Everyday Gratitude

I enjoy making a list each year, around Thanksgiving, of what I am grateful for, and this year is no different. But this year I wanted to share with my blog friends a visual list of the everyday things I was particularly grateful for this Thanksgiving. I was struck by the sheer enormity of blessings I have. Life is not perfect, and I have had my struggles, like any individual, but I have been so blessed and would be an idiot not to acknowledge it.
I really wanted to sulk on Thanksgiving. I had worked so hard all week to put things together, and then on the day of, I came down with a head cold and the worst canker sore in the history of human existence. Ok, so maybe that's a small exageration, but my mouth, tongue, ears, and throat were on fire, and I was supposed to finish preparing, and consume a Thanksgiving feast? But, then I realized that although I was so annoyed by a simple illness, and other stupid things, it could be so much worse. My family and I enjoy (relatively) good health. We have a comfortable home, a job, food, each other, friends and family, and the Gospel. What more could any person wish for?


Art- A true love of mine, I am so grateful for the arts, and the chance I've had to study them!


Our new home! I cannot express how grateful we are to be in our first home!



Our parents and extended family. We may be far from our loved ones, but we love them just the same! It was so wonderful to see everyone this summer!




Sleeping children. They are so beautiful when they sleep ( :


The Saviour's birth. The gospel is taking on a deeper meaning in my life as I grow and experience more of life. I am so grateful for my bedrock gospel knowledge.



Bountiful food. We are a blessed land, to have more food (or things we call food, anyways) than we know what to do with, and actually have problems with people eating too much, instead of starving. I was grateful for the food, even if every bite hurt. (Of course, being the food lover I am, I still choked quite a bit down).


John reading stories with the children. This is certainly one of John's strengths. He has a passion for sharing books and knowledge with his children, and I love him for it!




The beautiful world that surrounds us, and of course our dear children. John and I went on our traditional walk on Thanksgiving, and enjoyed orienting ourselves in the state forest 5 minutes away. It was so beautiful, even though the path ended up flooded and we had to cut the walk shorter than we'd planned, we still enjoyed the chance to observe the beauty of the natural world.

I hope you had the chance to think about what you're thankful for as well, and want all of my friends and family to know, I am sooo grateful to have you in my life!