Crazy Grateful this month

This season we are entering is one of so much joy and today I want to share the things I am most thankful for. Heavenly Father has always given me more than I deserve. Without sounding like a cliche I can really, truly look back at decisions I have made, words I have said without thinking, and go "wow. I am an awful and terrible sinner". I can say that, yet here I am,engaged to a wonderful,handsome, kind man, I have a warm home, as much food as I want to eat, warm blankets, and an amazing, supportive family How did I get to be so lucky? How awesome is it that I was born in this country? I think sometimes we forget just how big this world is and how dang lucky we all are to be in America, where we can mostly say and do whatever we feel is right, where all of us can can vote and have a voice. We are all blessed with this freedom, and despite our circumstances we are loved by our Heavenly Father. I mean, it just renders me speechless because when you think about it on that scale and on those terms its like what do I have to complain about? It's nice to list out the things we are thankful and grateful for, to see them and intentional say thankyou for them. So here is my November grateful list! I am Thankful for in my life... + That I'm marrying my best friend + My family who have supported me, loved me, and helped me so much + Fiercely loyal friends who go above and beyond and who always cheer me up + The Gospel, I'm so blessed to be a member of the Church + My fiances cute little evil laugh he does sometimes + Sweets and baking + Rare Steak + Pinterest and all of the fun ideas it gives me + How funny Brandon is he always makes me laugh and Smile + My guitar and being able to play it for hours + Trips to Salt Lake with Brandon,temple square, and the Cheesecake Factory + Hot Showers and baths + That I come from a family that knows how to cook + That I was able to vote for a president for the first time + The beauty of living in a country where we can have different opinions + The game Just Dance + Disney Movies + Musicals + Country dancing + my clothes and my favorite brown boots + Gnomes- I just love them!!! Things I am thankful for about me... + that I am a nice person. I'm hardly perfect but in my heart I know I am kind-- that I would never intentionally hurt someone, or hold a grudge. I genuinely care about people and their lives. + That I know when to quit. Well, I am still working on this one. But-- that I know when to say my piece and then to walk away from a situation if it is hurtful or unsatisfying. This one is hard, but I am glad I have had the courage to do it when it has mattered. + My ability to see the beauty in things and humor in everyday life What are you grateful for this year? What is something you are thankful for about yourself?

Baking and Cooking

I really love being in the kitchen baking or cooking food. I come from a family of fantastic cooks and food has always been a way to show love for us. When I was little and my family would come to Idaho to visit we would always have these massive family dinners. It was craziness in the kitchens. My mom, aunts, grandma, and some cousins would all be in there cooking away. The kitchen was just always a happy and fun place. Now that I'm older the kitchen is still a happy place. It helps relieve stress and is just so comforting. I love that I can go and throw a few ingredients together and get something that taste so good. I love baking for other people as well and feel its a fun way to tell people I care and appreciate them. I love that something as simple as a cupcake can brighten someones day and make them smile. It is really relaxing to me to that I can sit down and be creative when I am decorating a cake. I am so grateful for this talent that Heavenly Father gave me and that it brings me so much joy :)

October 2010

K so this is an old experience but it just has given me so much strength that I really wanted to share it :) So in October 2010 I moved to Portland for school. I had just had surgery to have my gall bladder removed two weeks before and I knew absolutely no one in the city and had not even met my roommate. My parents came with me to help me move my stuff and were able to stay for a couple hours when we got there. I was super nervous to be on my own. After I dropped my parents off I just bawled as I drove back to my apartment. I just felt so scared and I was questioning why Heavenly Father wanted me in Oregon. I got home and cried a bit more. I just felt so homesick. I prayed and felt prompted to open up my scriptures. I opened up randomly to Isaiah 41 and went almost immediately to verse 10. It read "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." I was just so comforted and knew things would be ok after that. Being in Portland ended up being a great experience and I grew a lot from it. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father answers our prayers and knows exactly what we need.

Alex

Earlier this month one of my sweetest high school friends died. It seems so unreal because the memory of her is still so real. Her name was Alex she was 20 years old and passed away in a car crash. The following week was hard I cried a ton during her viewing and just felt a huge sadness even though I knew I would see her again. Within the last couple months I have almost crashed twice. Both times the roads were slick and I just completely lost control of my car and it went spinning. As I was in line for her viewing I just kept trying to figure out why Heavenly Father had protected me and why she had had to leave us. I went home feeling pretty sad. The next morning was her funeral service I got ready and expected to have a lot of similar feeling through out the day as I had the night before. I got to the church though and just had this complete feeling of love and comfort. The service was great and it helped me to see more clearly that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and that my Heavenly Father loves me. I feel so blessed to have had Alex in my life and it helped me to see Heavenly Father puts those people in our lives for a reason. I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I'm grateful for the knowledge it gives me. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves and comforts me. I am so grateful for my friends and the influence that they have on me. I am grateful that Heavenly Father has perfect timing and that he has a plan for me even if I don't know what that is yet. And I am grateful for Alex who taught me what kind of person I want to be :)