thankful thursday... a few days late.

As the season of thanksgiving rests for another year, I would like to reflect on those things that I have been most thankful for recently. These are things I've been thinking a lot about, I obviously can't make an entire & thorough list of ALL the things that I am thankful for, so here are the most important to me!

This year I have learned so so much about myself. It has been a very strange year for us. We are in a place in our lives we never would have guessed we'd be a few years ago. Our life is so different than we imagined, however I can't say it's bad. I would be lying if I didn't say it's been a little bit of internal struggle for me, but it has been a year of growth, growth I would never had if I didn't have these experiences behind me.

I have learned to not care so much about how others perceive me. That can be such a long slippery slope & I'm so thankful that I am no longer on it. I feel like I'm a down to earth person but I've also always enjoyed the nice things of life. I am thankful that I realize that it really is about the small things & the people in your life that matter most.

I am stronger in my relationship with Clint, stronger than I think we've been our whole marriage. I am so thankful for him & for the happiness he brings into my life. We've seen a lot together & are both so much stronger because of it. He is so patient with me & always laughs at my dumb jokes. He has a beautiful smile I never get sick of seeing. He says "I love you" more times that I can count in one day & he is a hard worker. I also have developed stronger bonds with our families, siblings especially which has been a complete joy & blessing. They have been so supportive of us & have tried harder to get to know us in the process.

I am more confident. Something I have struggled with my whole life, self acceptance. I don't fit a certain mold, & for that I can't tell you how grateful I am. I watched the Eloise movies recently (loved them, wish there were more by the way!) & I was telling my Mom how cute this girl was, how she was precocious & eccentric. She always seemed to find herself in between a rock & a hard place because of it, but everything always worked out in the end because her heart was always in the right place. My Mom said, "That's it! Your whole life I've tried to explain you to people & that is exactly how you are". It's so true! I am! I love being unique, detailed oriented & over the top, just because. It's so me. I do it for no one else, which I love!

I am thankful for all the little things that make my life easier. All those modern technologies like computers, cell phones, tivo,digital cameras & cars that I utilize daily. I honestly cannot imagine not living in this time where everything is so much more advanced.

I am thankful for music. I love music & I love that I can listen to it all day everyday. It brings me so much happiness. I am so glad that I have ears to hear it & a heart to feel it. I especially love jazz Christmas music, it's SOOOOO relaxing to me!

I am thankful for the health that I have. We haven't had insurance for several years & the Lord has truly blessed us & protected us. We know we are watched over in this regard & I am thankful for this blessing every single day. Especially on days when I'm not feeling well, I know it will pass & it always does.

I am thankful for the few good friends I have. I am not the best friend in the world. I am hard to get in touch with. I am not good at calling or emailing my peeps. I am not good at being available to go to a last minute lunch. And yet, I still have great friends that are there for me. They support me, up-lift me, encourage me, laugh with me & I'm sure they'd even cry with me if I let them!

I am most thankful above all for a loving Father in Heaven who is ever so patient with me. I know I must disappointed him a lot, & yet he always finds ways to send blessings my way. I am thankful for prayer & that He hears me when I speak to him. He doesn't always give me what I want when I want it, but He gives me what I need. He works miracles through those people who surround me in my life & He gives me the strength to have a positive outlook on life, even when others might not. I believe in his power & am so thankful for it in my life.