Thankfulness Week 4 (Nov. 22 - 30)

This one is a little longer to incorporate the rest of the month of November.

Here is the final week:

Day 22:
I'm thankful for...
...an amazing village of friends and family who are so supportive and helpful and always there.
...smiles and laughter, pictures and memories.

Day 23:
I'm thankful for...
...answered prayers.
...my BCBs, the books we've read and the conversations we've had about them.

Day 24:
I'm thankful for...
...the smell of clean laundry.
...the opportunity to wind down with a glass of wine.
...our cozy home and our amazing landlords.

Day 25:
I'm thankful for...
...old traditions but also for the ability to make new ones.
...Christmas (yup, I said it before December) and the many wonderful things it brings...but most importantly the reminder that God came down to earth for us.

Day 26:
I'm thankful for...
...family and breaking bread together.
...unconditional love.

Day 27:
I'm thankful for...
...my husband and his birthday. I'm thankful God has had him on this earth for 30 years and counting.
...my mom and the gift of life she gave to me. I'm thankful for her hope and the fact that she never gave up on the idea of me.

Day 28:
I'm thankful for...
...the people who love us, whether by blood or by choice.

Day 29:
I'm thankful for...
...the ocean and its beautiful waves.
...people that invite us into their homes and allow us to do life with them.

Day 30:
I'm thankful for...
...the rain.
...fun weekends and time spent with friends and family.

It was so good for my heart to think about the things I'm thankful for...and there are so many other things that weren't mentioned here!

Thankfulness Week 3 (Nov. 15 - 21)

I'm continuing my thankful thoughts.

Here is week 3:

Day 15:

I'm thankful for...
...weekends and the rest they bring.
...for L.B. and the amazing friendship we've had over the past eleven and a half years.

Day 16:
I'm thankful for...
...our church and the changes that are taking place.
...my sister, who has been the best friend to me since she was born.
...spur of the moment TV watching nights with family.

Day 17:
I'm thankful for...
...creativity and outlets to be able to express that creativity.

Day 18:
I'm thankful for...
...books that move me.
...the words other people speak and share that make me think and challenge me.

Day 19:
I'm thankful for...
...days when I feel like I am able to accomplish a lot.
...my bestie and all she has been in my life over the last seven years.

Day 20:
I'm thankful for...
...rain and clouds and cold and everything the weather has been lately.
...surprise free drinks after a long wait in the drive thru.
...good scents that evoke pleasant memories and feelings.

Day 21:
I'm thankful for...
...E.K. and the friend she has always been to me.
...forgiveness and the wonderful gift that it is, even when it's hard or has to be done over and over again.
...good movies and watching them with good friends.

More to come!

Thankfulness Week 2 (Nov. 8-14)

I'm continuing my daily thoughts on what I'm thankful for.

Here's week two:

Day 8:

I'm thankful for...
...friends that are like family.
...K.W. and S.W. and for baby P.W.
...friendships with women in different stages of life than me.

S.W. and I at her baby shower (I can't wait to meet P.W.!)

Day 9:

I'm thankful for...
...a new pastor and for change.
...the power of prayer and for the gift that it is to be able to speak with my Savior in that way as often as I'd like.
...essential oils and how they've helped me this past year.

Day 10:

I'm thankful for...
...E.O. and the conversations we have.
...my parents and the amazing support they've always been in my life.

Day 11:

I'm thankful for...
...those that have served for our country and their families who have sacrificed so much.
...days off spent with my husband.

Day 12:

I'm thankful for...
...traditions and the ability to spend time with friends.
...my husband's job and for the fact that they recognize and appreciate all his hard work.
...good books to curl up with.

Josh got a certificate from work, for all of his hard work these past couple of weeks on a big project

Day 13:

I'm thankful for...
...the gift of singing and the fact that I get to use my voice to sing praises to my Savior.

Day 14:

I'm thankful for...
...friends to break bread with.
...the amazing friendships my husband has developed over the years.

Our friendsgiving table. Such an amazing night with good friends. Not pictured: K.M., who took the picture.

More thankfulness to come!

Thankfulness Week 1 (Nov. 1 - 7)

I decided to collect all of the things I'm thankful for each week in a blog post.

Here is week one:

Day 1:

I'm thankful for...
...rest and the ability to recognize when it's most needed.
...understanding friends...and friends that are fine with having a relaxing night in on a Saturday night.
...God's Word and the ability to read and understand it.
...friends celebrating anniversaries and sticking with their marriages, even when things get hard.

Day 2:

I'm thankful for...
...the opportunity to say goodbyes surrounded by loved ones.
...a husband that works hard in everything that he does, and who loves his family with everything he is.
...warm drinks on cold days.
...cold days!
...a new pastor with a fresh vision for our church.
...for the sound of giggles coming from my precious niece.

Day 3:

I'm thankful for...
...warm tea.
...blankets to snuggle up in.
...relaxing days.

Day 4:

I'm thankful for...
...massages when I'm really sore and hurting.
...friends that love Harry Potter as much as I do.
...the fact that it gets dark earlier in the day now.
...shelter and cozy blankets to keep me warm.
...leaves changing colors and for fall weather to officially be here.

Day 5:

I'm thankful for...
...our Bible study group and the fellowship we are able to have with them.
...the opportunity to break bread with others and being able to talk about the importance of being a church that functions like a body.

Day 6:

I'm thankful for...
...quiet and the calm it brings.

Day 7:

I'm thankful for...
...date nights and time spent with my husband.
...my job.


More thankful thoughts coming soon!

Intentional Thankfulness

I've noticed a trend in my blog writing as of late (one that I'm sure I've pointed out before).

I've mainly been writing posts about what's been going on, while avoiding the personal stuff as much as possible.

I think because of how hard last year was...and even most of this year...I've just closed myself off a bit to respect people's privacy, as well as to try and figure out how to deal and move on.

November always reminds me, because I'm not always the best at it throughout the year, to be thankful. Not that I'm not thankful at all, but I really take the time to reflect and think through some of the things and people that I am most thankful for when November rolls around.

Last year, I really struggled in the reflecting and thinking part. Emotions were too raw and it was hard to see around the events that took place.

This year, I am determined to really spend some time expressing and thinking through my thanks.

I may be a little late in the game, but I'm going to set aside some time each day in November to think on the reasons why I'm thankful.

I'm not sure exactly how that will look. I've used Facebook and Twitter in the past as mediums to get my thanks out, but I'm not sure what I will do this time. I just know it's something I feel is important for me to do.

I've been reading One Thousand Gifts with a group of women for a few weeks now. We've been corresponding through email each week with our thoughts on each chapter. I have really been encouraged by it to start taking note of the little things in life that I appreciate. I think the timing of reading this book, with my desire to be more thankful this month, couldn't have come at a better time.

So here's to being more thankful as 2014 is quickly coming to a close.