Thanksgiving is tomorrow so I thought I would make a gratitude post to keep with the spirit of this holiday. The top thing I have been super grateful for is my health. I have been blessed with a healthy body and it has allowed me to do most of the things I want to in this life. I decided that I didn't want to take my health for granted so I have been on a weight loss journey since the beginning of June. It has been almost 6 months since that time and I have lost 40 pounds! It is so liberating. I think I am healthier than I have ever been in my whole life. I workout because I love it, the only thing I had to change was to eat healthier. I track everything that goes into my mouth every single day. I have already decided to give myself a day off for Turkey day tomorrow. I am around the same weight I was in high school, possibly even smaller since I fit into the smallest pair of jeans I have ever owned in my life! Having health is a blessing. I think taking care of your body can have blessings in many areas of our lives. If you are taking care of yourself you will be better able to care for others. I can now be fit and healthy for my kids so we can grow up playing together. I feel better about myself which gives me more confidence. I can enjoy things better and not worry about too many limitations. If I ever do find myself sick with a minor or major illness my body will be able to handle it better. It is a wonderful thing all the way around to take care of the body God has blessed each and every one of us with.
Me at my lowest/current weight
I am grateful for my wonderful marriage to Jeremiah. When we started dating it was a crazy time in my life. I was just starting out on my own and had gotten out of relationships with some guys that I should not have been dating. I think I was just trying to figure things out but doing it in the wrong way. Jeremiah came into my life and after a couple months of dating I knew he was meant to be my husband. He is an awesome husband and father. We are not perfect by any means, but I can say that we are happily married and have been together for over 8 years!
I am grateful for the greatest thing to test and try me in this life so far...being a mother. Those kids drive me crazy on a daily basis, but there is just something special about having little children in my home. They are a lot of work! I probably burn more calories taking care of them than my workouts at the gym some days. I live for those special moments though. There are those moments when Xander will say or do something and just make me laugh, or he will give me a hug. Some days I need that hug more then he does. Wesley will just blow me away with his cuteness. We are going through a rough time with him right now, most likely teething, but he has been such a sweet little addition to our family. I love those kids and I hope Jerry and I are giving them a good childhood and they can grow up to be good people.
.
There are many other things I am grateful for. I know I could name hundreds of smaller things to be grateful for on a daily basis, like warm water, having transportation, having money to pay the bills, being able to eat when I am hungry, having a job that lets me stay at home with my kids every other week. I am grateful for chocolate, and that I can still enjoy it daily and still lose weight! Another huge thing to be grateful for would be that I am a member of the LDS church. I believe in this church and I know it helps me become a better person. I feel like I would be lost without my faith in my life. I'm not strong enough to face the challenges of this life without being able to look to my faith and have Heavenly father always waiting to answer my prayers and guide me.
Having gratitude is something we all should think about on a daily basis, but it's good to have a holiday to remind us about this concept. I will be enjoying good food tomorrow, but most of all being able to spend time with family. My brother is engaged again, but this time to a great person and I'm super excited to welcome Kristen into our family in January. I"m grateful that my brother found a good person to be his companion. I am grateful for my family that I grew up with and that we all get to be together tomorrow to celebrate the holiday. Christmas is right around the corner! Happy Thanksgiving!
.
