Thankful Thursday

Good morning, cherubs! Sorryyyyyyy, I missed saying that word when writing, so I turned you guys into my cherubs for today! Lucky you ;) (Random tangent, but I really wish blogger had emoticons, since I'm a child and think they're a blast to use...am I missing them? Or is blogger just lame like that?). Anywho, since it's Thursday (and we are one day away from the weekend and two away from hockey [GO PENS!!!!! IF YOU LOSE TO THE FLYERS I WILL BE INCREDIBLY CRANKY FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK!]), it's time for another round of thankfulness, created by the lovely Jessie over at Jessie Loves To Run. Thank you for hosting and helping remind me how blessed I truly am, darlin :) (Note: an emoticon would be much cuter there...)

...Peanut. He's teaching me new things every day, especially on the patience front. Sometimes, he drops off to sleep in an instant...other times, not so much. Either way is fine with me, since longer times mean that I get to cuddle longer...unless I really have to use the potty...then it's a problem. But we're learning together and making it work, and he is as entertained by me as I am (seriously, "Running Baby?" BEST GAME EVER!), so I think we're going to get along swimmingly.

...Peanut's mom (and the rest of the family). She has been a lifesaver this week, answering any and all of my crazy questions and showing me the ropes around their house. She's given me advice and suggestions for things to try and listened to every concern I've had. The biggest thing she's done, however, is recognize that we're going to do things differently AND is FINE with that (as long as her children are safe and well cared for of course). She's also giving me the opportunity to test different things out each day by leaving the house for a few hours to give us a chance on our own. She cleared some space for me to leave extra clothes and snacks (babies are messy...and I like to eat), too, so I'm not carrying multiple bags of stuff over each day.  All of this combined (in addition to how awesome they are as a family in general) makes me pretty damn sure this is where I'm meant to be right now, which is huge blessing.

...my hip feeling back to normal. I have not the slightest clue what I did between falling asleep on Sunday night and waking up on Monday morning, but thankfully, with some tlc and lots of yoga and stretching (oh, and no running...#madface), it feels fine (as of yesterday actually, but I didn't want to push it just in case so stuck with one more day of yoga for my workout), and I am testing it out on a four miler today. The route I take has lots of chances for coming back quickly if I need to (read: pain returns), and I can't wait to get back out! Fingers crossed it's completely back to normal, running and all!

....yoga. As much as I've missed running, yoga has been an amazing alternative. I can feel myself getting stronger and more flexible (heels ALMOSTTTTTTTTTTT completely on the floor in my downward dog for the first time ever!!), and it's been a very relaxing and energizing way to start my day. Definitely something I want to continue emphasizing and hopefully practicing at a studio every now and then in the near future.

...plans with friends to celebrate the return of hockey. I'll always watch a game...but it's a lot more fun with friends..especially when everyone involved loves the Pens.

....quiet moments. I don't have them very often and don't appreciate them as much as I should when I do. Sometimes nothing beats silence and peace.

....patience. Without it, no one would get anything done (and get done nicely to boot).

...conversations with family and friends throughout the day. You guys have asked, encouraged, and celebrated with me this week like you have so many times before, and I wouldn't be able to do it without you. Thank you.

Have a terrific Thursday!

What are you thankful for today? Have you ever randomly woken up injured? How did you handle it? What about taking care of a baby? Any advice?