Giving Thanks

I(we) have so much to be thankful for. I'd like to think I count my blessings all the year through but if I'm completely honest then that's not true. While I am always thankful for the many blessings I have I also always seem to want a little bit more. So this month we really tried to have conversations with the kids each day about all the things in their(our) lives we have to be thankful for. There are of course the most obvious of things that kids think of...our home, family, food, friends but we wanted them to dig deeper and really think about ALL that we are blessed with. We had some great conversations over dinner, in the car and in the grocery store and it really made me take inventory also. So here's a little list of things I'm thanking God for this year.
* I am so thankful for the beautiful, healthy family I am surrounded with. My parents, my in-laws, my siblings, my sibling-in-laws, my nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles and cousins. I'm so thankful we live in close proximity and even though we may not see each other as often as we like I cherish the times we're together.
* I am thankful for my four wonderful monkeys. What a blessing they are in my life. Of course there are difficult days but even in the midst of frustration and chaos I can't imagine a life without them. They are incredible little people and I'm so thrilled for the opportunity to help raise them with Rocky and of course God...whew...another thanks! Can't imagine raising them without the comfort of knowing He's in charge!
* I am thankful for my amazing husband and I don't tell him nearly enough how honored I am to be his wife. He has an overabundance of patience for my imperfections (as there are many)and he never misses an opportunity to speak or show his love to me. He works incredibly hard to provide for our family and allow me to stay home with our kids. And even with all the extra hours he puts in he never misses out on time with the kids. He is a devoted husband and father and I am so thankful God picked him just for me.
* I am thankful for my health and the fact that tomorrow morning I can get up and run. I never want to take for granted the ability to do the most basic of things.
* I am thankful for the fall and the Christmas season upon us. To me it's the most beautiful time of the year and I can honestly say there is not a day in Autumn that I don't marvel at God's handiwork. I will have to work on being thankful for that during the rainy spring!
*And I am thankful that we live in a country where we are free to worship our Savior and my daughter could make her thanksgiving book and openly write about her love for God.
Wishing you all a Happy day of Giving Thanks!