Gratitude for the Moment

Thanksgiving's here and this post is dedicated to some of the things I'm grateful for (in no particular order):

1. a loving husband who supports me in my pursuits 2.  Ellie and her ability to draw a smile out of the grumpiest of souls 3. Five {mostly} great kids who keep me on my toes 4. Emma and the beautiful music she fills our home with 5. Adam's curiosity that makes me want to figure things out right along side him 6.  Cami's weekly FaceTime calls  7. Spencer's continued good health 8. the changing seasons  9. a working washing machine, because when your dryer doesn't work it makes you especially appreciate what does work 10. parents who raised me in the gospel 11. a free hobby (this blog) that keeps me challenged and excited 12.   a Trader Joe's store near the kids' math class, which means I get to do the bulk of my grocery shopping there for the school year 13. the warm fuzzy blankets that I got for a great deal at Costco--they're the perfect weight and stay soft even after washing several times!  14. kids that are happy  to help cook--teaching my kids to cook and allowing them to make their messes in the kitchen is paying for itself ten-fold now that they're older!  15. long walks on beautiful days 16. having the kids home with me during the day  17. sisters who will listen to me when I'm having a bad day 18. a bright and spacious kitchen to cook in 19. it's less than a month until Cami's home for Christmas 20. the Book of Mormon 21. Thirty-three amazing young women from church that I get the privilege of spending time with each week  22.  my terry cloth robe 23. hair dye, because without it I'd be 100% gray 24. my ward's book club that gives me a good excuse to read challenging literature and engage in interesting discussions each month 25. cute shoes that are comfortable too, because otherwise I'd only wear tennis shoes  26. my not-very-hairy arms --it sounds weird, but they're also jiggly and covered with a bajillion freckles, so I am looking for the positives here! 27. a nearby thrift store that makes shopping sooooo much more fun than shopping at department stores 28. children's toothbrushes, because adult ones are too big to reach my back teeth 29. sunny days that make drying clothes outside on the clothesline while our dryer is broken so much easier 30. the ceiling fan in our bedroom that gets the air flowing, so I can actually sleep 31. bridges, so that we don't have to ford rivers and streams anymore 32. cute sweats that I actually dare wear in public  33. good music to energize the day  34.  inspired church leaders who give us guidance for this day and time 35. almond milk, because dairy and me do not agree with each other  36. hot water that comes straight from the tap!  37. Trader Joe's chocolate chips, which are cheap, dairy-free, and oh so good!   38. Madeleine, a beautiful 18-year-old AML fighter from London,  who recently introduced herself to me on FB.  She's on her third bout with this horrible disease and in the short time I've known her she's  become an inspiration to me.  39. automatic "do not disturb" setting on my phone, because it saves me from a lot of late-night group texts among my siblings in an earlier time zone!  40. the gospel of Jesus Christ  that gives me perspective on the hard things we face in life 41. cancer researchers who work diligently to find a cure, especially for those who've dedicated themselves for finding cures for childhood cancers  42. doctors and nurses who devote their lives to working to help sick patients be cured 43. the US postal service--I love sending mail almost as much as I love receiving it 44.Speaking of mail--I'm grateful for Amazon Prime!   For a girl who doesn't love to shop, Amazon Prime is a godsend!  45. later start-time for seminary this year--I seriously feel so much more well-rested being able to get up at 6:00am, rather than 5:15am! 46. dams, because, well...who isn't grateful for dams?  47. a working dishwasher, because we went for a couple of years before our kitchen was redone without one and I am really happy to not be washing dishes by hand today! 48. Christmas cards--mine are already ordered and I can't wait until they start arriving in our mailbox from all over the country!  49. My parents and siblings!  I love how we keep in touch and can easily still talk and laugh together!  50. YOU!   Thank you for visiting my blog today and actually caring enough to read this gargantuan list!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!