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!!

I Believe in Christ

I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am grateful, and know that he atoned for me, and everything I go through. I know that He knows what I am going through, and I can use that power, and that help in my life. I am grateful to be able to renew the covenants I have made each week in Sacrament Meeting, and to remember the Atonement.
This is one of my favorite hymns, and it is also my testimony, and I feel the power in the words each time I sing it:

I Believe in Christ; he is my King!
With all my heart to him I'll sing;
I'll raise my voice in praise and joy,
In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ; he is God's Son.
On earth to dwell his soul did come.
He healed the sick; the dead he raised.
Good works were his; his name be praised.

I believe in Christ; oh blessed name!
As Mary's Son, he came to reign
'Mid mortal men, his earthly kin,
To save them from the woes of sin.
I believe in Christ, who marked the path,
Who did gain all his Father hath,
Who said to men, "Come, follow me,
That ye, my friends, with God may be."

I believe in Christ- my Lord, my God!
My feet he plants on gospel sod.
I'll worship him with all my might;
He is the source of truth and light.
I believe in Christ; he ransoms me.
From Satan's grasp, he sets me free,
And I shall live with joy and love
In his eternal courts above.

I believe in Christ; he stands supreme!
From him I'll gain my fondest dream;
And while I strive through grief and pain,
His voice is heard: "Ye shall obtain."
I believe in Christ; so come what may,
With him I'll stand, in that great day
When on this earth he comes again
To rule among the sons of men.

(Hymn 134, Text by: Bruce R. McConkie)

I feel like I can always just say, "Amen" at the end of that song. I especially love the last verse, where it says, "I believe in Christ; so come what may". That helps me through anything that I am going through, because no matter what happens, I know that if I hold strong to my faith in Jesus Christ, I will be ok, and things will work out.

Chocolate.

I am grateful for chocolate! I have a major sweet tooth. All the time. Ha! I seriously love most things chocolate. Probably not the best thing, but still, its a weakness! I find that every time I eat a meal, I crave something sweet after. Hmmm. Guess that's why I'm trying to exercise, so that I can stay fit, and still eat the chocolate that I love. Justification? I think so :) My friend Jessica and I even go out to restaurants specifically to get dessert. We call them our "dessert nights", because when you normally go out to eat, you never have room for dessert, so we skip the meal, and go straight for the good stuff! Chilis molten cake is pretty much the best, as is the "fazookie" or something like that from Firehouse Pizza in Logan. I suggest you try them both! I also love peanut butter M&Ms, Twix, Whatchamacallits, and lots of others. So if you wanna try to get on my good side, just bring me any of these.

Let's go to the Movies!

I am very grateful for movies! I am kind of a movie fanatic. I love movies. All types of movies! It's so fun to sit down and pick a great show to watch, because there is a movie for every mood that you are ever in. There are the chick flicks, that, I have to say, are my very favorite. There are funny ones, (She's the man, The Proposal, 27 Dresses, etc.) sad ones (P.S. I Love You, Raising Helen...) ones that I watch when I want a good cry (Beaches, Charly) and many, many, many others! They are pretty great. There are also some of what my sister and I call our "Sunday Afternoon Movies" they consist of the classics, like Pride & Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Love Comes Softly, and lots of others. Some of my other favorites are Pirates (the first one is the best!), The Bourne movies, The Pelican Brief, Newsies, X-men, Mamma Mia, Crocodile Dundee, Footloose, The Man from Snowy River (Gotta love the Australian ones!), and so many others. I also love watching movies over and over again. I have a growing collection! I love to own the good ones, and watch them whenever I want! At the moment, I'm watching "The Truman Show". Crazy how people can think of stories like that. But really entertaining!

I also love to go to movies in the theaters. I have even gone multiple times in a week. Did you know that Tuesdays at the Megaplex theaters is cheaper? Only about $6 instead of $8 or 9! Score! I think I'm gonna finish now, because this is kind of a rambling post. But, movies are great. Its fun to be able to relax, and enjoy watching someone else's life unfold on the screen! Go and enjoy a good old classic, new release, or movie in the theater. Speaking of which, I haven't been to one in a while. Anyone want to go with me? :)

Nothin' like a good book!

I am grateful for good books! I love love love to read. I have since I have learned how to read. I love all kinds of books, and can remember the ones I used to love as a kid, and still do! I loved to read the "Nancy Drew" mysteries, "Goosebumps", "Boxcar Children", "The Egypt Game", and so many others. I loved to be read to, as well. I can remember my 6th grade class, when my teacher, Ms. Beckstead would read to us, and I remember loving the books, and really getting into them. Now, I still love it! Of course I have read Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games, and most of the popular ones. My genre of choice most of the time are LDS Romance, authors like Anita Stansfield (Because she sets some of her stories in Australia!), Michelle Ashman Bell, Betsy Brannon Green, and others with good stories. I also enjoy Nicholas Sparks, and Jane Austen. I've been trying to read all the classics! I don't always enjoy non-fiction, but I've been getting into some of those lately, and some church books. I just love being able to get away from life for a bit by immersing myself in a good book.