11/22:
Ben-Nicky, Skylar-home & ward, Nick-Grandma & Grandpa Jensen, Kade-Grandmas & Grandpas, Alexis-Sky
Cyndi-I'm thankful for my nice warm home with a beautiful view of snow covered Mt. Timp. I'm also thankful for where I live and the wonderful ward we live in!
I've mentioned it before and I'll say it a thousand times, I love where I live! Of course, I'd trade in a second for a house on/near/even slightly within 3 hours driving distance to the ocean, but if I have to live in Utah, I am happy to be right where I am. Our house isn't huge or super nice, (and how many issues have we had with it since we've lived here? Too many to count!) but it's a nice warm home that I'm happy with and we couldn't ask for a better location or view (besides the ocean, right?). Here's the amazingly beautiful view I get to see everyday(and this picture doesn't really give it any justice to how pretty it is in person):
Amazing, eh? Oh and our ward. We have some of the greatest people in our ward. I feel so blessed to be in this ward where there is a sense of unity and family. They have been such a great support to our family. We're not perfect and we have a heck of a lot of things we have had to face, but it's brought a unity to our ward that I'm not sure other wards have. Our kids say that we can never, ever move because they love it too much here. When we were faced with having a fifth child and not really having room for him in this house, we were faced with the possibility of having to move. We just really didn't want to do that because we love it here. We felt impressed that we should stay and make do, smooshed and cozy. The thought of leaving our ward is so overwhelming that I'm glad it's not time for us to go.I feel so blessed to have friends in this ward that I just love so much who are here for me. I'm especially thankful for my two dearest friends in this ward, Abby and Mindy, who I know Heavenly Father gave me to get me through this trial of losing my little Gabe. I've always had a special place in my heart for them, but since Gabriel died, that has grown ten-fold. They have been by my side helping me, inspiring me, listening to me, and encouraging me to get out of bed every day and do what I need to do to see my baby boy again, even when I'm hurting like crazy. I know that if they can do it, I can do it, or at least try. I couldn't ask for greater examples of how to face trials with grace and determination than these two awesome friends of mine. I will always love them and be forever grateful for them in my life. We have some great promises ahead ladies & I love you so, so much!!
11/23
Ben-Kadybug, Skylar-grandmas & grandpas, Nick-music, Kade-Daddybug & turkeys, Alexis-Nicky
Cyndi-I'm thankful for music!
I'm such a huge fan of music and concerts! Back when I was single and childless and had some money, I would go to them all of them time, and I still probably have more CDs than most people should. Yes, I know CDs...I'm old school. I actually still have some pretty cool, super old cassette tapes that I have a hard time parting ways with. Not that I'm not an MP3 fan now though. It was like the best gift ever, especially after resisting it for so long (thanks Benji!). I have to admit I have no clue how to download songs onto it. I'm totally lame when it comes to technology.
But even with an MP3 player, I still ultimately love the live concerts and wish I could go to more. This year was supposed to be the best summer for concerts in a long time as we were totally excited to see 4 of our favorites in concert. We only made it to 1 1/2 so that was kind of disappointing. First U2 canceled because of Bono's bum back . Bummer. We traded in my birthday tickets and I got my new phone for my birthday instead so I guess it worked out. They are coming next year on the day before my birthday, so I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get to go! The next was our 1/2 concert, Cake, which we really wanted to go to but didn't think we could swing it. We finally got a babysitter lined up and got to the concert...only to find it had been sold out. We were pretty bummed but then realized that people were sitting all over outside the venue and you could still hear the music since it was an outdoor concert and if you strained a lot you could kind of see. We had a nice relaxing seat while everyone inside was smooshed like sardines and it was free, so it worked out quite nicely and it was a really fun concert. Then (I blogged about it before) we went to Ben Folds with the Utah Symphony at Deer Valley for our anniversary. It was amazing!! Our last concert, which I was most excited and we had awesome seats for, was Jack Johnson, and it was the night after Gabriel was born. Ben tried to talk me into still going, but as much as I would've loved to have gone, I couldn't do it. Maybe I should have because I needed something good the day I had to say goodbye to my baby, but a concert wasn't the answer, as much as I love concerts. I'm hoping Jack Johnson comes again next year because he's my favorite.
I also want to add in hymns as something I am very thankful for. I can't sing worth a lick, but hymns sing to me. They inspire me and speak to my heart. I've struggled lately because I can't sing them because I get too emotional. If you happen to see my at church not singing, just know that the reason I'm not is because that's when I'm listening to the words and feeling overwhelmed at the spirit that comes when hymns are being sung. Music is just so very powerful and one of my favorite things.
11/24:
Ben-music, Skylar-favorite things, Nick-favorite things, Kade-pets, Alexis-crayons
Cyndi-I'm thankful for all of my favorite little things.
I am thankful for all the little things that bring little glimpses of happiness to my life. They are the things you tend to forget are really a blessing because they seem so simple. But really, it's a bunch of little things that are the best and make every day a little better. I think Furthermore says it well when he sings, "The best things in life are the subtleties in small degrees that we don't see, gracing our presence so perfectly. Just possibly you may agree." I agree.
Just a few things I love and am grateful for are: sunsets, hot showers, ice cold drinking water, the ocean, lighthouses (one of my favorites above, Pigeon Pt., where Ben & I stayed on our 10th anniversary), seashells, the mountains, camping, sticky rice with peanut sauce, pictures of my kids, gummy bears, potstickers, Mussuman curry, dolphins, chocolate covered raisins, crab, artichokes, whales, Rockband, Costa Vida's pork salad, old houses, Slurpees, Tropicana orange juice, raspberry and blueberry yogurt covered pretzels, chips & salsa, Cadbury mini eggs, Disneyland, Star Wars, DVRs & great shows that make me laugh like Scrubs, 30 Rock, The Office, The Simpsons, Friends, & Arrested Development; chocolate banana bread, grapefruit cocktails, and hugs & smooches....and many, many, many, many more....too many to count. I have so much to be thankful for!11/25:
Ben-Thanksgiving, Skylar-cousins, aunts, & uncles, Nick-Thanksgiving, Kade-cousins, Alexis-cousins
Cyndi-I'm thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who has given me so much to be thankful for.
Throughout this month, it's been so wonderful for our family to make a special effort to remember all we have had to be thankful for and I know that we wouldn' t have any of this, not one thing, without a loving Heavenly Father that has blessed us with it. I am constantly in awe of the love He shows me, even through my trials and heartaches. I am thankful for the many tender mercies He gives me daily, the trials He gives me to grow, and the joys He has given me to make me want to grow. Of all of the hymns that I love, my ultimate favorite one is How Great Thou Art. I am humbled by the words of that song and all that our Heavenly Father has given and continues to give us. I am thankful for everything, everything that I have been given from Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment