Thankful

Here is what I am thankful for this year - from A to Z. Some are superficial and some are not, but all make a difference in my life. Click on any links to learn more about a topic.

A - Aaron and Adoption. Aaron is the best husband ever and I love him so much. Obviously adoption has changed our lives in ways we could never have imagined and we are so incredibly grateful for the opportunities it has given us. FYI, November is National Adoption Month!
B - Birth mothers. For very obvious reasons, I am particularly thankful for Sydney's birth mother, who is an amazing girl that had the wisdom and foresight to see that her pregnancy was about more than just her and that she had a chance to change the lives of many people. We love her so much and can never repay her.
C - Coupons. Silly, I know, but when I buy things I would already be purchasing, and I save money on them, it makes me happy. Plus, that $5+ I save almost every time I shop really adds up!
D - Disposable diapers and wipes. Seriously.
E - Employment. I am so grateful that Aaron has a job and one that allows me to stay home.
F - Family & Friends. We have such wonderful family and friends and we are so grateful to all of you. If you're reading this, thank you for making an impact on our lives.
G - The Gospel. It has shaped who I am and how I live my life. Click on that link to learn more about our beliefs.
H - History. If you've known me for long, you know I'm a little obsessed with it (remember my "This Day in History" board and email?). I love it and I love that I always have an outlet and something to learn about. Hooray for the documentaries at the library. I love them.
I - Internet. Remember how I really only keep in touch with people this way? And how did people learn anything before the Internet? I also love my cell phone.
J - Jesus Christ. I know he is my Savior and I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of His plan for me.
K - Knees. As I lose the ability to bend at the waist more and more, I use these guys a lot. Thanks for helping me out.
L - Libraries! You all know I'm a book addict. But I'm also cheap, and one of my favorite places ever is the library. It's almost always the first place I find when I move to a new city besides our church and a grocery store. I love our library. They almost always have what I need or order it quickly, and they have fancy self-check out scanny things. That makes me happy. Also request online and pick up so I don't have to parade my screaming child through the whole building. Thank you.
M - Marriage. I'm so grateful to be married to Aaron and to have a commitment to and from him. One blessing we got from "waiting" to have Sydney (although it was involuntary), we got a lot of time to just be together and enjoy each other. Now he's my best friend.
N - Nap Time. I love when Sydney is awake and I get to play with her, but I also love her nap times when I can either get something done or take a little time for me. That way when she's awake I can focus on her and not go crazy! She's such a good napper (I hope I didn't just jinx myself) and I love that she asks to go "night night."
O - Opportunities. We have so many of these in life and we have had so many lately. They all make us learn and grow and become better people.
P - Prophets. I am grateful that our church has a prophet that can receive direction from God. I think we need it more in these times than almost any other.
Q - Qdoba. I really like this place. And their queso? Oooh yum. Totally my favorite part. I really just love nights I don't cook.
R - Reading. This is my outlet and I always have a book. I am grateful that my parents cultivated a strong love of reading when I was a child. It's something I'm determined to do with my own kids, which is probably why I own hundreds of children's books. No seriously.
S - Sydney. I could go on for ages about this kid, as you all know since you've obviously read my blog. Suffice it to say, I love her and am so grateful I have the privilege of being her mommy.
T - Temples. I am very grateful that we can be a family even after we die because of the special work done here.
U - United States of America. I am very grateful to live in the country I do and I am grateful for all those that have fought and are fighting to keep it free. I think whether we support the wars or not, we should always support them, because they are there for us.
V - Veggie Tales. I might actually be in an asylum if it weren't for these little green guys. Sydney practically goes into a trance whenever I turn it on for her. I try to save it for when I'm really going nuts or she's having a particularly rough day. Here is a (2 month old) video of her watching it. She is completely entertained whenever I turn it on. It's gets us through the rough days. :)
W - Work Ethic. We've recently encountered a number of people with extremely low work ethics (Wendy's tonight was a joke!). I am grateful for the fact that both of our parents taught us how to work and that it is something we are all required to do in life. It makes your life easier when you don't think you're being picked on just because you have to contribute.
X - eXamples. (I know, I'm cheating, but honestly, I'm not that grateful for xylophones.) There are a lot of people I look up to and I am grateful that they live their lives the way they do so that I can learn from them.
Y - You! I'm so glad you all want (is that the right word?) to read all this nonsense about my life! Seriously though, I'm grateful to have you as friends and to be able to keep in touch.
Z - Zoo. You all know we're here a lot, and I love it. I love all the little outings we do! Now we just need to work a few more in to our schedules...