Thanksgiving is such a great time to take the extra time to be thankful for everything! This year I am especially thankful for so many things, the past few months since we have moved have been some of the most fun and some of the hardest times for me! I am grateful for both. It makes me realize how thankful I am for the gospel and the peace that it brings!!
I am thankful for an amazing husband who even though he is busy with school he takes time to spend with us and listen to me whine on those tough days ;)I am thankful for a beautiful little girl who is healthy, smart, and full of life, who brings us so much happiness on a daily basis! I am thankful for family who constantly give us support and love even without them being close in proximity to us. I am thankful for the freedoms that I get to enjoy from living in this beautiful country and for those that have served and continue to served to keep our freedoms..Thank you to all of you! I am thankful for so many little things on a daily basis from good weather to clean house to food to eat to a good day at work to cuddle moments with Emma to singing and dancing in the kitchen to a home to live in and keep us safe to constant love that I feel.
Even though my job and workplace isn't my favorite and has been the biggest struggle for me since we have moved here, I have had those horrible days when it takes all I have to go back, there are days when it isn't so bad and I am able to recognize the blessing I have from working with the patients that I get to. I have become so much more thankful for a healthy body. I know I have taken for granted that I can do pretty much whatever I want and my health doesn't get in the way so seeing those that are sick and struggling really makes me grateful for my good health and the health of my family, and makes me really want to help those that I work with. I have also gained an even greater testimony of how blessed I am to have the gospel and the knowledge of the plan of happiness. I have had a few patients when I walk into the room I can just feel that they have made decisions in life that have led them so far away from our Heavenly Father's plan that the distinctive peace and happiness isn't there, these patients my heart goes out to and at the same time it is difficult to go to the room because of the feelings that you feel by being in there and then looking into their eyes and seeing the sadness and emptiness is hard and makes me say silent prayers right there and then for my gratitude for my Savior and His love for me. These experiences and the moments that you get to hear that you have made a difference in someones life makes my struggle of my job more bearable and I know that it is Heavenly Fathers way of strengthening me through the good and tough times. So even though it is hard I have changed my attitude to look for the tiny miracles He sends to me!! He is teaching me and it is my time to learn!!!
A few years ago in a relief society class our teacher shared a story called the "Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet" I thought it was a great story and had a great perspective on gratitude. I decided at that time that I needed to be more grateful for the thorns in my life and not just the flowers. I know that when we give thanks to our Heavenly Father for ALL and recognize His hand in everything that things are better and you can feel His love so close to you. So I decide that I wanted to start the tradition in my little family that we each Thanksgiving we would have our own 'Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet" to help remind us to be grateful for the good and tough times! Here is our bouquet this year! I know the lady thought I was crazy when I called to ask for a bouquet with thorns still on the rose stems and no flowers ;)
This year we got to have Thanksgiving at our house with lots of fun guests! I am so bugged with myself that I forgot take pictures of all of our food and friends!!! But even without pics it was great! Thanks Haley, Scott, Weston, Becky, Elder Schatt, Elder Black, Little Braden and Kade for sharing your Thanksgiving day with us! We had to use both leaves for our table..it was HUGE but we were able to fit everyone on one table!! We enjoyed tons and tons of yummy food, our first time baking our own turkey even turned out great!! Thanks for a fun evening!!
I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving!!
I am thankful for an amazing husband who even though he is busy with school he takes time to spend with us and listen to me whine on those tough days ;)I am thankful for a beautiful little girl who is healthy, smart, and full of life, who brings us so much happiness on a daily basis! I am thankful for family who constantly give us support and love even without them being close in proximity to us. I am thankful for the freedoms that I get to enjoy from living in this beautiful country and for those that have served and continue to served to keep our freedoms..Thank you to all of you! I am thankful for so many little things on a daily basis from good weather to clean house to food to eat to a good day at work to cuddle moments with Emma to singing and dancing in the kitchen to a home to live in and keep us safe to constant love that I feel.
Even though my job and workplace isn't my favorite and has been the biggest struggle for me since we have moved here, I have had those horrible days when it takes all I have to go back, there are days when it isn't so bad and I am able to recognize the blessing I have from working with the patients that I get to. I have become so much more thankful for a healthy body. I know I have taken for granted that I can do pretty much whatever I want and my health doesn't get in the way so seeing those that are sick and struggling really makes me grateful for my good health and the health of my family, and makes me really want to help those that I work with. I have also gained an even greater testimony of how blessed I am to have the gospel and the knowledge of the plan of happiness. I have had a few patients when I walk into the room I can just feel that they have made decisions in life that have led them so far away from our Heavenly Father's plan that the distinctive peace and happiness isn't there, these patients my heart goes out to and at the same time it is difficult to go to the room because of the feelings that you feel by being in there and then looking into their eyes and seeing the sadness and emptiness is hard and makes me say silent prayers right there and then for my gratitude for my Savior and His love for me. These experiences and the moments that you get to hear that you have made a difference in someones life makes my struggle of my job more bearable and I know that it is Heavenly Fathers way of strengthening me through the good and tough times. So even though it is hard I have changed my attitude to look for the tiny miracles He sends to me!! He is teaching me and it is my time to learn!!!
A few years ago in a relief society class our teacher shared a story called the "Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet" I thought it was a great story and had a great perspective on gratitude. I decided at that time that I needed to be more grateful for the thorns in my life and not just the flowers. I know that when we give thanks to our Heavenly Father for ALL and recognize His hand in everything that things are better and you can feel His love so close to you. So I decide that I wanted to start the tradition in my little family that we each Thanksgiving we would have our own 'Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet" to help remind us to be grateful for the good and tough times! Here is our bouquet this year! I know the lady thought I was crazy when I called to ask for a bouquet with thorns still on the rose stems and no flowers ;)
This year we got to have Thanksgiving at our house with lots of fun guests! I am so bugged with myself that I forgot take pictures of all of our food and friends!!! But even without pics it was great! Thanks Haley, Scott, Weston, Becky, Elder Schatt, Elder Black, Little Braden and Kade for sharing your Thanksgiving day with us! We had to use both leaves for our table..it was HUGE but we were able to fit everyone on one table!! We enjoyed tons and tons of yummy food, our first time baking our own turkey even turned out great!! Thanks for a fun evening!!
I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving!!
1 comment:
We missed you guys!!!! Mom told me how your day had gone and how you were super mom and cooked the meal from scratch! Way to go, sure makes you appreciate it so much more! Thanks for reminding us all for those small little moments in life that sometimes take their toll on us, thorns...ahh, but they do bring growth!! We miss and love you guys!! Give Ems a snugga! XXOO's love you!
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