A note of gratitude
Hello there! My name is Shirley and I am a practicing Physician Assistant in NYC, where I was born and raised. Currently, I am 37 weeks pregnant at the time of writing this post. This is my first pregnancy and my husband and I are extremely excited to meet our little one soon! I created this blog with the intention to keep a record of memories for myself and to share thoughts and ideas with whomever is interested in reading my ramblings. During this pregnancy, I have learned to be more appreciative of what I have. So for my first blog post I would like to start out with some positivity and take the opportunity to express my gratitude.
I am extremely grateful for supportive family and friends. All the gifts, congratulations, and prayers for us have been overwhelming — my husband and I truly feel blessed! Due to the COVID pandemic, I was not able to plan the big baby shower that I had dreamed of. However, my friends, family, and coworkers still managed to surprise me with two mini baby showers! It is such a wonderful feeling to know I have so many people who care about us. Even those who I am not extremely familiar with have been so encouraging. Often my patients, neighbors, even strangers in the elevator would say such kind words that would make my day and have my smiling ear to ear!
Words cannot even express how thankful I am for my loving husband, who has been by my side supporting and caring for me. He has been keeping the fridge stocked with my favorite fruits — my absolute biggest craving during this pregnancy is WATERMELON! Every night he would cook dinner — tonight's special was buffalo chicken on a hero and it was delicious! In addition to his own work, he does all the dishes, laundry, keeps my glass filled with water, offers me massages, and does a myriad of other never-ending tasks. He has been so mindful of me during this pregnancy and always makes sure that I am okay. I cannot imagine how rough this pregnancy would be without him by my side.
Lastly, I would like to practice self-gratitude and thank myself. I am thankful for my body and its abilities to handle all the stresses it is going through right now. While pregnancy has been an extraordinary experience so far, it is not all rainbows and butterflies. My belly is the size of a watermelon right now and the skin feels like it is ripping apart. My feet and hands are starting to swell. I walk around with so much extra weight and walk at the speed of a turtle. My once flat belly will likely never be flat again. But all of this is absolutely worth it as I get to safely house and nourish this little human inside of me until she's done cooking!
"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” – Cynthia Ozick.
There is always something to be thankful for. To better myself, I hope to start and end each day with a grateful heart. I won't only count my blessings, but I hope to be a blessing to others. Thank you for taking the time to read this post!
