A Season of Gratitude

This week was Thanksgiving. I have so much to be grateful for. I haven’t logged onto my blog at all this week since I’ve been home. It was so good to be home with them this year. On Tuesday, every time I thought about being home for the holiday I teared up. I was so excited to be going home with my family. On my way home from the school Tuesday afternoon the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” came on the radio and I outright cried. I was so ready to go home!

Spending time with my family was amazing. It was so good to just be with them. We just watched movies and played games. We did go to the museum one day, and mom took Kesha and me shopping so we could give her ideas of clothes that we like for Christmas. And I ended up spending close to $200 on new outfits for student teaching. I didn’t want to leave them there because I could wear them now in the school, but this way I’ve got a bunch of new clothes when I get down to Utah. It will be worth it.

Anyway, I have so much that I have to be grateful for. A few months ago I started keeping a “tender mercies” journal. It has been a blessing for me to keep track of the blessings I see in my life each day. That has especially helped me on the days that have been especially rotten. I have been able to see that the Lord really does bless my life each and every day.

•   Family
•   Good friends
•  Amazing roommates
•  The opportunity I had to serve a mission
•  The people I met on the mission
•  The Gospel
•  A testimony of the Gospel
•  Modern Day Prophets
•  Scriptures to study
•  Parents who raised me well and taught me to follow what I know is right
•  A love of children
•   A wonderful education program at BYU-Idaho
•   Amazing professors who have passed on their love of educating children
•   The sacrifice my Savior made so I will be able to return and live with my family for eternity
•   A merciful Father in Heaven
•   A free country where I have been able grow up with many rights that other people only dream of
•   A warm house to live in
•   A comfortable bed to sleep in
•   Food to eat
•   A place to live while I student teach
•   Legs so I can walk
•   Eyes so I can see
•   Ears so I can hear
•   A nose so I can smell
•   Laughter
•   Children, and the funny things they say
•   Happy memories
•   A good job
•   A boss who is willing to work around my schedule
•   Fun people to work with
•   Family vacations and the memories we’ve made
•   Spanish—it’s a beautiful language
•   Customers who speak Spanish at work and the ability I have to help them
•   Technology that allows me to keep in touch with people I met on my mission
•   The Atonement that has given me strength to overcome challenges in my life
•   A sense of humor
•   A temple close enough that I can walk
•   Blessings of the temple
•   Peace that is felt in the temple, and being able to leave everything outside
•   Green leaves and flowers in the spring
•   Beautiful, white snow at Christmas time
•   Music
•   Newfound musical talents
•   My calling and the many people who support me
•   Peaceful Sunday afternoons
•   Service
•   People who love me
•   People for me to love
•   Prayer and the way it allows me to communicate with my Father in Heaven
•   Life in general

This list is just a short sample of all of the many things I am grateful for. My heart has been so full of gratitude. I am so blessed! I will never cease to be grateful for all I have!