30 Days of Thankful

It’s no secret that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I have incredibly fond memories of Thanksgivings past: the house bustling with activity; friends and family gathering together; the delicious aromas of turkey, ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, pies, cranberries, deviled eggs and more making everyone’s mouths water; football games on television - specifically the UT versus A&M game as we have alumni from both each year; rowdy games of Monopoly (in French!) and Chickenfoot; the first time I tried Butterscotch Schnapps in my hot chocolate; Roger hiding under the buffet table, terrified of the sheer number of people in the kitchen; the first time we got to host Thanksgiving here at our house and I forgot to bake the stuffing (I freaked out but in the end everything was perfect); the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade…

As Facebook became more and more popular, it was only natural for chain letter-type games to make their way onto people’s walls. Most of them I find silly and tend to ignore, but there’s one that shows up every November that I love, despite having never participated in it myself. The basic premise is that, for every day in November, you should post as your status something for which you are thankful. I think this is a wonderful way to remind people that the holiday season is not just about shopping, eating, and decorations. It’s also about giving thanks for the wonderful things in your life, spending time with loved ones, and, as Christmas approaches, celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have so much in my life for which I am thankful, so much in fact that I have no doubt my list extends far beyond thirty (the number of days in November). However, in celebration of this week, Thanksgiving 2011, here’s my 30 Days of Thankful:

  1. I am thankful for a God who loves me and who understands me. I would be nothing without Him, and this world would not exist. I feel His presence with every breath I take, and I pray each day that I may live up to His expectations for me.

  2. I am thankful for my amazing family – I have a husband, perfectly hand-picked by God, whom I love more and more each day and cannot imagine my life without, and we have two amazing sets of parents whom we both love and who have served as incredible examples of how to live faithfully, responsibly, respectably, and honestly. I have two brothers whom I love and adore and of whom I could not be prouder. I love my aunts, uncles, and cousins just as much, and consider myself blessed to have such a wonderful extended family.

  3. I am thankful for my health. I have several friends who suffer from chronic illness and/or pain, and, though I know I cannot fully understand what they go through each and every day, I hate seeing them suffer.

  4. I am thankful for being educated and debt-free. Our parents worked hard to ensure that Scott and I (and our brothers) graduated from college without any debt, enabling us to enter our adult lives with a financial freedom many people our ages do not have. I don’t believe that we will ever be able to adequately thank them for this. I only pray that one day I can provide the same gift to my own children. On a similar note, I’m thankful to have a roof over my head in a safe neighborhood, food on my table, and a life that I consider extremely comfortable. I often struggle with the thought that I don’t deserve all of this, and I pray that I never take any of it for granted.

  5. I am thankful for the men and women, many of whom I know and love, who have put their lives on the line so that I might even have the ability to sit here and compose this list. I’m thankful that I do not live in a constant state of fear, wondering how close the next bomb will be to me or wondering if I’ll survive my next trip to the grocery store.

  6. I am thankful for my friends, both near and far, with whom I have shared so many laughs, tears, hugs, and fond memories.

  7. I am thankful for books and the ability to read. It has been said that if there is any place you would like to go, real or imaginary, simply open a book and it will take you there. I find this to be so true, and consequently, one of my most favorite past-times is reading.

  8. I am thankful for rain. I’ve always loved rain, but this year’s drought has reinforced just how much I love it. I literally stopped what I was doing last week just so I could sit on the patio and watch/listen to it rain for a bit. I’d forgotten just how lovely it smells when it rains…

  9. I am thankful that for now, at least, my immediate family members all live in the same state. I hate knowing that it might not always be this way, and I think that makes me treasure even more the fact that I can meet my brothers for dinner any night (though meeting Robby does require a bit of planning, haha) and that our parents are only half a day’s drive away at the most.

  10. I am thankful for air travel. (Really, I’m thankful for any kind of travel.) Despite having to be drugged in order to get onto an airplane, I love the fact that it has opened the doors for people to see places they otherwise would not be able to see. It also makes it so much easier for people to visit family and friends who do not live nearby. I, for one, intend to see as much of the world as I can see before I move on up to Heaven, and I could never do that if not for the Wright Brothers, so… thanks, guys!

  11. I am thankful for my sense of humor. It seems more and more people take life so seriously that they all but forget how to laugh. I pray that I never lose my ability to laugh at myself or anyone/anything else. (I do not mean that in a cruel way, mind you.) And even on days that I don’t feel like laughing, I’m thankful for Roger and Turbo who, without fail, make me laugh several times a day with their antics. I love those boys!

  12. I am thankful for photography and the ability to capture a moment and keep it with you forever. I’m also thankful for my family’s indulgence in my love for photography; I have an awesome camera that I absolutely love and people who are willing to take the time to look through my pictures/scrapbooks and ooh! and ahhh! over them, even if they’ve seen them a million times.

  13. I am thankful that I, in my third year of college, finally decided to take an interest in cooking. It is now one of my favorite things to do. I’m also thankful that Scotty enjoys cooking with me. We have so much fun in the kitchen together, experimenting with this and that, telling each other about our days, and just generally spending time together.

  14. I am thankful for colors. There is nothing more spectacular than a rainbow or the leaves changing or a flower garden or a butterfly. The brilliant, vibrant colors that radiate from every single thing on this earth make for a wonderful backdrop to this life I live.

  15. I am thankful for Granny D Eggs, ginger ale, a warm blanket and snuggly pups when I’m not feeling well. That combination always makes me feel better no matter what is wrong!

  16. I am thankful for technology, despite my never-ending battle with most things that require batteries/electricity. Every day I use my computer, my smartphone, and my NOOK. I hate to admit it, but I can’t really remember life without those items. HA! I love that I can take my whole library with me wherever I go. It’s been a struggle because I love holding a real book in my hands, but the NOOK really has made life a lot easier. And, of course, I’ve had a cellular phone since my freshman year in college; it’s now habit for me to have it with me (though that doesn’t mean it’s not usually on silent and buried at the bottom of my purse – sorry!), and I use it for so much more than simply talking on the phone. It’s amazing what they’ve done with the cell phone!

  17. I am thankful for flowers. No matter what, seeing a flower always manages to bring a smile to my face.

  18. I am thankful that I live in a country where if I do not like the president, a decision that was made in Congress, or the fact that someone has been arrested, I can voice my opinion freely and openly.

  19. I am thankful that my husband supported my decision to quit a job in which I was miserable and that he has subsequently supported me as I’ve struggled with the guilt and other emotions I’ve experience these last few years over the decision we made for me to stay home and the looming question of, “What do I want to do with my life?”

  20. I am thankful for the different seasons – winter, spring, summer, and fall. I love each one for different reasons, and I thank God for being proactive in dealing with my ADD. (We all know how bored I’d get if I had to wear the same clothes/shoes all of the time!)

  21. I am thankful that I love to learn and that I’ve had the opportunity to expand my knowledge with an education. So many people do not get to go to school, much less college, and I know how blessed I am to have been able to do that.

  22. I’m thankful for the amazing dogs I’ve had as pets: Maggie, Turbo, and Roger. There is nothing in this world that compares to the unconditional love offered by a dog and its willingness to snuggle at any time of the day for any amount of time necessary.

  23. I’m thankful for the kindness of strangers, even when it’s just a smile or a wave. It somehow always brightens my day, and I hope that I return that kindness to others often.

  24. I am thankful for digital scrapbooking. I’ve always loved scrapbooking, but it’s a very expensive hobby when you consider the development of each picture (and needing doubles in case you mess one up), the paper, the embellishments, the adhesives, etc. Digital scrapbooking has made it affordable for me to create a whole book dedicated to a single trip in both a cost-effective and timely manner. Plus, the finished products look so professional. They are something I’m proud both to display and give as gifts.

  25. I am thankful to have doctors and a dentist here in Austin that I trust completely with my life (and teeth). I realize now how spoiled I was to grow up in a town in which my grandfather was a doctor and my mom was a nurse. Finding good, honest, reliable, and friendly healthcare providers who take your insurance isn’t really as easy as my family made it seem when I was a child.

  26. I know this is silly, but I’m thankful for J. K. Rowling. Without her, there would be no Harry Potter.

  27. I am thankful for second chances. Heaven knows I screw up on a regular basis, and I’m thankful for forgiveness and the opportunity to give it my best shot again. On that note, I’m also thankful for my mistakes as they are some of the best teachers I’ve ever had.

  28. I am thankful for cozy sweaters and hot chocolate on cold winter days.

  29. I am thankful for the emergency response people (fire, police, etc.) who put their lives on the line every day to protect everyone else. I was especially reminded of this a few months ago when we had a number of wildfires in our area. The number of homes lost is heartbreaking, but thanks to the tireless efforts of both police and fire departments from all over the state (and some from other states as well!), so many more homes were saved.

  30. I am thankful for the times when I am reminded to slow down and enjoy the now in my life instead of rushing ahead, anticipating what’s to come. I hate thinking that I might have missed something beautiful, something extraordinary, because I was too focused on the future.

And, of course, I am thankful for those of you who read my blog and encourage me to continue writing. Happy Thanksgiving – what’s on your Thankful List?