Thanksgiving 2008: Gratitude Reflections

So it's that time of year when I (along with the majority of the US population) sit and reflect on the blessings that fill the lives of myself and my family. This year I feel especially grateful for so many of our blessings.

I am so grateful for my husband and best friend, Tj. The longer we're married the more I see our differences but for these I am also grateful. Tj is so funny, smart, laid back and logical. He truly compliments me and my neurosis. Being apart for such an extended amount of time (at least for us) really makes me appreciate how much he does for our family. He's such a great father and husband.

I am also very thankful for my two sweet boys. Vance and Joel are constantly blessing my life. I know I am fortunate to have such good sons. They are such good friends and play so well together, they both are such good helpers, they're both just so happy and content.

Of course I am grateful for my extended family: my parents, my siblings and their spouses and children. This year we were able to spend some time with many of my brothers and sisters and their families as well as see my parents a few times. I am also grateful for my in-laws. My mother and father in-law are so great and I'm truly fortunate to be able to call them family. Not only do they do so much for us but also for so many other people. They are always thinking of others and are such amazing examples of service. I am also grateful for our other family: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, ect. This year especially I feel such gratitude towards all our family and for the love and support they have shared with us this year. I have loved staying in touch with so many of our family through blogs.

I'm also grateful for our friends- many who have become a second family. We have been blessed with so many good people in our lives. From the missionaries who served with Tj in Ecuador, to my roommates at U of A, friends and coworkers from our jobs in Daytona and of course many ward members from church that we have gotten to know. While we are far away from many- if not most- of these friends I am grateful for the impact that they have made on me and my family.

I am thankful this year for the niceties that most of us take for granted here in the United States. I am grateful for our home, the food we have in our home, electricity, running water, flushing toilets and so forth. I am thankful for the luxuries that we take for granted: cable, internet, cars, and SO many other things that I could list. We are truly fortunate to live in the United States. When I sit and reflect on our blessings it is humbling and even a little overwhelming to reflect on how much we have. I am also grateful for the opportunities that we have to work and provide for our family. I am grateful for Tj and for his work ethic to provide for our family so that I can stay home with the boys.

I am so grateful this year for the opportunities that we have had this year. I'm grateful for the struggles we've had and for the growth I've had personally from these trials and for the growth we've had as a family. I am grateful for friends and family who have lent support, prayers and love to us throughout this year. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!