So I know I'm a couple of days late on this post, but really Thanksgiving isn't the only day you can remember all that you're thankful for! So that's what this is post is for! Creating a list of all that I am thankful for and so grateful to be blessed by God! I have so much to be thankful for. So much that I'm not sure I'll even be able to write it all down! :)
I am thankful that Austin and I have a place to call our own. We have a roof over our head. We have a place we can come home to every night and relax. And if I'm being honest here, I'm thankful for my jet whirlpool tub! ;-) We have a kitchen and plenty of food to eat. I am thankful that we always have food and never go hungry. I'm thankful for a husband that will cook for me so I don't go hungry!
I'm thankful that we live in a small town and a great community that has welcomed us with open arms. I'm thankful we have found a church that has always welcomed us in and is eager to help us become more involved in the church and community.
I'm thankful for mine and Austin's good health. I'm thankful we don't have thousands or even hundreds of dollars in medical bills. I'm thankful we're both able to do what we love. I'm thankful we have jobs that we not only love, but pay the bills - especially in a hard economy. I'm thankful that we can pay our bills - even if we don't want to! I'm thankful for co-workers that have made us each feel like we belong.
I'm thankful for my friends. Friends who have made my life better. I'm thankful for old friends and the fact we can still get together, if only a couple times a year, and still be able to pick up like it was only yesterday. I'm thankful for friends with whom I can enjoy an evening of conversation and a bottle of wine. I'm thankful for friends that will always let me stop by their house to see them, even when they know I'm really only there to see my little clans-baby. ;-) I'm thankful for all my friends and for all that they've done for me, for the impact they've made, for the jokes and stories they've share, for the memories they've created.
I'm thankful for my family. My crazy, goofy, lovable family. I'm thankful that they always put up with my nonsense. I'm thankful for all the fun times that we share together. I'm thankful they always welcome Austin and I back home whenever we want. I'm thankful for their support - whether it be financial, physical or emotional. I'm thankful for the way they've raised me throughout the years. I'm thankful for their company. I'm even thankful for their bad jokes. ;-) I'm thankful that no matter what, my family is always there. I'm thankful that we've grown closer as we've grown older. And don't think I'm not also talking about my wonderful in-laws! I'm thankful for having married into such an amazing family and one that has accepted me as their own.
I'm thankful - so thankful - for my incredible husband, Austin. I'm thankful that I have found my soulmate. He is truly my other half. I'm thankful for our two years of marriage. I'm thankful for every day we have to spend together. I'm even thankful for our time apart as it really does make us appreciate our time together even more. I'm thankful I can be my complete goofy self with him and he can do the same. I'm thankful for those lazy Saturdays we spend together. I'm thankful for our crazy road trips. I'm thankful for our fun date nights. I'm thankful for all our good times and all our bad times. I'm thankful we've been able to grow together and learn to love each other even more. I'm thankful that he appreciates me for all that I am and I'm thankful I can do the same to him. I'm thankful for his nerdy, goofy personality. I'm thankful for his passion of music and teaching. I'm thankful for his cooking skills. I'm thankful that he loves me for me. I'm thankful for his desire to always look out and take care of me. I'm thankful to be married to my best friend.
I'm thankful for so much. God has blessed me beyond belief. And I am so grateful.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
A year ago...
It's hard to believe it's been a year. A year has past since Austin and I were put through some things. A year has past since we made some hard decisions. A year has past since we've been at some of our lowest points. A year has past since I've really tested my trust in God.
A year ago this month, Austin and I went through some hard times. I didn't discuss the details on this blog back then and I'm not going to now. A lot of things happened and every event that took place tested us in a variety of ways. It tested our personal strength, our marriage, our jobs. It's hard to image what things were like a year ago. I really try not to think about it and not to focus on it. We've moved on. We're past it. But I also believe it's good to think back and reflect on it every once and a while.
I went back and re-read the blogs I had written during that time. Reading the struggles I was having brought them back to the surface. I remember the anxiety. I remember the pain. I remember the sadness. I remember worrying. I remember wanting everything to be okay but not having any idea how to make it be okay.
Leaving my job a year ago was both the hardest and the easiest thing I've ever had to do. It was hard to give up a good paying job, one that I enjoyed and had friends at. But it was easy to give up for my husband. For my marriage. And that was what mattered in the end. Like the verse from our wedding from Ruth - "I will go where you go." I meant that. Unemployment was hard. I was questioning God a lot. Did we make the right decisions? Are we doing the right things? It was hard to believe things were ever going to get better.
And now here we are, a year later. I ended up finding a job - one that I love and enjoy doing so much. And while yeah, I did take a pay increase, I'm now doing something I've wanted to do since I graduated from college - working in college admissions. I know that this is what I'm suppose to be doing - and it wouldn't have happened if it weren't for what happened a year ago.
Austin is enjoying his second year so much better and is really getting to know his kids and getting to know the community. We love living in Oakland and are trying to get involved however we can. We are grateful the community and the school district have accepted us as much as they have in just a year.
I also believe that our marriage is in a much better place. We are in a better place because of what happened a year ago. Those events tested our marriage. But we endured. And we are stronger because of it. We are closer as husband and wife and have a better understanding of things now. We have learned to appreciate the little things in life and not take them for granted. We have learned a lot. We've made a lot of changes throughout the year and I think we're better because of all of them. And yeah, we still have some ups and downs but everyone does. But we are in a much better place now overall. We have recently celebrated two wonderful years of marriage and we know there are going to be several more years to celebrate as well.
In the end, I guess God does know what He's doing. :)
A year ago this month, Austin and I went through some hard times. I didn't discuss the details on this blog back then and I'm not going to now. A lot of things happened and every event that took place tested us in a variety of ways. It tested our personal strength, our marriage, our jobs. It's hard to image what things were like a year ago. I really try not to think about it and not to focus on it. We've moved on. We're past it. But I also believe it's good to think back and reflect on it every once and a while.
I went back and re-read the blogs I had written during that time. Reading the struggles I was having brought them back to the surface. I remember the anxiety. I remember the pain. I remember the sadness. I remember worrying. I remember wanting everything to be okay but not having any idea how to make it be okay.
Leaving my job a year ago was both the hardest and the easiest thing I've ever had to do. It was hard to give up a good paying job, one that I enjoyed and had friends at. But it was easy to give up for my husband. For my marriage. And that was what mattered in the end. Like the verse from our wedding from Ruth - "I will go where you go." I meant that. Unemployment was hard. I was questioning God a lot. Did we make the right decisions? Are we doing the right things? It was hard to believe things were ever going to get better.
And now here we are, a year later. I ended up finding a job - one that I love and enjoy doing so much. And while yeah, I did take a pay increase, I'm now doing something I've wanted to do since I graduated from college - working in college admissions. I know that this is what I'm suppose to be doing - and it wouldn't have happened if it weren't for what happened a year ago.
Austin is enjoying his second year so much better and is really getting to know his kids and getting to know the community. We love living in Oakland and are trying to get involved however we can. We are grateful the community and the school district have accepted us as much as they have in just a year.
I also believe that our marriage is in a much better place. We are in a better place because of what happened a year ago. Those events tested our marriage. But we endured. And we are stronger because of it. We are closer as husband and wife and have a better understanding of things now. We have learned to appreciate the little things in life and not take them for granted. We have learned a lot. We've made a lot of changes throughout the year and I think we're better because of all of them. And yeah, we still have some ups and downs but everyone does. But we are in a much better place now overall. We have recently celebrated two wonderful years of marriage and we know there are going to be several more years to celebrate as well.
In the end, I guess God does know what He's doing. :)
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