Giving Thanks

It's Thanksgiving today...my favorite holiday of the year. And although I've enjoyed thoroughly the season leading up to this day, I still feel like I was so busy the past couple of weeks that I missed a couple of traditions. The main one being our thankful turkey where we list on the turkey's feathers all the things we are blessed with and grateful for.
Lilian at least, is thinking thankful thoughts this season. She brought this paper home from school earlier this week. For those who are not used to reading phonetically, let me translate:

I am Thankful for....
Frend: friend
FaMuLE: family
Haos: house
BRThDa: birthday
JEsEs: Jesus

I too am thankful for Frends, FaMuLE, my Haos and JEsEs. BRThDa....well, seeing as my next one is a biggie, I'm a little less excited about that. However each birthday marks another year of adventures, experiences, lessons learned and life lived and that is definitely something to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for Bryan...my husband, my sweetheart, my life partner, my friend.
I'm thankful for each one of my beautiful children and that I have such good relationships with each of them...
     Rebekah, my mini-me
     Julianne, my fiery drama queen
     Brandon, my energetic monkey
     Lilian, my creative and exuberant little caboose
I'm thankful for music and the essential and integral part it plays in my life.
And for the friends and rich associations I've made through all the musical experiences I've had.
I'm thankful for my family...parents who have raised me and loved me and taught me and who are the best examples of the best kind of people. Also my 4 sisters who are built-in best friends, no matter what we do and where we go.
And also for Bryan's family...for taking me in and making me one of their own when Bryan and I married, and for raising a son and helping shape a brother who would then be the kind of man who is a wonderful husband and father.
I'm thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ....for my knowledge and testimony of and faith in that gospel. For my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

But also....
I'm thankful for good books.
I'm thankful for my computer.
I'm thankful for my beautiful home and the neighborhood in which it and we reside.
I'm thankful for my neighbors and community.
I'm thankful for good food.
And for my exercise buddies who help me work off the calories the next day....
I'm thankful for chocolate blueberries, sushi, Cafe Rio pork salad, and pumpkin pie.
I'm thankful for the rice bag that warms up my feet at night.
I'm thankful for snow and rain.
I'm thankful for holidays.
I'm thankful for my bike.
I'm thankful my children have such good friends.
I'm thankful for my blog and the outlet it gives me to write and share my thoughts and feelings.

 Happy Thanksgiving!