A List of Gratitudes for 2024
It’s after midnight Thanksgiving morning, Alex and Mogul are sleeping in the bed, Klein is snoring on the couch beside me, and I’m putting the finishing touches on my 2024 gratitude list. Did I intend to stay up this late? When I know I have to make stuffing and cookies for Friendsgiving later this afternoon? Absolutely not, I’m anything but a night owl. But alas, here we are… the early morning hours… peace and quiet throughout the house… my thoughts floating in an orb all around me…
This time of year always inspires a sort of gratitude reflection for me. A time to sit and think about what brings joy and happiness into my life. Like receiving a compliment I wasn’t expecting. Or plotting out the itinerary for my upcoming trip to Las Vegas with my mom. Or looking in the mirror thinking, “Dang, I’m so lucky to have the best support system”. Truth is, there are so many reasons to be grateful, not just today, but always. Life’s all about the little things, the abundance of good that shows itself every single day. I believe that philosophy to my core.
This year I’m extra thankful for:
One year married to my husband!
I could never rightly express all the gratitude I have for Alex, my loving husband and best friend. In my lifetime, I’ve never met someone who makes me feel so whole as a human being — someone who stabilizes, supports, and reminds me of all the good in the world. When I see him smile, I see and believe the sun will always rise again, bad days and all. When I feel his arms around me, enveloped in a big, therapeutic hug, I feel the weight of the world shift away. When I see his passion for teaching kids with special needs, I feel a sort of inspiration deep inside my bones. When I’m with Alex, the possibilities are endless. I can tell with my heart and soul that we were meant to cross paths and find each other, like a sort of destiny.
Back in August, Alex and I celebrated our first major milestone as husband and wife — our first wedding anniversary (already!!). In the mountains of Asheville, NC, we rented a cozy cabin and enjoyed a celebratory weekend to reminisce our wedding day (a day we still cherish as one of our favorites) and reflect on all the moments (big and small) that accompanied year number one. I can only imagine what the future holds for the two of us, but I know with Alex by my side, I’m always going to be ready for it.
My four-legged companions, Mogul and Klein, who make my house a happy home.
Whether I’ve been gone five minutes, five hours, or five days, I can always count on my boys to greet me at the door when I get home. The way they make me smile, immediately, upon their cordial greeting, no matter what kind of day I’ve just had. It’s mood-shifting in the best way. The dog jumping up, giving kisses; the cat brushing against my legs… there’s no better feeling. Looking at my boys, Mogul and Klein, they bring so much love and happiness into our home. I can’t imagine my life before them, and can’t imagine my life without them. 10 years with Klein, 6 with Mogul. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed. They’re like Tom and Jerry most days, but they genuinely love each other and it gets better every year (they even cohabitate on the couch and bed nowadays). And despite a down year for Mogul with his ear surgery and all, we still enjoyed many adventures near and far. Mogul loves his adventures. Klein not so much (haha).
Family and friends.
I wouldn’t be who I am today without the support of my family. To my mom and dad who raised me with good moral character — thank you for the unconditional love and support you’ve shown me over the years. It doesn’t go unnoticed. To my sisters who I’m lucky to call two of my best friends — thank you for always being a phone call away when I need you most. The reality of my life is my phone’s always ringing from one Brandl or another. I joke with my dad all the time that I need to start a call center with standard operating business hours to collect the incoming FaceTime calls from everyone wanting to chat all the time, but the truth is, I don’t know what I’d do if my phone DIDN’T ring. I love talking to the Brandlfam every day, quiet as it’s kept. Half a country away, my family still shows up for me, and that’s something I’d never take for granted.
To my friends and framily — especially the friends who’ve become my second family here in NC — suffice to say, you do more for me than you’ll ever know. I can only say, thank you for letting Alex and me into the intricacies of your lives. Friendships have always been hard for me to maintain, but the older I get, the more clearly I see that good friendships maintain themselves. True friendships don’t come with expectations. They come with patience, understanding, and moral support. And a hug or pick-me-up when life gets hard. I’m so thankful for good, healthy friendships.
Hobbies that fill my cup.
Be it day tripping to one of many places throughout North and South Carolina, traveling out of state on a new adventure, taking pictures on my camera, getting lost in a good book, or writing a new blog post, I’m so grateful for the many hobbies I’ve taken a liking to over the years. I truly believe life’s all about filling your cup and finding ways to keep it full. It’s easy to get caught up in the mundanity of life, but less so when you have a set of creative outlets to take comfort in. For me, writing has always been a big passion, that’s why I’m so grateful my husband gifted me this very Just Jen Things website five years ago. After all this time, I’m so proud of myself for sticking with it. It’s been so cool seeing my blog posts reach a wider audience this year. I’ve always been a me-first writer, so it constantly amazes me that other people care so much about my little corner of the Internet. I see you and I thank you!
Peace, stability, and good health.
Life’s a fragile thing, isn’t it? There’s so much sadness everywhere you look. Not a single person is unaffected by the grief of life in some capacity. So many people experience unimaginable loss every day. Some days I wish I could be a kid again, blissfully unaware of all the bad things looming in every corner. But the reality of life is inevitability. That’s why it’s important to live your best life today, because tomorrow’s never promised to be the same. Now more than ever, I’m so thankful for peace, stability, and good health. Health is the foundation of life — I’ll never not be grateful for it.
I want to share a quote I found scrolling Pinterest. I think it beautifully states the importance of practicing gratitude in the here and now.
“Life moves at a relentless pace. We rush, we chase, we yearn for more, often forgetting the beauty nestled within the present moment. A warm home, a friend’s laughter, our very breath — these are blessings easily overlooked. But it’s in moments of loss that we recognize the fragility of existence. What we cling to today may be gone tomorrow. Let this realization ignite a deep sense of gratitude. Hold loved ones close, savor simple pleasures, find joy in the here and now. For nothing in this life is truly guaranteed.” — Unknown
Happy Thanksgiving friends! However you’re spending your day, I hope it’s filled with love, laughter, and good food. We’re off to celebrate Thanksgiving with some of our best friends here in NC. Later tonight, we’ll be cheering for the green and gold as the Packers take on the Dolphins. All the best to you and yours.
What are you grateful for this year?
PS — more gratitudes from last year.
Enjoy!
JBW