Thankful

Tradition holds that we after we all stuff ourselves full, we sit around the table and gab.  It usually starts with us sharing what we're thankful for this year.

This year I'm thankful for...

• The Gospel (please see that link on the side about what we believe)
  
• gainful employment
• healthy bodies
• the Boy
• the Boy's laugh which is more contagious than the swine flu
• Chris Chris Chris
• good books
• my parents who listen to me whine and then remind me that I can do hard things, who trek down here to spend time with me and the Boy, who bring lovely breezes of North Carolina and cheeky humor with them, who kept my boy and cared for him like no other so that Chris and I could run off to New York like a couple of irresponsible teen-agers.
  
• my sisters for their amazing examples
• Chris' family, especially Dad and Mike--I still haven't forgotten them driving down here to unload our truck, and that after having worked a long hard day.  They are amazing men and I'm grateful for them.
  
• the scriptures
• So many amazing friends I can't even count.  I don't deserve them all.  I suppose I could see this as a side benefit to moving around a lot, but I miss them horribly where ever I end up...
  
• cameras--I know this seems random and weird, but seriously, I take pictures of the Boy or the cats and just looking at them can make me crack up laughing regardless of how disasterous the day may be going.
• my car, Arabella rocks y'all.
  
• opportunities to grow
• my laptop, it's so great to have a space to write and to be creative...
• my sewing machine...I used to have massive anxiety about sewing, but I've taken a sort of zen approach to it and now it's just really nice to be able to sit down and create something, put some pieces together when it seems like the whole world is coming apart.
• having Chris home ALL DAY today and tomorrow.  I'll be honest, I gave him the option to go into the office to catch up, and I would not have been resentful if he had chosen to do so, for I know how very stressed he is.  But I'm SO happy to have him HOME!

This is a partial list, so feel free to add yours to the comments.  Now go eat!