The Cheese of Thankfulness

Every blog I read right now seems to be focusing on Thanksgiving, and rightly so. This is the time of year, after all, to remember all of the things we are thankful for. Despite the best efforts of every retailer on earth to skip right over the holiday and head straight on to Christmas. . . I would like to take a minute to bask in all of the things I'm grateful for. It has, after all, been a year chock full of things that are good. It may be cheesy, but that doesn't make it less true.

1- My family. Seriously, folks, my family is the best. They are all SO cool. I really never have more fun than I do when the big bunch of us, which is getting bigger by the day, gets together. They are all so accepting and supportive of one another, and of me. Who could ask for more than that? My nephews are such a joy to me. Until I have my own kids, these boys fill the part of me that wants to mother and spoil little ones. I love them so much.

2- My husband. I honestly would never have suspected 2 years ago that life would be this good by now. I can't believe my luck. I'm married to a guy who I have so much in common with, who also treats me better than I've ever been treated. On top of which, by marrying him I inherited this other fantastic family that I really love. They are all so sweet and accepting of the new girl that married the baby of the family. That's saying something. . .


3- My job. Despite the whining I do, I have it pretty good. I get to do a job I like in a really fun environment, and get paid well for it. My boss is cool, my co-workers are cool, and the company is just getting started. It can only get bigger and better.

4- My friends. We have SO many great friends. The kind of friends that will offer to egg the house of someone you're mad at, or cry with you when you need them to, or participate in your pumpkin carving, gingerbread house building, easter egg dying insanity every time you ask. They'll fly to Utah with only 6 weeks notice to see you get married. They're great! All of them. I have been feeling the loss of one of them very acutely lately, coming up on the anniversary of her death, and it's making me cherish all of the rest of them that much more.

5- The gospel. I have come to value this part of my life so much more over the last year. I have really begun to grasp what a difference it makes in my life and how important it is to me. Here's to never going back to apathy!

6- My house, car, etc. . . I know we're not supposed to love belongings, and it's not that I love them in the same way I do any of the above. But I AM grateful for them. I'm so grateful to have a nice house, a car I love, and that my husband has a car that he loves. I am so grateful that we can help others when we need to, because we are financially stable enough to have a little left over. I grateful to be comfortable.

That's it for now. I know that's more cheese than you're used to from me, and I don't want to gross anyone out.