Baby update: For those of you who have been following my sporadic pregnancy updates and are curious, yes, baby is here! Bucking a family tradition of arriving well ahead of the due date, this kiddo came exactly as predicted. We’re all settling home now and trying to find our new rhythm as a family of four.

Welcome to week 3 of my 20-things-I’m-grateful-for November posts! This week I’m focusing on my personal connections. This was actually the hardest one for me as I’m not a particularly personable person and keep my circle of confidence pretty tight. And without further ado…

1. Being able to talk about hard topics with friends who’ve been there and get it
2. Laughing until my cheeks hurt because of something my friend did / said
3. Coworkers and managers who are parents and understand prioritizing family
4. Silly moments with coworkers that make work more fun
5. Feeling like family even with my in-laws
6. Knowing I can ask for help when I need it (I’m really bad at this though)
7. Getting a text message from a friend or extended family member who was just checking in or thinking about me
8. Friends and other connections who understand and respect my high need for alone time
9. The varied expertise of my friends I can tap into — pharmacy, optometry, psychology, interior design, information technology, finance, etc
10. Conversations with friends with opposing viewpoints who challenge my perspective
11. Conversations with friends with similar viewpoints who help me feel sane
12. The support of online communities of people with shared values
13. Being able to seek recommendations from friends/connections when choices are overwhelming
14. Sharing happy moments and milestones with good friends
15. Surprise gift pick-me-ups from friends after I confide in them with my struggles
16. Occasionally being pushed outside my comfort zone to try something new with friends by my side
17. Philosophical conversations with friends that force us to explore well below the surface of our values
18. Knowing I can be imperfect and my friends will still be there
19. Being inspired to chase after something I want because I witnessed someone in my circle achieve their want
20. Generally being surrounded by people that support, encourage, and root for me

What about you? What about your friends and personal connections are you thankful for?