Gratitude

Yes, this Thanksgiving post is a little late. I've been enjoying my family and good food, so better late than never, right?

Sometimes I like to play the "_____ years ago I was...." Game. For example, Thanksgiving 13 years ago I was trying to convince myself I was not falling hard and fast for this guy I had just met. I had plans! I would be leaving on a mission for my church soon and then coming back and getting some college in before I thought about settling down. I was too young to be getting serious, anyway. Plus I really just wanted to take some time to play and be young. Ha! Yeah, that didn't last long. 

(I wanted to find a pic of the two of us together when we were dating, but since it was usually just the two of us and one of us was behind the camera, here are two pics from the same day from a mini adventure we went on to Park City.)

Twelve years ago I was a new wife, getting ready for our first Christmas together. I was also very excited because it was the first Christmas with CG, and I couldn't wait to see her cute little face when she saw her Santa loot. It was always so fun to have her sweet little face around!

Five years ago I was convinced that I would never have the opportunity to be pregnant, that my body was just too broken and I would never know how or why. And I had (mostly) come to terms with that. 

Then two months later, we found out that a miracle had happened.

Thanksgiving two years ago CG was here. I wanted so badly to have great news for her, that another miracle had happened and soon she'd have another sibling. I wanted to know that it actually could happen again because I really was scared it couldn't. I was tired of negative pregnancy tests month after month. But I got another one on that Thanksgiving, and we had no news for her. Yet.

One month later, on Christmas Day, we had our good news. I somehow held it in for a month until CG could come out again and we could tell her in person.

I love this game! And I've noticed that the things I think about the most happen to be the things I am the most thankful for. I have a whole gigantic list of other things I'm thankful for; our extended family, good jobs, nice warm house, on and on and on, and I'm grateful to have a day dedicated to thinking about these things. I'm such a lucky girl!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!