I’m going to keep today’s gratitude and love post pretty short and sweet today, because I’m at the Influence Conference and I want I enjoy every moment of it!

I’ve been looking forward to attending Influence since I registered way back in March, and I can hardly believe it’s here. What a treat to have the freedom and flexibility to be away before I become a mom and to have this opportunity to grow my writing, my faith, my relationships, and my influence.

My biggest hope for this conference is that as I stand here on the edge of a huge life transition that I can be reminded of who I am as a woman and as a writer, that I can be inspired to keep going even when I don’t know what the next season will look like, and that I’ll be able to cultivate and preserve my voice through the changes.

My other big hope is to spend a lot of time with blogging friends in real life, which is just a little bit mind blowing!

Without further ado, here’s what I’m grateful for this week.

Cultivating Gratitude

Dan. I know he’s on this list a lot, but he is such a gem. He has put hours upon hours of work into building nursery furniture over the past few weeks, which is no easy task considering a good chunk of it came from IKEA. He’s done it all not just without complaining, but with such a joyful heart. And now as I head off to Influence, he’s doing everything he can to love and take care of Riley well while I’m gone. I’m going to miss him terribly this weekend, but I’m so looking forward to a relaxing Sunday together.

A job that constantly stretches my mind. I get to read books for a good chunk of my day, and sometimes those books are a great fit for me, and sometimes they’re not at all what I would pick up in a bookstore. But reading outside of my comfort zones stretches me every day, and I’ve learned so much in my year at this job.

Excellent medical care. The health insurance I have through Dan’s job is absurdly good (one of the benefits of working for a tech start-up), and I don’t take it lightly that I can go to the doctor without hesitating, that I have access to affordable mental health care, and that my upcoming hospital stay for baby will not cause us any financial stress. This is a huge privilege, and I appreciate it every day.

Sharing Love

You know autumn is my favorite season, but how can you enjoy it if you live somewhere without a lot of seasonal change? Daisy has 8 fantastic ideas for you.

Should you and your future spouse do premarital counseling? The short answer is YES. I fully believe in the benefits of counseling at any time, not just when you have big issues to resolve.

My friend Joy recently wrote about the 26 things she’s learned in her 26 years, and I found myself equally laughing and getting misty-eyed. And as usual, her food references are on point. Example: “I regret not eating pizza crusts in my youth. #breadandcheeseforever” Yep. Me too.