My Pre-Thanksgiving Gratitude

Sometimes in life Heavenly Father looks down on us, sees what we need to learn and presents us with amazing opportunities to learn exactly what that is. Collin and I are currently being blessed with learning a lot. It's amazing to me how the Lord answers prayers and uses every opportunity to teach us what we need to know to return to Him. I was skimming through my journal last night and I came upon an entry that said then how I feel now, and it said it so perfectly for my current situation that I thought I'd quote it:

"I am feeling so blessed. I can not think of anything at all that could make me any happier. I have everything I need. I am so blessed and I am so grateful for my blessings."

Sometimes when we forget, or at least when I forget how blessed I am, I get to learn it all over again, and I'm grateful for my recent learning of blessings. I will begin the week before Thanksgiving with my gratitude list:

#1. Collin-he makes everything wonderful, from waking up in the morning til we go to bed at night. He is my angel, my eternal sweetheart and my best friend.
#2. My family-I decided my family as a whole could either be the Smartins or the Miths. I like Smartins better! And for all of my Martin/Smith family I am grateful. I love them so much.
#3. My extended family-I have the most wonderful aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins to look up to.
#4. The prophets-they tell us what to do and how to prepare, and I am grateful that they love us enough to teach us.
#5. My calling-it provides me the beautiful opportunity to love and grow with my ward sisters and they are amazing.
#6. My visiting teacher- never have I made a better friend in such a short period of time. She loves me despite me.
#7. Markee- I have no words.
#8. My Heavenly Father- I knows us so well and when we trust Him, He trusts us and we get to help Him, although in reality, He's always the one helping us.
#9. My Savior Jesus Christ-He knows how we feel, what we go through and He has shown us the way to get through it all and to get back to our Heavenly Father-what a miracle.
#10. Temples-there is nothing that brings me greater joy than going to the temple and remember that I am with my family forever.
#11. My brothers-they really care about people, and mostly they really care about their family and they show it in the most miraculous ways.
#12. Being a woman-the thought that I am able to someday be a mother is the most humbling thought in the world, and I am grateful.
#13. Friends- sometimes the people who you think don't know you at all come out of the wood works and show what true friendship really is.
#14. My students that I teach-they remind me to keep things simple and stay child-like, not childish.
#15. Aunt Marla's talk that reminded me, "If I have enough faith then......." ANYTHING can happen.
#16. Uncle Wayno's talk that reminded me, "If we try to become the one who makes the miracle instead of the one who needs the miracle, everything will be taken care of."
#17. My mom and dad. Their wisdom and love could get anyone through anything. How did I ever get blessed to be in their family?


My list could go on forever, and in reality it should because I can never be grateful enough.