I read somewhere recently that thank you is the best prayer, so in a way, this is my weekly devotional. I actually started writing this on Saturday November 3rd, because I am thankful for so many things right now.

I’m thankful for having the lights turned back on, for hot water, for neighbours who care & are generous with their resources. I’m grateful to the city of New York, who mobilised & achieved incredible things in such a short span of time. The fact that there were free buses a day after the flooding, that Con Edison is still working around the clock to turn power back on for those who still don’t have it, that so many people are pitching in & helping one another out, is amazing.

I’m thankful to our friends who offered us a place to sleep & shower, to Shauna who updated my Twitter for me (!) & to Rachel who researched hotels for me. I’m grateful to our friends who picked us up, took us to Brooklyn to get groceries & dog food, who gave me a warm safe place to get some work done, who made me coffee & let us borrow battery-powered lanterns.

Mostly though, I am grateful to be married to Mike, a man who is so resourceful, so assertive, & such a whip-smart problem-solver. He is not a man who is patient to sit around & wait for change to happen: he goes out & makes it happen with his own hands. He has been absolutely brilliant this last week, taking care of his family & our building. My father sent us a text message on Wednesday that said,

“We were a bit worried for you but very consoled that you were with Mike in an emergency. Couldn’t think of a better person to look after you, & that’s putting him ahead of yours truly.”

So I’m super-in-love with my husband this week. He is so fucking amazing. Just wanted to put it out there.

I’m thankful that Barack Obama got re-elected. No one is perfect, & politics is a weird game, but I believe in him: I believe he is a good man, I believe he is doing the best he can, I absolutely believe he is the right man to lead us to 2016. On election night, we were sitting in a bar with some friends; I was fixated on the television & frowning with worry. When news broke that Obama had taken Ohio, I was so shocked & relieved. I woke up smiling on Wednesday morning.

I don’t have the right to vote in America (yet!), but I am so proud of everyone who did. I am over the moon to be part of this country, a country in which love, tolerance & acceptance really did triumph over fear, judgement & greed. It is so beautiful.

More love: Genius brainstorming sessions with Rabbit over Mexican hot chocolates, crepes & apple cider Using my Blogcademy coffee cozy! Using Photoshop to map out how I’m going to redecorate my living room Being able to have a hot shower in my own house, I will never take it for granted again My blacked-out Yankee cap that I have been wearing every day since I got it My Zeitgeist report from Mystic Medusa (she is such a genius) Feeling reinvigorated & excited about life Billy Connolly’s Route 66 (we watched it last night & it’s so great!) Making ridiculous noises Waking up sandwiched between two dogs Taking advantage of Mercury retrograde! Last night, I took my own advice & had a hot shower, drank a glass of water, put on some ultra-hydrating lip balm & had an early night. I feel so much better for it! Also on the Mercury retrograde tip, I’m listening to all my favourite albums from the past & having a superb time!

As much as I don’t enjoy cold weather — & by the way, it SNOWED in New York City yesterday! — I am feeling good about this winter. Winter pushes us to be productive, to put our creative projects first. It makes the time we spend with our friends even more precious. It encourages us to get closer to our families & loved ones. I’m looking forward to it. How about you?

Love & unseasonable snowflakes,