I'm Grateful

I feel differently about Thanksgiving this year. I really needed it. I feel like I've been complaining a lot lately, and I really needed a day to think about all my blessings instead.

Here are a few things I'm grateful for today:

a bird
Trent and Camden built a beautiful bird feeder together a couple weeks ago, and Camden has been plastered to the window since then, and has been praying, "Please help birdies to come to eat at my bird feeder." Today one did.

my boys

I adore them. They make me smile. They make me a better person. We waited so long for Camden to come to our family. Sometimes I forget about those 5 years of pain and patience. It really is a miracle that he is here.

boot camp

I finally took a week and stayed in the house with the boy to push the potty-training issue. And he did it. He's all potty-trained. Actually, he's been practicing for more than a year, and one day and 80 skittles were apparently all he needed to master the skill.

my parents

They really are amazing people. I have found that as the years pass and I gain more life experience, I gain even more appreciation for them and all they have done for me.

the gospel of Jesus Christ
I love my Savior. The concepts of his gospel give me direction, clarity, peace, and hope that I've never been able to find anywhere else.

freedom

My grandparents, Mima & Pipo, emigrated to the U.S. from a Communist country and became citizens almost 50 years ago. In fact, I was the first person in my line to be born on American soil. I can't take my freedoms for granted because my family members worked so hard to make sure I could enjoy them. I am so thankful for their sacrifices and the lives they have lived so that I can be here and have a good life.

my siblings

All of them. Adam, Jared, Joseph, Rebekah. I love them. We have journeyed through so much of life together, and I'm excited about what the future holds for all of us. And I couldn't have ever anticipated the joy that has come into my life with the additions of Nora and Katie to our family. They are my sisters. It is so fun to have them in my life.

this world

I am continually in awe of the beauty that surrounds me.

my nephew
Sammy. What a sweet little boy he is. I love to watch him grow and change, even if it's usually from a distance. He is my only nephew, and I'm sure just the first of many. But he will always hold a special place in my heart because he was the first.

laundry

I know I whine about it and how much time and energy it takes to get it all done. But in reality, it's really amazing that we are blessed enough to have so many clothes. I think about the poor and about people in the old days, who only had a few outfits that they'd just wash over and over, and I feel immensely blessed to have so much.

my paternal grandparents

I miss them. I was in college when both of them passed away. I try to keep them fresh in my memory by reflecting on the special times we had together and by talking about them with my little boy, who never knew them.

my home

We scrimped and saved for this house, and I think it means even more to me because of that. I am warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and I know others are not so blessed.

extended family
My aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides. I miss them and wish I could rewind time and have spent more of my life in close contact with them. I treasure the memories I have of them when I was a little girl. I am so thankful for internet and travel so that I can at least keep tabs on them and see some of them once in a while. Arizona was so fun, and I can't wait 'til March in St. George!

my body

Sometimes I take it for granted, and I shouldn't. It really is a miracle in all its intricacies.

the Feists
They really have taken me in as one of their own. I love being part of their family.

a steady job

Trent is such a hard worker and wonderful provider. Especially at this time in history, I feel very blessed that he has such a good job and that I am able to stay home with our son.

my education

It makes me feel good to know that I finished college with a degree that I can use. I enjoy working from home and the flexibility and mental exercise it provides me. It's really the best of both worlds.

my marriage

Trent really is an amazing man. Neither of us are perfect, but we are both okay with that. I am sealed for eternity to my best friend. It is difficult to put into words the serenity and stability that allows me to have in this sometimes tumultuous lifetime.

a warm bed
Slipping into bed at the end of the day really takes on a different meaning during this cold time of year. I love the soothing feeling of the warm blankets around me.

a feast

How many people in the world are able to sit down at a beautiful table and feast on such glorious, plentiful food? We are truly blessed.

On that note ... I should probably go get ready for dinner! I wish all of you a wonderful day and a beautiful holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!