Grateful Fridays: Reflections from this week

Today is my 10 year wedding anniversary. [YAY!!!] A perfect day to reflect not just on the events of this week, but also to look back on the last ten years of partnership with my husband and celebrate how far I/we have come. Here are some things that I am grateful for:

• My life partner. I have so much to say here, but words never seem to do my gratitude justice. So I'll keep it short and sweet. I am grateful - not just this week, but eternally - for your calm, thoughtful and loving presence in our home. You keep it together during the moments of unbridled joy AND chaos and allow me the break that I sometimes need when I transition from work-mode to mommy-mode. The love runs deep here. Thank you always, and Happy Anniversary, babe!

• My fierce mother. Yesterday was my mom's birthday. She lives in Trinidad, so it's been several years since we've been together to celebrate her in person. Before leaving for work yesterday, I got my family together to record a video of us singing her Happy Birthday and then towards the end of my day, her early morning, I called to wish her Happy Birthday again and catch up a bit more. I miss her terribly during these moments, because I feel so far away, but it is so reassuring to hear her speak of how proud she is of her children and the job she did raising us. I am grateful that I had a strong, extremely hardworking and loving mom raise me to become the strong, extremely hardworking and loving woman I am today. Thank you, Mom!

• Spring. Finally! After an unseasonably dark, cold and wet May in Basel, including one day of surprise snow, the weather finally started looking up this week. The sun was out in all its glory, causing the temperature to rise and coats and scarves to recede from view. I am grateful for the sun and the trees, and the flowers, and summer attire, and sunglasses, and the good moods, and all the other sweet goodies that came flowing out as a result of the change in weather this week.

• 'Dancerobics' at the gym. I recently joined a gym and decided to take one of their dance classes this week. Even though I knew that it would not really be anything like the more technical dance classes that I'm used to, I was looking forward to leaving the office early on Tuesday to experience it. It was a sort of samba style, zumba class with fast-paced choreography that I had a hard time following at times (it didn't help that the teacher taught the class in Swiss-German, which I still do not understand); but I broke a good sweat and had a blast. I am grateful to have had an opportunity to move my body around to choreography again and look forward to trying out some other classes soon.

• My in-laws are in town! I love my husband's parents and truly enjoy visiting them in Maryland or having them visit us wherever we are. When I returned home from work yesterday after they'd arrived, I walked into a lovefest between them and the girls. It makes me happy that they have these precious moments together because the memories will last a lifetime. I am grateful to have them here, and (sssshhhhhh!) look forward to taking them up on their offer to babysit a couple days while they're here ;)

• Budding mentee relationships at work. I gravitate towards people who are willing to be themselves around me; people who don't pretend to be perfect and happy all of the time; aren't afraid to share when they are struggling, or unhappy; and trust me to open up and have a real conversation. This week I was fortunate to have had really wonderfully authentic conversations with young women who I care about. I am grateful that they feel comfortable enough with me to be vulnerable, and are open to hear my stories as well. I look forward to having more and more of these conversations in the future.

So what are you grateful for this week? I'd love to hear from you.