Gratitude

(*Disclaimer: This is more of a journal entry post, feel free to read or skip, whichever you would like.)

The past couple Sunday talks have been about being grateful. It's Thanksgiving, so it only seems appropriate, but it wasn't until I watched this video on YouTube that actually REALLY started making me think of what I'm grateful for. I usually don't like to "get into" Thanksgiving, because I love the Christmas season, but this year I feel impressed to be public about my gratituity.

I don't mean to sound cocky or all caught up in myself when I say this, but I feel I'm pretty good about showing gratitude, it's one of the many things Danny makes fun of me for. I cannot leave a grocery store without thanking SOMEONE on my way out, whether it was my clerk, the door greater or just a worker, I HAVE to say thank you to someone. Same goes to just about everywhere I go. It's a quirk of mine. Danny always asks why I say thank you to someone who hasn't directly even helped me. Well, everyone likes to be apprciated. Somewhere, they most likely did something that helped or affected me. You can also almost always get a smile from someone when you thank them. It makes me feel good if I've been able to make someone smile.

One thing I have not really done is to write it down. I want to take this opportunity to list what I'm grateful for on November 23, 2009 for all my friends and family to read.

I foremost am grateful for my Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ. Without their love and care, nothing is possible. I'm grateful for the comfort they bring to me and for the knowledge I have of them.

I am and always will be eternally grateful for family! I am grateful that I know my husband and family will be together forever, after we die, and into the eternities. My husband, Danny is an amazing man and I am grateful that he honors his priesthood and lives worthily to hold it. I am grateful for the strength he is to me and for the sacrafices he is making on our family's behalf. School is not easy and work is not easy and doing them both, FULL TIME, is DEFINATELY not easy. He is an amazing and strong man and such an example to all he family and friends.

I am grateful for my sweet daughter Brooke. What a blessing it is to have such a wonderful, sweet spirited daugther come to our family. Being a mother is a challenge but is such a blessing. I love how much you light up everyone around you. Taking you shopping is a time consuming challenge because everyone wants to talk to you! At the same time, I wouldn't have it any other way. I am grateful for being a full time, stay-at-home, Mommy (and Domestic Goddess!) ;)

I am grateful for not only my immediate family, but my in-law and extended families! You each play a key roll in my life and without the relationships and examples you all set, I wouldn't be the person I am today. So many life lessons have been learned just by getting to know you and loving each and every one. I am grateful I get to see all of you so often!

I am grateful for the situation Danny and I are currently in. Going through school and work together is struggle enough, but with a family in toe it seems immensly harder, but I am truely striving to enjoy it. It are times like these that make us into who we are. I am grateful for our trials and our tribulations. I welcome them as they come. I know we will be stronger and closer when we get through it.

I am grateful for the future and the hope and joy that it brings. I am grateful for things unknown. I am grateful for the past year of living with family. What great memories and relationships came out of those situations.

I am eternally grateful for the friends I have. I am grateful for the strength and joy you ALL bring to me. You all teach me things that I wouldn't have been able to learn on my own. I am grateful that you are so patient with me too! ;)

I am so grateful for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's teachings and gospel bring so much light and happiness into my life. I am grateful how structured the church is. I am grateful for personal revelations. I am grateful for the scriptures and it's lessons taught and learned from them. I am deeply grateful for personal prayer. The ablity to humbly speak to my Father in Heaven is such a comfort in my life. I am grateful for the opportunites that lie ahead of me to teach my daughter about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It melts my heart when she recognizes pictures of Jesus.

I am grateful for many other things in my life, but I feel this post would be far too long if I listed them all. I just want all my family and friends to know that I am grateful. I am apprciative. I am striving to always be better.

I love you all. Happy Thanksgiving!