Forever Grateful

This is my 5th Thanksgiving in a row away from my family. I've spent these 5 years with friends instead, staying in as well as traveling to Phoenix once. I've been blessed by others willing to take me in for the holiday. But I have been blessed in hundreds of other ways as well....here are a few of the things I am incredibly grateful for.

My Family

My parents provided me with absolutely everything. They paid my way through college. They supported me while I struggled to find a job post-graduation. They want the best for me. They fly me home for Christmas and big family events. They've given me the life I wanted...happy, safe, secure, and loving.

My brother, Jay, married Lindsay in 2012, giving me another brother and five sisters. I couldn't have asked for Jay to marry a better girl than Lindsay! And I couldn't have asked for a better added extended family! A year later, they were sealed in the Nauvoo temple. 

My Job

I absolutely love being a preschool teacher. Those little munchkins have so much to learn and they are discovering new things every single day. Plus, the things they say crack me up to no end! One little boy always says, "I'm a sweetheart!" when you pick him up. Another girl never stops laughing and calling you a "silly goose" when you do anything remotely funny. 

It took me four and a half months to find a job after I graduated from BYU. I interviewed at at least 5 different places until I finally got someone to bite. And I am extremely grateful that I got the job at A to Z Building Blocks. It is exactly the place for me. My co-workers are fabulous, my boss is the nicest woman ever, the work can be hard some days, but the rewards outweigh the struggle. This job has given me the reassurance that I chose the right path all those years ago in the college career counseling center. 

My Roommates--Past & Present

 Oh I have had my share of roommate struggles, but the past few years have been pretty darn fabulous. These roommates have taught me a lot. And we've had a TON of fun. They're my best friends and I'm so glad to have met them through random experiences! 

Food, Clothes, Housing, etc...

I'm writing this post as a pumpkin pie bakes in the oven, it's aroma wafting up to my second floor bedroom. I have cabinets full of food, a closet full of clothes and shoes, bookcases full of books, movies, and other entertainment, I have a (semi-working) laptop, a cell phone, a bicycle, a bus pass, a warm bed with lots of blankets, a beautiful two-story apartment, and essentially all the things I could ever need. I am incredibly blessed to have these things, when so many have so much less than me. I think I'm poor, but really, I'm rich. I am so lucky. And so thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! What are you grateful for?