24 Days of Thanksgiving - Day Fourteen

I wasn't sure what to write about, so my friend Juleigh (who will get her own post in a few days!) gave me the idea to write about technology.

I already covered the joys of modern medicine, but let's face it, that's just one small aspect of what this day and age has to offer!

I know a lot of people roll their eyes at the internet, and talk about how it's ruining "real" relationships. People no longer connect on a personal level! Everything is cold and anonymous! And in a way, I can see how that might be true for some people. For me, though, it's just the opposite.

Being married to a military man means that I'm usually living far away from the rest of my family. I rarely get to see them, and with all of us so busy in our everyday lives, we don't have time to talk on the phone as much as we'd like, either.

By emailing each other, blogging about our activities, and stalking each other on Facebook, we're able to keep up with one another's lives in a way that would be really difficult otherwise.

Skype is another great invention! The times when we are able to talk to one another on the phone can be made that much more special with Skype. That way, we not only are talking to each other, but we can see each other!

This has been a valuable tool at times. When my sister had her baby (my first blood-related nephew!), we weren't able to be there. But we got to Skype with them right away, and I was able to see the cute little stinker through the web camera.

Similarly, my parents and in-laws are able to keep up with my daughter, and see how much she's growing, by talking to her on Skype. It means we can feel a little bit more involved in each other's lives, despite the distances between us.

Needless to say, Skype was also my favorite thing when my sweet hubby was deployed to the middle east. I not only got to talk to him regularly, I could see his handsome face. It was way better than a plain ol' phone call.

Another great thing about technology is that I can take pictures, put them directly onto my computer, then post them on the internet. That way, no matter what computer I'm on, I have access to them. If my house burns down, or my computer crashes, it's okay! Those precious memories are safe. As a photo bug, I'm so grateful for that fact! I document so many aspects of my life, it would be heartbreaking to lose my pictures. The photos help keep the memories clear and fresh. So I'm definitely grateful for technology when it comes to preserving memories through photography.

Then we come to the greatest invention of all time when it comes to getting around town: the GPS! As a family frequently on the move, we have to learn a new area every couple of years. It can be tricky. Before we had a GPS in our car, I would have to print directions off of Google (thanks, technology!) before I could go anywhere! Maps were okay for getting around the country, but for individual cities, it was hard to use a map. So Google it was! And it was time-consuming and annoying. Now, though, I can just pop the address into the GPS and get step-by-step instructions! It's like "Navigation for Dummies!" And yes, I'll admit that I totally fall into the "dummy" category when it comes to navigation. The GPS is a lifesaver.

And though they're not as new a technology as GPS, cell phones are a valuable tool. I never have to worry about getting into a wreck or having car problems and not being able to reach anyone. As long as I have my cell phone, I feel safe. Granted, I know that reception isn't always perfect, but you can get service almost everywhere now, so I feel confident that I'll be able to reach someone if I ever need help.

The internet definitely has its downs along with its ups, but really, it's a pretty incredible resource. The whole world is at your fingertips! You can find almost any answer to almost any question on the internet. You can learn new things; you can reconnect with old friends; you can find books, movies or music you've been hunting for; you can even do your Christmas shopping!

Technology is incredible. Even 30 years ago, most of this technology would have sounded like science fiction. Yet here it is! And it's still growing by leaps and bounds. New technology is introduced all the time!

It's an amazing world we live in.

I'm grateful to live in this day and age, where the world is made so much more accessible, and friends and family are always just a click away.