Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving felt so different for me this year. I don't know why, but this year I feel so much more gratitude than ever before. In an effort to remember this Thanksgiving, here is what I am grateful for:

I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful that we do not have to wander aimlessly through this life. This life has a purpose and God wants us to know it. (For more about that, click here)

I am grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am grateful that I am able to take the sacrament every Sunday to remember the commitment I have made to live my life as close to the Savior as I can; and I'm grateful that my Father in Heaven forgives me every day when I fall short of that goal.

I am grateful for my marriage. I am grateful for all of those difficult dating experiences that led me to Matt and that make me truly appreciate how amazing he is. I am so grateful that my marriage is not just for this life, but can last for eternity.

I am grateful to be a woman. I know that as a woman I have been blessed with so many special experiences; the most sacred being to be a mother. I am so grateful that I have been able to learn the lessons of life with a new set of eyes; the eyes of a mother. I am beyond grateful to my Father in Heaven for trusting me with Chelsea. She means the world to me and has taught me so much this year. I am also grateful that I can be a stay at home mother; even in this economy. I am grateful that my husband works so hard to make that possible and that he supports me in this decision.

I am grateful for my education. I recognize that I am blessed to live in a day and age that women are encouraged to gain an education. I am grateful that my family placed extreme importance on gaining an education and I'm grateful that my mother and father set the example of hard work in educational pursuits so that I could feel the importance of gaining those experiences for myself. My education has helped me every day of my life and continues to do so.

I am grateful that I grew up in a home with love. I am grateful for the most amazing brothers and sisters anyone could have. I am grateful that they were my best friends growing up and that they still are to this day. I am grateful for parents who worked hard to bring peace to our home and to provide us with everything we needed.

Finally, I am so grateful that I got to wake up Thanksgiving morning to this:

I hope your Thanksgiving was as good as mine.