Thankful Thanksgiving.

Nov. 22th, 2012




HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!



Since today is Thanksgiving, I feel it is appropriate to express my gratitude to my family and friends and write a bit about what I am thankful for. I have so much to be thankful for, so much that it will be hard for me to write about it all but I must try. I (like a lot of us) can get so caught up in focusing on the negatives in life and complaining about the little things that are going wrong, but when I stop and look at my life so much is going right; there are many more positives than negatives. My life has been filled with so many blessings!

1. Family and friends... (the people in my life)

family vacation in Colorado (for a wedding) with my dads side...

My family is the greatest blessing in my life and I am so thankful for them everyday. Distance makes the heart grow founder -- fact. When I am living in a different country I seem to miss and appreciate and love my family more and more and more. So let me just tell you a bit about how great they are ...

my parents

My parents are amazing examples and raised me in the church and taught me to withhold great morals and values. They taught me to try my best in all that I do and to love and help those around me. They not only told me these things but showed me in their actions (as they people say... actions speak louder than words). My mom is hard working - she goes to work comes home cooks, cleans, grades papers and does endless loads of laundry, all without complaining. I hate doing my own laundry let alone the laundry for 5 other people! My dad is loving and always optimistic about everything. My mom likes to say 'your dad is the type of person who can fall in a pile of poo and come out smelling like a rose.' It's  true. Things just seem to work out for him and I think it's because he thinks positively. When you surround yourself with positive things and thoughts you will get positive results. Both of my parents are always willing to do service and help others. They are always the ones volunteering to help out with events or staying after and putting away millions of chairs and tables (or so it seems to me as I'm anxiously waiting to leave). I have found myself doing the same now. You see something that needs to be done, you just do it. Don't wait for permission or for someone to ask you to - just do it! When it snows our family goes to about 5 different houses (in the freezing cold might I add) to push/shovel snow and maybe hits up a few other houses along the way. They taught us to help out our grandparents and other relatives without receiving a penny. Of course as kids we would have loved to have been paid, but they said you shouldn't help people for the money or for the recognition. It should be out of the goodness of your heart instead. 

my siblings.

My siblings. As much as they drive me up the wall sometimes I love them and they are my best friends. My brother finally realized that having me as an older sister isn't so bad and that we can talk and joke around and have a good time and be friends. He's a lot of fun and I'm sad I started traveling the year he started college near where I was attending. My sister Alex, well she's a hoot. She won't let you get away with anything.. ever. She won't talk to me much, it's more of a what do you want. But when I was home we went golfing a lot, played foosball and volleyball together. One day she called me (she never does) and says, 'where are you?' I said I'm almost home why. 'I want to beat you in foosball.' This is her to a T. I want to win. End of story. She's motivated by her need to win and be better than others. I have a bit of this as well, it's from my dad's side. Kenzie is apparently a mini me, I guess. I don't know if I believe it! However, the other day when she posted an instagram picture of a sunset.. which was me at that age, I thought.. hmmm yup, a lot like me. Of course she is smarter and she actually likes/is good at math. But other than that we are so much alike. Which is a good thing right? I mean come on, it can't be that bad being similar to me!

my amazing friend, Pierie.

The list continues with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and of course my friends. Some of my best friends are my family members and cousins. I love them so much and am truly blessed to be part of such an amazing family. I am surrounded by such great friends, who challenge me to be a better person and who love and support me in all that I do. In all my traveling I have started many new friendships and in turn some have ended. I truly believe all my great friends/roommates and people in my life were put there for a specific reason. Some stay and some go, it's been hard for me to fall out of touch with such great friends but when I realize and learn that everything happens for a reason, I realize they were there for a specific purpose and now we've moved on. It doesn't mean I don't like them we just have moved on with our lives but they will always have a part of me and had a hand in shaping me into who I am today (for better or for worse). -- 'because I knew you, I have been changed for good' -- thank you wicked!! :) 





Shout out to all my family and friends around the world - I love you all and thank you for your support and love you have given me over the years. I would not be where I am today without you as wonderful examples. Even though I continue to move and leave a lot of you, losing touch with many, you will always have a place in my heart and will be a part of me forever! Thank you for many great memories, the laughs and the cries, the late nights and the ice cream runs, the road trips and the trouble we got into, for showing me who I am, the crazy things we did and the service we gave to others. It's the people in life that make it worth while. I truly believe that 100%. So thanks for making my life worth living!




2. God.... (the church and his people).



I am also truly blessed to know about God and His son Jesus Christ. Although I have doubts and am not the best follower or example, I still believe. I know He is there. I know he lives and loves me as well as every other person on this Earth. He has guided me in so many ways throughout my life. He has given me the right friends when I needed them and taken me places I never thought possible. He has given me the strength and courage to travel the world, learn of his beautiful people and see the Earth He created, opening my mind and teaching me more than I could ever imagine. I am thankful for the many different churches I have been a part of. My Mennonite church in Iowa, where I was raised and where I learned how to love and help others. The church in Cedar Falls, where I made great friends, learned how to worship with an amazing rockin' band, shared many laughs and tears - usually through the beautiful words of the songs and in sweet tender moments talking with friends. The LDS church in ABQ and Utah, where I made amazing friends (who became family) who taught me it was ok to be me, just the way I was and that God truly did love me and know me; I am His child. CC Christian Camp, where I met more amazing christ followers and learned that God is in the details and his creation is truly spectacular, even the tiny pesky mosquitos and large snakes.

working at camp.

3. Travel.... (life experiences and opportunities) 

Sea View Lion Park, South Africa.

I am thankful for the opportunities I have had to travel the world. As I look back at the places I have been, over half of the US states, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, England, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada and now South Korea, It's honestly hard to believe. I think about these places and have to sometimes honestly ask myself if that really happened. Have I really been to that many places? Been to 4 continents and lived in 3? I doesn't seem right or real. Me, the girl who couldn't stay at a friends' house at age 14 because I was home sick, the girl who had trouble being 2.5 hours away from home at college at 18, the girl who was sort of sheltered and didn't know much about the world has now lived 17 hours away from home in 2 different states, a 24 hour plane ride away from home in Africa and now a 13 hour plane ride from home in Korea. What happened? How is this possible? It was a spark I guess.. and now it's grown into a burning flame. A burning desire to experience and see as much as the world as possible, while growing and expanding and changing. I learn so much about myself, other people, God, the World that it's hard to not get addicted and not want to experience more. The Lord has opened up these opportunities to me and given me the confidence and strength and support I have needed to believe that everything will work out for the best. That if it's meant to be it will happen and if I only trust in the Lord, I will be able to do difficult, challenging, uncomfortable, and sometimes scary things. I truly would not have been able to do what I have done without the Lord and my family and friends. I still am that homesick little girl who is naive about the world, but because of the desire and strength the Lord has given me, I have over come that and have learned so much about EVERYTHING. I have always believed that people are inherently good and through my travels I believe I have been confirmed. The world is amazing and so are the people in it. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have had to explore it. I hope to continue to do so for the rest of my life. 



4. Teaching.... (and children)

beautiful 6th grade girl, Lily. :)

Wow, teaching is rewarding. I never thought I would love it... I thought I would be able to tolerate it, as a way for me to travel and meet knew people, as another job that would be more exciting. But it's so much more. I have fallen in love with the kids here. They make me smile everyday, at least once. Sure they are horrible some days, but that doesn't out weight the good. I have Monk children who are without parents. They live in the temple with Buddhist Monks who take care of them. My love for them is so huge. One in particular, my little 6th grade girl (the only girl Monk of the bunch), is the sweetest person I have met. She came in the other day... running to give me a huge hug. She just smiles and smiles and continues to hold my hand. Then this day she grabbed my hair and braided it and took a picture with my phone to show me. She shares her food with her 'brothers' and takes care of everyone. She doesn't talk much but her smile is contagious and speaks for itself. She is beautiful and I hope and pray she will have a beautiful and wonderful life. That they all will, that all my kids will find great opportunities and will make a difference (maybe a small one) in the world, will be a light and help those around them. That's my hope, that I can be some sort of positive example, showing them they are loved and talented and can do great things!



There are so many many more things that I am thankful for:




sunshine
health and doctors
the ocean.. well all nature
airplanes/cars/modes of transportation
my bed, a roof over my head
Skype and FaceTime
peanut butter and treats and fruit
education
photography and art
inspiring people and stories
missionary work








... the list goes on and on. I am thankful for so much and so blessed. Anytime I complain, I need to be slapped. My life is too good to complain, too beautiful to spend a second dwelling on the tiniest negative points. Everyday is a gift from God. I must unwrap it and use it to the best of my ability, not save it for a later day, open it and embrace it. It's like Christmas morning each and everyday, the excitement to tear open the gift and use it right away, not delaying. Each day is a new beginning, a day to start again and try to be better; a new day to do all that you were meant to do. Baby steps - this life is a continual progression, a mountainous hike of learning and making mistakes, of doing great things and falling short, of doing good and wrong. But everything happens for a reason and it's our choice to embrace it and learn from it or to regret and ponder and dwell on things. Do, learn, grow and keep on moving. Fill your mind with positive thoughts and weed out the negative things in your life. Remember you are here for a reason and that you are loved, you are special and you have and will do great things!