On Being Grateful....

I've been a little AWOl it seems. We've been out of town the week before Christmas and of course there was all the preparation to get out of town, and the time to unwind once we've returned. I'll talk all about our trip on the next post, but today I just wanted to share the things I am grateful for. Typically I always have a lot more to be grateful for AFTER the holidays are over than BEFORE they start at Thanksgiving time. So here goes what's been on my mind:

I am Grateful for

1. Surprises on doorsteps, you know who you are!
2. Caring neighbors
3. In-laws, I have great ones whom I enjoy spending time with, and the kids love beyond measure.
4. A wonderful family to come home to in Utah as well.
5. The magic of Christmas my parents provided us as children. Although they created high expectations in my head of what Christmas should be like that conflict with Ken's idea of what Christmas should be like. (and that's been fun to negotiate every year) Still, I love what I had in my childhood, and thank them for that, I know it wasn't easy.
6. My Polynesian heritage, I need to reach out to that more and I can't think of a better way than to go to Hawaii or Tahiti, lol!
7. The sacrifices my Pioneer ancestry went through to get us to where we are now.
8. Ken.....I still have a post brewing about all the things I am grateful to him for, stay tuned for that on a later date.
9. The kids, I can't imagine our family without a single one of them.
10. Our amazing opportunities and privilege's we have living in North America. It's amazing when you think about it really. Why us and not them? For unto whom much is given, much is expected.

I'll just leave it at that right now...Oh wait one more Bonus one!

11. Ken's starting a new job in his health field next week. It's not the ideal pay we want to move forward in life, but it's ENOUGH, and we have to be grateful for that, (and that he doesn't have to drive around the County in this snow doing deliveries)

p.s. One last thought....everyone has those "Believe" signs up around Christmas...I always thought they were in reference to the story from Polar Express, but now I realize they mean much more than that, BELIEVE in Christ, BELIEVE in yourself, BELIEVE in Miracles. That's what matters more than this Believing in Santa...

Hope your Christmas was a good one, and may the New Year be full of joy, laughter, and many reasons to be grateful!