An Attitude of Gratitude

Tis the season to be thankful, and I couldn't let the holiday pass me by without letting you all know some of the things I am grateful for.

I love my husband, and I am so thankful for him. I really never thought I'd get married or ever meet someone as terrific as him. He is the mellow to my stressed out, he's my shoulder to cry on, my buddy to be silly with, and my partner in crime. I count my lucky stars that I found such a caring, hard working, and loving person to spend forever with. We may not have it all together, but together we have it all :)

I am thankful for my family of origin and the new family I gained when I got married. I absolutely love having more brothers and sisters than I started out with, and am thankful for the friendship and guidance and support they have given to us throughout the years and especially most recently. They have given us shelter from the storm, support to make it through the hard stuff, and encouragement when the road ahead has looked darkest. Not only are we thankful for them, but we know they are blessings in our life, and we look forward to spending more time together now that we are closer. And someday when we get to be parents raising our children around their grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I love being an auntie! I have loved watching my neices and nephew grow up and blossom into little adults over the last few years. I am so thankful that I got to be so much a part of their lives when they were younger, and now that they are growing up I hope they will still look to me for help to get through those rougher teenage and young adult years.
And to my youngest nephews, I love that they are starting to know us better and can look at our picture and request to see us and spend time with us. I know I will love watching them grow up and being a part of their experiences as well.
And even though, we are not related to some of the most special kiddos in our lfe, like our former neighbors kids. We feel like an honorary auntie and uncle to them as well and loved watching them grow up. They got us through some of our rougher patches on the bumpy road of infertility, their hand drawn pictures, and visits, and silly horse play helped so much to fill the void of not having our own kids at home. And to all the other children back in Idaho Falls, who piled onto our laps every Sunday in nursery. They all feel like our little neices and nephews and we were truly blessed to watch them grow and progress during the time we spent with them, nearly 2 years.

We are thankful for our Gus Gus. He is a good dog, not loud and barky and hyper. He is sweet tempered, and mellow. He can be a bit of a whiney pants, cause he is a tad bit spoiled, but we are glad we have him and got to keep him in our family even after the move. There were definite times when it didn't seem like he was meant to be ours. But then he'd run away and every time come back to us. He has been a great pre-parenting test for Kevin and I, and I think together we are raising an obedient and fun loving addition to our days and nights.

I am thankful for an affordable place to live. There is no doubt in my mind that God was behind this miracle. We love our neighbors / landlords and their laid back flexibility in having us as tennants. We love that we feel like this is our own place, and they don't just pop in whenever because technically they own the house. They have made us feel welcome and cared about, like an extra mom and dad are upstairs, and that's nice to have.

I am thankful for the opportunities Kevin and I have had to make our own mistakes and learn from them, and to be able to get a fresh start. It's very easy when you are in the middle of trials to be-moan your problems ( don't get me wrong we did our fair share of that ) but there is nothing like getting on the other side of them and saying - we made it, and there is sunshine just around the bend. When you go through some of the things we've been through there is such a clear perspective of what matters the most in life. I know that as long as we have our families and friends, our faith / religion, a place to live, food, clothing, and transportation. That is what matters the most.

I am thankful to have my health. I still have 2 arms and legs and can move about freely.

I can hear music and see the beauty around me , touch, smell, and taste and experience the world first hand. Not everyone can say that.

I am thankful to live in this nation, and that God preserved it for me, so that I may live with religious freedoms.

I am also thankful for the men and women who served our country and continue to fight for those freedoms. They gave what they didn't have to give. Bless them for it.

I have clean water to drink, bathe in, and indoor plumbing. Not everyone has that.

I have reliable transportation ( and a hubby that knows how to repair most parts of it ). It may not be the most handsome vehicle in town, but it has 4 wheels, heat, music, 4-wheel drive, and is roomy enough for all 3 of us.

I have technology in my life, that helps me to reach out and connect with those that are far from me, and I haven't seen. I can sit here right now and let you know what I am thinking and feeling though you may be miles away from me. I can send funny e-cards, and can find the answers to questions, get inspiration and guidance from church leaders, share photos, listen to digital music, and hone my writing skills all with the help of technology.

I have enough. There have been definite times in life when I have wondered if we would have enough food to make it to the next pay day, or enough laundry soap or toilet paper or gas in the tank. But I am thankful to have enough. Just enough, to not get haughty and prideful, and just enough to look around and say thanks Lord. You have provided what we needed.

Most, importantly I have a testimony of the Lord's hand in my life. There are times when life seems like it is dumping all it can on you, but I know that he is still there standing by making sure your head is above water, ready to pull you out when you need it. Jesus Christ came into the world to teach the people about love, and showed us what we need to do to return to live with our Father in Heaven again someday. He died for my sins on the cross, so that I could make mistakes along the way and repeatedly start over and try again. I don't always get everything right, and my ducks aren't always in a row, but I know that doesn't mean I am any less loved. My father in Heaven has blessed me with the gospel, a living and loving prophet to lead and counsel us in these hard times, the Book of Mormon which contains the histories of the people in the Ancient Americas and their experiences to learn from, bolster my faith, and encourage me to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that lead to their demise. I have a loving family, supportive friends, and "enough". I know the Lord loves and watches over us all, and when we make mistakes he is there to help us turn around and head back in the right direction. If we but have faith and take his hand he will lead us safely through our lives, not unscathed, but greatful for every little twist and turn and all the hills and valleys along our path.