the news about PPE designed to enable family to hug those in assisted living and nursing homes. It isn’t an awful design but it was an example of the ingenuity of folks to find a healthy way around not being able to love on their elderly family members. My mom’s dementia is so bad that she would probably being very reticent to try it. But I sure would like to give her a hug!!
Thank you for the kind words, Leslie. We are looking forward to sharing our home and our love with Buddy. His original owners did not have him vaccinated and he got parvo. He is fully recovered (and vaccinated) now. I am so sorry you are going through dementia with your mother. It is such a cruel disease. I hope you are able to hug her someday soon.
Hi Christie, The hug tore at my heartstrings. When we need hugs the most, we are often not allowed to hug. I agree with you about the small gestures. I love all of the smiles. Family time is priceless. Oooh, “Buddy.” Lucky Buddy and lucky you! Happy New Year!
Isn’t that the sweetest thing, Erica, that hug between great grandma and granddaughter? They are vaccinating the residents of her assisted living center this week, so I’m hoping within the month, more hugging will be possible. I’m sure you will be seeing more of Buddy in my Thank You Notes posts. Happy New Year to you and yours!