I am Thankful, to be Thankful

I am grateful for this time of year, that gives me more of an opportunity to realize all that I do have to be Thankful for. I am also grateful that I can get myself thinking about all that I am blessed with, and hopefully continue that Thankful attitude throughout the rest of the holiday season, and all throughout my life. I just wanted to list so many things that I have to be grateful for, in hopes that it will help me to dwell on those things, and not the things that I sometimes think that I "lack"... and hopefully, for the few of those of you who read this, you can realize too all that you have to be grateful for, and how Heavenly Father really does bless each one of us with so much, even through trials, and even if we don't always realize it.

Here goes: I am thankful for:

My Mom

My Dad

My Sister, Kellie

My Brother Eric, Sister-in-law Amber, and cutest Nephew ever!

My Awesome Co-workers

My Best friends, Jaimie and Jessica

So many great friends that support me in all I do, and that no matter how long we've been apart, I still love, and it feels like we haven't been apart

New friends: Those I have met in my ward, stake, and that I have acquired through their marriage to my friends.

My awesome ward, and all the opportunities that I have there

My challenging, but so rewarding calling

Being Single right now, and the opportunities that gives me (I will post about this later...)

My Amazing Grandma!

My wonderful Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins, who are so many in number, and who I know each by name, and love so much for all their love and support

Being able to laugh and be silly with family

My heritage, and all the people that have touched my life and moved on, and who's example I cherish so much

Good Movies

Good Music

Boots (and basically shoes in general... ) ;)

A house to live in, food to eat, clothes to wear (and everything that I have, ample for my needs)

The Priesthood in my home, and countless family members, and church leaders who honor that, and who I can look to as an example

Great books, and my love of reading

Technology, to entertain me, and to keep in touch with friends and family

The Blessings of being able to attend the temple

THE GOSPEL in my life!!!

The Book of Mormon

My Heavenly Father, and the power of prayer, and answers to prayer

The Atonement

The opportunities my job has given me, and all that I have learned through working there

The ability to have fun, and to be able to be social

The ability that I have to talk to anyone (I used to be so shy, so I am grateful for all that has helped me to be able to develop this!)

Dating- the good and the bad. I had a friend tell me once that there are no "bad" dates, only good dates, and good stories. Love it!

School- the opportunity that I had to go, and to be graduated!

Chocolate, and yummy treats in general

Thanksgiving Holiday

Christmas, and the Savior's Birth

Well, there are MANY, MANY more, but I will leave it at that for now. Hopefully we can all remember to be grateful for everything, the large and the small.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I am grateful for busy days! I know that sometimes I don't always think that, but really, I am. I have had many days at work, or other places that I haven't had a thing to do, and those days draaag on. I love it, (for the most part!) when I have a lot to do, and the day flies by, and I don't know where the time has gone. I know that I have been guilty (many times...) of complaining that I never have "free time" or time to do things that I want to do, but I have noticed that when I am busy, I try to make that extra time for those things that I really want to do.
I thought that when I graduated college, and didn't have homework anymore, I'd have so much free time... and really, a lot of times I do, but I am a different kind of busy nowadays. I am grateful for a full time job that keeps me busy 8 hours a day,and church, family, and friends that keep me busy all the other times. I have noticed in myself that when I keep busy, I focus less on feeling sorry for myself, and that things maybe aren't going exactly the way that I want them to. I also have noticed that when I am busy, I relish the times when I can sit and read, or watch movies, or just do absolutely nothing. So, next time I complain about being busy, I'll have this to look back and read about how I really am grateful for that!

Something Old, Something New...

I am grateful for trying new things! I know that this has taken some getting used to, because I am not always the person who loves change... in fact, it's really not always my favorite. But, its great. And, sometimes, it's really hard for me to go outside my box, and try things that scare me, or make me nervous. But, I've been getting better with age, I think!

Some recent experiences that I have had that have been good for me, and made me glad I tried them:

-Substitute teaching (so scary, especially when I have to teach them math!)

-Working full time (sometimes it's still rough)

-Lots of blind/first dates (this isn't necessarily all recent, but they happen, and are definitely things to learn from...)

-Wake surfing!

Well, I'm sure there are lots more, but I can't think of them right now. I'm sure I will later. I think, that by far, wake surfing was my favorite. I am glad that Jessica and Jim took me out on their boat, and helped me, and talked me into trying this! It was fun, and I wasn't as bad at it as I thought. Overall, I think that getting out of your comfort zone, and trying new things is really a great thing to do. Scary? yes. Hard? yes. But good. Especially for me. Especially now. It's hard not knowing exactly where life is going to go, or what you are going to do, but it will all work out. I have the gospel of Jesus Christ to tell me that. And that is not something that is new, but something that will always be there for me.

Anyway, I will continue to try new things, and be in new situations, because it is great to always be learning, and growing!! So, I think, all (maybe 10 of you) that read this, should take a challenge to step out of your box, and try something new!

Happy Sunday.

This is me wake surfing. See? It's really true!!