Thanksgiving

Well, I can't sleep... so I thought I would come upstairs and write for a few minutes to get things off of my mind. Writing is very therapeutic for me!

I took my camera to Thanksgiving dinner, and was so busy preparing food and then cleaning it all up, that I forgot to take even one picture. This year was an "off" year for Geoff's parents, so they went to California to stay with the Taylors (friends, who are FAMILY, - love you guys!) and that left Geoff and I on our own for Thanksgiving. Well, being from a huge family myself, having Thanksgiving on our own was NOT an option! I called my cousin Wendy, in Salt Lake, and my cousin Holly in Brigham City, and my brother and sis-in-law, John and Anna, in Idaho, and they all decided to come here for Thanksgiving. Well, Holly didn't end up coming because her kids got sick (sorry about that Holly and Jordan!! We missed you!) so it just ended up as the 6 of us adults and 9 kids. We actually got together at Geoff's parent's house, since it is a lot larger than mine, and had a great time. We had a scrumptious meal and let the kids play while the adults played games and visited. It was even such a beautiful day that we played outside! Not your usual Utah Thanksgiving!

Anyway, this year I have a lot to be thankful for! I have been so blessed in my life! I have such a wonderful family that gives me so much love and support! Geoff works so hard to get through school, and I know that it is tiring for him. He rarely even gets any kind of break at all! I know that the reason he is doing all of this is to be able to support our family well. I am so grateful that he is such a hard worker! I am also so grateful that he is understanding of me. It has been a tough last few years for me, and there are some days when I feel like I can't go on, and Geoff helps me pull through it. He never has even once complained when the house was a mess and there was nothing but left-over frozen pizza for dinner. He never once complains that I can't seem to keep on top of the laundry... or anything else for that matter! He just tells me that I shouldn't worry about these things right now because I have enough on my plate. He has even been teaching me how to not apologize for everything I do, (or don't do), and also how to say "no" to people when they ask me to do things for them that I really don't feel like I can do (as much as I WANT to do all that someone asks of me). That, right there, is a blessing to me. I love him so much!

I also have such amazing parents, and grandparents, who have supported me so much in my life! If ever I need to talk to someone, I can call my Mom and know that she is going to be happy for me, laugh with me, cry with me - whatever I need. I miss her, and love her so much. My dad always has such great words of strength for me. I have always had a tendency to worry about things I have no control over, and even about things I do. I cried to my Dad as a little girl because I couldn't understand the concept of "Eternity" and was so worried about it. That was just one of the many times, and still as an adult, I find myself turning to him when I am scared or confused, and he gives me strength and sound advice. I feel the same way about grandparents, too! What a solid foundation for life I was blessed with! Of course, I am also very blessed to have Geoff's parents in my life! It is wonderful to live closer to them than we did for the first several years of our marriage, so my kids and I may build more memories with them. We love you, and are grateful for the great job you did in raising Geoff to be the wonderful person he is today!!

I couldn't make a list of things I am thankful for without mentioning my siblings. They have always been my first friends. I remember my Mom telling me, while I was fighting with my sisters, "Be nice to each other, 'cause one day your sister is going to be your best friend!" It was hard to imagine at the time (mostly because I was ignorant), but that has really come true! I love my sisters and brother, and all of the brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, so much! Thanks for all of the support and love through the years!!

Of course, I look at my children (when they are sleeping, it's really easy to say this) and count them as some of the greatest joys and blessings in my life. I just can't imagine my life without them! I love each of them for the beautiful little people they are, and they give my life so much purpose and direction. They have such unconditional love, and even when I don't deserve it, they shower me with hugs and kisses! My only hope is that I can be the mother to them that I desire to be, and they will never doubt my love for them!

And mostly, my ultimate thanks goes to my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, for their love and patience with me! I am so weak, and yet they stay by my side, willing to fill me with the Spirit at a moment's notice. I am eternally indebted to them; for all of the good things in my life have come, and continue to come, from them! And even though I am horrible at following through with goals and ambitions, I have one main goal that I hope to make, and that is to have eternal life with my family.

Well, this has turned into much more of a lengthy and personal post than I imagined, and I didn't even seem to touch the surface of what I wanted to say, but I just had to list some of the things I was thankful for this year. I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving, too. And know that when I count my blessings, I most likely count YOU, too! (unless I don't know you, 'cause that would just be highly unlikely! Sorry! :0>)