Thanksgiving

It's almost 8 am, and I'm sitting in our living room.  The house is silent except for the sizzling sounds coming from the turkey in the roasting pan.  The delicious smell already has my mouth watering for the incredible meal we'll be enjoying later today (well, at least I hope we'll be enjoying it...you never know what could go wrong when I'm in charge of the cooking...). ;)

Gratitude is what today is all about.  I am grateful for family.  We were blessed to have Tom & Kimberly come visit us for the last half of this week, which makes Ryan, Nicole, and I incredibly happy!  We have been able to spend more time with family this year than we have any of the previous three years (since we moved to Oregon).  Family makes everything better. :)  And good friends, I believe, are included in the definition of family.

I am grateful for food.  We can go to a store and buy pretty much whatever we'd like to eat.  We can grow, make, and prepare our own food.  There is plenty to go around, if people are willing to open their hearts and share with those in need.

I am grateful for school.  Ryan's school, my school, and Nicole's school.  I'm just about to graduate with my bachelor's degree.  Ryan is about to get his, as well.  And we just had the first parent-teacher conference of Nicole's first grade year -- she's doing amazing!

Of course there are many more things that I am grateful for.  I will not attempt to make an all-inclusive list, but I hope that everyone takes a few moments today to reflect on the blessings given by a loving Heavenly Father.

:)  :)  :)  :)  :)