Time to be Thankful

The last few days have had me in a major funk, so I haven't been writing my usual "countdown to Thanksgiving" posts. Last night, though, I had the opportunity to help a friend a little bit, and that allowed me to forget myself and worry about someone else, which in turn caused me to forget the funk. So, as weird as it may sound, I'm thankful that my friend allowed me to help. It's easy to forget sometimes that the best way to feel better is to serve others.

So, now that I'm de-funk-ified, I need to play catch-up on my countdown list. We're on day five, so I'll go ahead and cover five things that I'm thankful for today!

Number one: I'm thankful for strong, broad shoulders to cry on; and long, warm arms that wrap around me and hold me tight. I think you can guess to whom these stunning features are attributed. I'm always grateful for Ben, because he's the very best thing in my life, but for day number one, I'm specifically grateful for his arms and shoulders. They're the best.

Number two: I'm grateful for my forever family. It can feel a bit like a double-edged sword at times, especially as I struggle with infertility. If my children are never born, they can't really be my children. Even parents who lose their children right after they're born can have comfort in knowing that they can be sealed as a family to those children forever. They're part of their family, and nothing will ever change that. But if I can never even conceive another child, there's no way those children I long for will ever belong to me. So it can break my heart a little bit at times when I'm in a particularly dark mood.


BUT, I know in my heart that Evie will not be my only child. I have felt reassurance from the Lord that those children whose absence I feel so sharply right now will someday be mine in reality. And once I have them, even if it's only for a brief time, they will be part of my family forever. It's an incredible gift from the Lord, one that I am grateful for every single day. I can't imagine life without Ben and Evie, and because I'm sealed to them, I don't have to imagine it. They're mine forever, and I'm theirs. And the same will be true for those other children we'll be blessed with someday. Once I have them, I never have to say a permanent "goodbye."

Number three: I'm grateful for friends. I know I'll probably go into a lot more detail at a later date about specific friends, but I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to the incredible people in my life. I've seen so much love, generosity, kindness, and support from my friends lately. Even in my darkest, ugliest, funkiest times, they don't turn away from me. They lift me up and give me strength. Good friends are definitely a gift from God.

Number four: I'm thankful for my talents. Sometimes they can feel like a bit of a burden, just because I get called on to use them so often to help others, but honestly, that's what talents are for! So, even when I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by the ways I'm asked to use my talents to help other people, I try to keep that in mind. My talents are from God, and He gave them to me so I can use them to bless other people and bring them closer to God.

I was able to put together a production of Women at the Well for Easter this past year. It definitely sticks out in my mind as a time I was definitely able to use my talents to uplift and inspire other people. Even now, months later, I look back on that experience with joy and satisfaction. I truly believe that our production helped people feel closer to the Savior. If no one else, it helped me.


Even doing more frivolous shows like Little Shop of Horrors can be a way to bless others. It can help them forget their problems for a little while, and laugh. It can give them something to smile about. It can even inspire them to devote more time to developing their own talents! And I'm grateful to have such wonderful, fun talents that I enjoy so much. The least I can do is use them to uplift other people.

Number five: I'm grateful for Oreo truffle cookies. Seriously, those are the best things EVER. The holidays give me an excuse to make them more often, too, which I'm simultaneously grateful for and a little frustrated by, because as yummy as it is, I inevitably gain a few pounds. Still, it's worth making a few extra trips to the gym! Because those cookies are GOOD!

Now that I'm back on track with my yearly count-down of gratitude, hopefully I can stay on track. If I don't, feel free to remind me. Peer pressure works! ;) See you tomorrow!