Thirty Days of Thanks: Days 29 and 30

Yes, I know it is December 3rd. I have come to terms with my shortcomings in being diligent enough to post in a timely manner. I offer my apologies, acknowledge that I can do better, and promise to try harder. That being said, last week was a really difficult week for me and I was feeling kind of down for most of the week, but I am now back to my regular happy self and will finish up my last two days of “thankfuls.”

Day 29. I am grateful for laughter.

I love to laugh. One of my favorite feelings in the world is laughing so hard that I can barely control myself. There is just something so contagious about laughter…most of the time once I start laughing really hard, I can’t stop, which usually ends up making my husband crack up too and then both of us are just laughing like fools for absolutely no reason at all. Have any of you ever laughed until you cried? It is a really fantastic feeling to be so overwhelmed by happiness.

Day 30. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity over the past month to reflect on the things that I am grateful for and that I have been able to share them with all of you.

I really appreciate that I have had the chance each and every day to think about everything I am thankful for. I think it is really important to give thanks for the things that matter to us in life. I know that for me, doing this challenge has helped me to keep a positive attitude every day (even on the days when I didn’t post!). Rather than dwelling on the negative things that happened during my day or week, I challenged myself to think of the blessings in my life, and that has really made a big difference in how I go about my day. Bonus: With all of this positive, happy energy I feel like I am really ready for the Christmas season now!

Thank you also to all of you who have started reading, liking, or following my blog. I am super new to this and I know I have a ton to learn about the blogging world, but I appreciate each and every one of you and your support as I learn by trial and error. I have some really fun ideas for Christmas that I’ll be posting soon, so keep checking back!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Days 25, 26, 27, 28

My week has felt like this: “Ahhhh!”

Anyway, this post will be short and sweet.

Day 25. I am thankful for really nice weather days.

Day 26. I am thankful for people who are kind to others.

Day 27. I’m grateful for opportunities to volunteer and serve others.

Tuesday I had the chance to volunteer with Onesight and the local Lion’s Club to help with a vision screening at one of the elementary schools in our area. This was my second opportunity to volunteer in this capacity, and it was another great experience. Some of these kids really need glasses, and the vision screenings we provide can really make a difference in their lives. I can’t wait to volunteer again.

Day 28. I am thankful for the young women in our church, and the blessing it is to be a youth leader.

I absolutely love our girls. Tonight we had the opportunity to celebrate everything they achieved this year and hire much they have grown spiritually. It was so uplifting to see so many of our young women smiling and laughing together, and celebrating each other’s accomplishments. I love all of the other leaders too! You ladies are such a blessing in my life.

There you have it…short, sweet, and to the point. I’m exhausted and I have a 12-hour day ahead of me tomorrow, otherwise I would elaborate more and likely stay up to write about my super adorable Christmas penguin nails. I’ll have to save that for later this week though. It is definitely bedtime now!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Days 22, 23, 24

I have got to start posting in the mornings, because by the time I get home from work in the evenings and get everything else done that I need to do, I am positively exhausted. I’ll work on it.

I hope Thanksgiving was wonderful for each and every one of you! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with a big group of close friends while enjoying a potluck on the beach. It was a great time, and an absolutely fabulous way to spend the holiday.

Holiday recipes will be coming up on the blog this week, so keep an eye out for those!

Day 22. I am thankful for holidays.

I love holidays. For me, they have always been the perfect opportunity for family and friends to get together and spend time with one another. I think it is so important that we have holidays to remind us that we need to be making an effort year round to spend time with those we love. I know time or distance or finances don’t always make that an easy task, but sometimes the holidays make it a little easier, and for that I’m grateful.

Day 23. I am grateful that I don’t have to work crazy holiday hours at my job.

Even though technically my job is retail, because we are a medical company we don’t have to comply with the crazy extended mall hours. I’m so so so grateful that I didn’t have to work any black Friday hours either. I’m not even going to start about my feelings about black Friday… I’m just grateful my hours are as they are normally.

Day 24. I am grateful for the 5 senses.

I feel like it is such a great gift to be able to have these wonderful bodies in which we can experience so many amazing things in life, and as I enjoy the scents of the holidays, I am reminded what a blessing it is to be able to see, to hear, to touch, to taste, and to smell. I feel really fortunate that I am able to utilize all of my senses and experience everything I do. I encourage all of you to pause for a moment today and appreciate this gift.

Okay, its bedtime. Finally!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Days 19, 20, 21

My test is finally over! I feel like I can finally relax with a big sigh of relief. I think I did pretty well, although I won’t know if I passed or failed for 8 to 10 weeks (which is kind of ridiculous because it was a multiple choice, computerized test… but oh well). It is out of my hands now though, so what happens, happens.

Day 19. I am grateful for my sister.

I miss my sister so incredibly much. Mostly, the distance absolutely stinks, but sometimes it actually works out in our favor. For example, when she is studying on campus until 2 or 3 am she can call me on her way back to her dorm and we get to chat a while, because it is usually only about 8 pm for me. It has been nice for us to have the time to talk, and I love it when she calls. I wish she could come visit, or vice versa, and I really can’t wait to see her again. I hope she knows how much I love her.

Day 20. I am thankful for how much my husband believes in me.

I know I have already had a ” thankful-for” about my husband, but I couldn’t help but have another one. All day long while I was stressing out about my exam, he was encouraging me, making me lunch, talking me down off of my crazy ledge, and telling me how proud he was of me. I kept telling him that I didn’t know if I was going to pass, and he kept telling me that he knew I was going to do wonderfully, without a doubt. I probably still looked stressed on the outside, but it really did make me feel so much better. Thank you, sweetheart.

Day 21. I am grateful for the opportunities we have to relax.

Refueling is so important. Sometimes we need to just take a step back from everything to let it all go and feel rejuvenated. I am so looking forward to Thanksgiving tomorrow to enjoy myself in the kitchen a bit, and then relax having a delicious potluck dinner on the beach with our friends. The only way it could be any better is if my family were here too… but hopefully we can at least Skype.

I hope you all have a wonderful turkey day tomorrow! Spend time with family and friends and eat delicious food. This weekend I’ll be posting some recipes of pies and side dishes I’m making tomorrow. I know they will be to late for your Thanksgiving dinners, but they are delicious no matter what time of year. I know you all will love them!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Days 16, 17, 18

My exam happens on Tuesday afternoon and I feel like I am so close to being able to see over the mountain. Between studying and working, I have had zero time to do anything fun or even cook a full meal, which is why I have been pretty much absent for the past week. If you would all like to send prayers, good thoughts, happy vibes, or whatever you please my way…I would sure appreciate it!

Okay, let’s get to the thanks…

16. I am grateful for answered and unanswered prayers.

Personally, I believe that God hears all of my prayers, and I know that He answers them in His own due time,and in His own ways. Since this topic is pretty personal, I don’t want to elaborate on it much, but I just wanted to openly express my thankfulness for both times when the answers to my prayers are immediate and when they are delayed, when the answer is yes, when the answer is no, and everything in between. I just really feel like my life is all the better because of each and every answer I receive.

17. I am grateful for a good pillow.

This is one of the most difficult things for me and my husband to find. I don’t know if we are just really picky pillow people, but it takes us forever to find something that really works for us as individuals. When we finally do find something that we like, it seems to never really last for more than a few months…but I love that feeling of putting my head down at night and feeling cozy and supported so I can just drift off peacefully. Also if any of you have any tips or tricks for finding a great pillow or making pillows last longer, I definitely want to hear about it. Please leave your comments!

18. I am grateful for food.

Of course I am grateful for having food at all, but what I’m specifically grateful for is what we can create with food. I l love playing around with recipes, learning new techniques, figuring out what works and what is a complete flop. This is something that I realized I loved a bit late. I feel like I missed the best opportunity I had to learn how to cook and bake by spending more time working with my family in the kitchen. I hope it’s something that I can still practice to get better at and that I can learn from my family in different ways while we are separated by the Pacific.

I hope everyone had a great Sunday and has a great start to the week!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Days 13, 14, and 15

Well folks, it’s T-minus 5 days and counting until I take the ABO, and I have pretty much been studying nonstop. Sorry that I put the blog on the back burner this week. Just a quick update tonight to get me all caught up, and then hopefully I’ll have some time this weekend to write about some fun DIY ideas or delicious recipes!

13. I’m grateful for seasons.

Living in a place where seasons don’t really exist, sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what time of year it is. Luckily, my mom always will text me things like “happy autumnal equinox!” so I at least feel like I’m somewhat up to speed. Recently, she texted me as picture of the autumn leaves on the lake, and I suddenly realized how much I miss the seasons changing. So though I don’t get to experience them now, I am thankful for seasons, and can’t wait to get to experience them again, whenever that may be.

14. I’m grateful for getting a good nights rest.

This is pretty self explanatory… I don’t really see a need to elaborate on this.

15. I am so thankful for coming home tonight to a clean, organized home.

When I came home from work tonight after a 12 hour workday, I opened the door and instantly realized that the dishes were all clean and put away, the counter had been cleaned off and organized, the clothes were put away, the floors had been vacuumed and mopped, and the bathroom had been cleaned. To top it all off my husband had dinner already cooking on the stove. It was a complete surprise, and even though he had spent at least 8 hours on campus today, my wonderful husband took care of everything at home too. I am so grateful for having that extra bit of stress lifted from my shoulders.

Okay…all caught up! I’ll really try to do better for the rest of the week, and then after this crazy test is over I should be able to go back to normal posting. Or, rather, I should be able to establish normal posting, since this blog is really too new to say I can “go back” to something.

Have a good night, world, and a good morning too since that is when you will probably be reading this!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Day 12

I am so super exhausted tonight, so this is going to be a short post…

12. I am grateful for people who do the right thing, solely because it’s the right thing to do.

I wish I had an awesome, inspiring story to go along with this post, but I don’t. I was thinking about what it means to have integrity and why that is such an important value in our lives, and this thought popped into my head. Most people who do the right thing don’t necessarily look for praise or gratitude for their actions…they are just trying to be good, honest people. Today though, I would like to say thank you to each and every one of you who deal honestly with those around you, who lift a helping hand just because you care, and who treat others with respect and compassion. You make a difference in so many lives. You don’t go unnoticed. You are appreciated. Thank you.

Do any of you have a story you would be willing to share about how someone acting with integrity has impacted you? I would love to hear about it, and I’m sure most people could use a little inspiration.

This week I am studying for a huge national certification exam for work, so though I am hoping to post some delicious recipes and a few DIYs, it may or may not happen. Fingers crossed that I can retain enough information to do well!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Day 11

11A. I am thankful for good company.

I have been really blessed in my life. No matter where I go, I always end up finding really wonderful people that I am honored to call my friends. It’s difficult for me to put into words how much I love and care about these people. It was so hard leaving home to come to Hawaii because leaving our good friends was something I was kind of devastated over. Luckily, we find amazing people wherever we go, and this has been especially true here in Hawaii. The people I have met here have become like one big family to me. I can honestly say that though being away from my immediate family is difficult, my friends here make it a heck of a lot easier. I am really grateful to each and every one of you who have taken the time to be a part of our lives.

11B. I am grateful to each and every person who has sacrificed in order to serve our country and protect our freedom.

I don’t know if I can adequately express my gratitude in a simple blog post, and I am intimidated to try. I thank all of you, no matter when, or where, or how you have served our country. Your sacrifice is so deeply appreciated, and you are truly heroes. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Also, thank you to each and every family who has given our country the gift of your father, mother, sister, brother, daughter, son, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend…whoever it may be. Your sacrifice is a blessing.

 

Like this post or others on my blog? Tell your friends! My goal is to break 100 views by Thanksgiving. A small, humble, and possible goal. Help me out!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Days 7, 8, 9, and 10

Super long post alert!

Okay, okay, so I know what you all must be thinking…but no, I didn’t get lazy or distracted from blogging, and I didn’t just give up after specifically saying that I was trying to be more consistent in blogging every day. Wednesday morning on my way to work I was in a car accident, which kind of threw my whole week for a loop. I wasn’t badly injured, and my car is okay, but the doctor gave me a prescription for some muscle relaxers for my whiplash, and man oh man…they knock me out. So for the past few days I have been neither conscious nor coherent when I have been home and able to blog. My apologies! Today is a new day though, so let’s play a little “catch-up” and I’ll throw in today’s “thankful-for” as well.

7. I am grateful for having been kept safe, both in this week’s accident and throughout my life.

Not too much to elaborate on here. I am just so grateful that I have always been watched over, both by people who love me here on earth and by God and His angels in heaven. I am sincerely thankful that nothing horrible has ever happened to me, especially when looking back on my life I realize that I have on occasion put myself into really scary situations. I feel lucky, too, to have not been injured more than just whiplash this week, and I am so glad that my car is only a little banged up, but still completely able to be driven.

8. I am grateful to have a job to go to every week.

Especially now, when many people can’t find work, I am grateful for my job. Sometimes I lose sight of that, particularly on the 12 hour days, or when dealing with “work drama,” or when customers or patients are really rude to me. Lately, however, I have been trying to remind myself that at least I have the opportunity to work and provide for myself and my husband while he is in school. Here in Hawaii, life is incredibly expensive. I can’t tell you how much I took for granted living on the mainland where a box of cereal doesn’t usually retail for $8 bucks a pop, and where you can get a gallon of milk for less than $6. Yes, of course there are sales, but beyond groceries the price of rent and the cost of living in general is kind of outrageous. Paradise comes at a price! I just feel lucky that I am able to go to work each week, work hard, and earn a living. On top of that, I am grateful that it only took a very short amount of time for me to find this job when we first moved to the island.

9. I am thankful for the opportunity to have gone to college, and for the opportunity for my husband to be going now.

Not everyone has the opportunity or ability to be able to receive an education. In our lives, we have been blessed that both my husband and I have been able to be in school. It hasn’t been easy, and we have both had to make sacrifices so that the other could pursue their education, but we both know how important it will be to our family in the future. My husband worked full time for me so I could finish my last year of school after we were married, putting his own education on hold. Now, I am happy to have the opportunity to do the same for him. I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity we have in the United States to be able to go to school, and find ways to afford an education as well.

10. I am grateful for my parents. 

My parents are some of the best people I know.

No one works harder than my dad does. It doesn’t matter if it is his job, or a project around the house, or a church function, or work on the car…no matter what it is, my dad does the job, and does it right. He has the most amazing work ethic, and though through most of my life I’m pretty sure he thought I was lazy (sometimes a very well deserved title, I admit) I have learned my work ethic from him. I don’t think I have ever seen my father give up on something. He has an incredibly powerful determination to follow through on things he starts, and to succeed in what he does. I admire that about him so much. It is because of his hard work that I was able to have everything I had growing up. My family owned a restaurant through 10 years of my childhood and adolescence, and the things I learned while inside of those walls–both about food and life–will be with me forever. I think sometimes my parents regret that we never really got the chance to take summer vacations as a family, but I don’t regret it at all. Growing up in that restaurant is better than any trip to Disneyworld we could have taken.

My mom is one of my best friends. No doubt I have put her through hell and back, but she survived my teenage years and now, we can talk about anything. Granted, I have always felt that I could talk about anything with my mom, but at this point in my life I realize that she really does know so much about the things that I am going through and experiencing. She is an amazing woman and I am grateful for her unconditional love. I am grateful too for the example she set for me as a wife and mother. I don’t have any children of my own yet, but in my marriage I have reflected upon the example of my mother in her relationship with my dad. She was, and is, always so loving, so supportive, so willing to sacrifice; these qualities have been ingrained in me as well. God really knew what he was doing when he blessed my life by giving me my parents.

There we go! Now I’m all caught up with my daily “thankful-for’s” and I can blog about other more crafty and delicious things that have been happening around my house. If my day is productive as planned, I’ll have at least two more posts going up today, and probably a third tomorrow. Hopefully there will be no more accidents this week and I can go on blogging as I had anticipated. Keep checking back to see what fun and delicious things are happening!

Thirty Days of Thanks: Day 6

Today was a long, long, long day at work. Twelve hour work days are always tedious, and by the time I get home all I want to do is eat something, relax, and go to bed. Since I am challenging myself to be more consistent with blogging, however, here I am. Day 6 of 30:

6. I am thankful for the democratic process in the United States of America and my right to vote.

Regardless of who wins or loses an election, I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to make my voice heard. I am grateful to live in a country in which I can freely express my opinions without being subject to penalty or death, and I appreciate the chance I have to influence who leads the USA.

That being said, I want to echo my husband in saying that I support the United States of America. America as a whole has chosen to re-elect Obama, and as he is still our president I support him and pray that he will be able to guide our country to the best of his abilities. Regardless of which candidate won tonight, my hope is that we can learn to look beyond party lines and work together to improve our country and our lives. I also hope that as individuals we recognize that our civic duty did not begin and end with tonight’s election. We have the opportunity each and every day to go out into our communities and improve society, so whether your candidate won or lost tonight, remember that we always have the ability to make a difference.

Maybe that all sounded very idealistic, but I do wish that is how we could all work together.

On that note, I’m exhausted. Goodnight!