I am thankful for....

I started this post on Thanksgiving and am just now getting back to finishing it.  Life has been crazy, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I couldn't go through the whole Christmas season without sharing what I am thankful for.

A sleeping baby

This week Matt and I have both been sick with the flu and Abigail has been going through growing pains.  It has been particularly difficult to get her to sleep, and she has been particularly grumpy during her waking hours.  I am grateful that she is sleeping now and will hopeful be a happy, cheerful baby tomorrow because of having a full night's rest.

My beautiful family

I am so grateful for my loving husband and beautiful daughter.  I couldn't have asked for a better husband.  He would walk through fire for me (or clean up my vomit when I can't quite make it to the toilet in time as was the case this last weekend).  He thinks of me and my feelings all the time.  I am so grateful for our daughter, and I know she is truly a blessing to us.  I know that the time was right for her to come to our family, and I don't know if we will be able to have more children or not.  No matter the case, I know that we will always be grateful to have her in our lives.

My faith and testimony of Jesus Christ

I have experienced many things in my life, both good and bad, uplifting and depressing, challenging and easy, disappointing as well as rewarding.  It has been my faith that has gotten me through the times of difficulty in my life along with the loving support of my friends and family.  I know that my  Savior is there for me through thick and thin, whether I realize it or not.  I know that I am the strong person I am because of those trials.  I know that it is my Savior, most of all, who is a constant in my life helping me through them. 

An apartment that fits our needs and is in our budget

I am so grateful that we were finally able to find an apartment to live in that fits our needs and is in our price range.  She searched and searched and the only apartments we could find in our price range were complete dumps.  Luckily, Matt's parents were talking to a friend of theirs, whose son owns the apartment complex we now live in.  It is a great apartment with many updates.  It has two bedrooms, washer and dryer hook ups, a/c and a dishwasher.  Those were all of my requirements.  It is in our price range, and it has served us very well.  We have truly been blessed by John and Marilyn's service to the Lord.

My Interpreting Family (Western's Interpreting Class of 2009 will always be family in my book)

I love my interpreting cohort from Western.  They are all like family to me.  They have all been checking in on me since I moved to Utah, and I know that I can always talk to them about anything that may be troubling me from my personal life to demands I am experiencing in the interpreting work.  On Thanksgiving weekend they all had a Class of 2009 Thanksgiving dinner together.  It sounded like so much fun.  I wish I could have been there and seen everyone!!

Two dependable cars:

I am so grateful to have two dependable cars.  That is a must with having a young baby.  We are so blessed that we were able to get rid of the Subaru Justy, because it was really on its last leg.  Now we just need to "winterize" both of our cars before the snow hits too hard.

Food on the table:

I am so grateful that we have food on the table and that we are not wont for food.  I keep on hearing on the radio about families that can't afford a Turkey for Thanksgiving.  All the talk on the radio is that these are not families out on the street.  These are families who have jobs and are still unable to make it.  The economy is so bad that people are accepting very low income jobs and are not able to support their families.  I am so grateful for the jobs that Matt and I have, and the job security we are experiencing with our jobs.

New friends I have made and old friends who haven't excluded me from their circle:

I am so grateful to finally be making some new friends here in Utah.  It has made all the difference in the world for me!! I am really starting to gain a network of support.  I am also very grateful for my friends from the various places that I have lived that still keep in contact with me and still count me in their circle of friends.  I moved a lot and many of the friends I have made in those places have sort of died off as they've caught wind that I was moving.  This only makes me that much more grateful for the ones who still call me and think about me throughout the week.  These are the friends I know I will have until the day I die.

A supportive boss:

I am also grateful to have a boss that does her best to support me in any way she can.  It makes all the difference when the people you work with are supportive!!

To live in a country that allows me the freedom to worship how I choose and get as much education as I want

I am so grateful that I have a choice in how I live my personal life and how I choose to worship.  I am grateful to my ancestors, William Bradford among them, for coming to the United States in search of freedom.  I am also grateful that I live in a country that encourages women to be educated and to follow their dreams.  I am equally grateful to belong to a religion that also encourages women to get as much education as they can.  I know that I will be a better mother for it!

To have ancestor's who showed their gratitude and started a tradition that continues on today:

William Bradford is one of my ancestors on my Dad's side of the family.  He declared the first Thanksgiving.  I am so happy he did that, because it teaches me and my children the importance of always showing gratitude for the things that other do for us.