Blessing number 29

Extra time

So, funny story...

My alarm clock went off today at 7:00

and I woke up.

An HOUR earlier than I usually do.

Then I got ready to go to class.

Then I went to my 9:00 class...

at 8:00.

Seriously, who does that?

Normal people wake up late and run to class

and barely get there on time.

I did that once, but no, not today.

I got to class an hour early...

So anyway, I'm grateful for the extra time that blessed me with.

I was able to catch up on a little bit more homework

and sit back and relax a little.

So even though I was a little

teensy weensy bit ticked off

that I woke up earlier than needed,

I am grateful that I did.

Blessing number 28

Hugs :) (side note: I totally had this post all written up yesterday, but I forgot to push the post button)

Has anyone ever noticed how good a hug can make you feel?

Boy oh boy do I love hugs...

as long as it's from someone you know and not some random creeper.

The best kinds of hugs are the ones you get

when you've just seen someone that you haven't seen 

in a very long time. Like this one:

We were all so happy to have him back!

I also love the hugs that seem to never ever end
and when neither one of you wants it to.

And the ones when you can just tell that
they love you even though they don't say a word.
(Most of these have come from my brothers, so don't get any ideas! I'm still single!)   

Blessing number 27

Home.


"Home is not where you live, but where they understand you." ~Christian Morganstein

I have lived in a lot of places in my life and in a sense I really don't know what town I call home

because I've called all of those places home at one point.

What I do know is that wherever my family is,

That is home.

I surely love this place. It is home.

I know that no matter how bad life gets, I will always have a home to go to.

Even though I don't have my immediate family with me in Pocatello

I have a makeshift family of friends that helps me to call it home.

It may be a strange family, but it's a family nonetheless.

I'm grateful for home.

Even though my family doesn't live here, it too is home.

Blessing number 26

Trials


I have a strong belief in the quote, "If He brings you to it, He'll bring you through it."

I've had a lot of not so fun times in my life,

but I haven't been beat yet!

I love the feeling you get when you come to the end of some trial

and you realize that you had the Big Man Upstairs

was right there the whole time.

I also love this quote by Mother Theresa.

"I know God won't give me anything I can't handle.

I just wish he didn't trust me so much."

I have come to know that I can make it through anything

and I am BEYOND grateful for that.

This is my favorite painting by Simon Dewey.

It is titled Abide With Me.

I found the lyrics to this hymn fitting.

I think of these words when I'm having a hard time.

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide

The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide

When other helpers fail and comforts flee

Help of the helpless oh, abide with me

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;

Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see;

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour.

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

Blessing number 25

I would definitely have to say that I am grateful for 

FOOD!

It's crazy how much food just happens

to turn up on the Thanksgiving table.

It makes me so grateful for the opportunity

we have to have it

because I know a lot of other people don't.

I love most everything about 

the Thanksgiving meal, 

but my absolute favorite today was 

the new stuffing that Lindsay made.

It was a cornbread stuffing that had 

peppers and other forms of deliciousness in it.

It looked something like this

and tasted even better!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Blessing number 24

Spending Time with my Family

I post about my family...A LOT.

I must love them or something.

While Logan and Rachelle have been here

we've been playing a lot of games.

I'm sure most of the things we find funny

are really only funny to us,

but I'll share them anyway 

and hope it gets a couple chuckles out of you :)

We thought this round of Apples to Apples

was especially memorable.

Baking Cookies was a "Casper Card"

which is a random card you put into the pot

right off of the deck to give you more options.

Truck Stops was the winner of this one.

We laughed forever!

Even the "Casper card" worked for this round!

AIDS was the winner.

Brendan joined us today.

We made a trip to Alco because we were bored

and ended up coming home with

Pass the Pigs.

(A game where you roll two pigs and get points based on the positions they land in)

There is one position where the pig lands

and is propped up on its snout, ear, and a leg.

This particular position is called

A Leaning Jowler

and it's very rare.

You can't see the pig, but it's in perfect

Leaning Jowler position.

Bren leaned down and I said, 

"Is that a leaning jowler I spy?"

We all burst out laughing...

but we're a smidge weird, so you might not.

I'm grateful for these fun times

we've had and I know we'll have 

TONS more!

Blessing number 23

Random Acts of Kindness

I am so grateful for legitimately good people in this world.

Logan and I went to play basketball at the church

with some friends and when we turned into the parking lot

we found ourselves stuck.

I got out to try to push us, but....

Yeah, I definitely wasn't enough.

Then my good friend Mystie

saw us while she was shoveling the sidewalk

and ran over with her shovel to help.

Then Nathan just happened to be driving by

and pulled over to help.

He helped push for a minute, 

then he offered to go get a tow strap to pull 

Logan out of the snow.

We ended up getting Logan out

before Nathan could get back,

but it just made me think about 

how grateful I am for people who don't

always think of themselves.

These are legitimately good people that live here in Soda Springs.

Just so everyone knows, no matter what everyone says about you,

I still think you're rockin' awesome! ;)

Another awesome example of this 

would definitely be the Stoor family.

Last year I spent a weekend with them

in Rexburg and while we were out sledding one day

we must've pushed 6 cars out of the snow.

Photo courtesy of Google.

I can't even remember the number of times 

I heard them say, "Random act of Kindness!" 

and drop whatever they were doing

to go help out those in need.

I sure look up to them!

Thank you to every one of you

for being awesome examples!

I love you all!