Thankful

I'm so thankful for Thanksgiving.  I try to remember to be thankful for the many wonderful blessings and opportunities I have, but this time of year helps you focus on them a little more closely.  I have so much to be thankful for but here is my list of ten.  Not top ten because it's too hard to narrow it down exactly.

10.  Friends

These are the only two pictures with friends that I have, but I have so many great friends and acquaintances to be grateful for.

9.  Stories.  Mine, my siblings, my ancestors...any story I can learn from and share with my kids!

This is Mary Ann Darrow Richardson and one of our favorite stories about her:

Mary Ann Darrow Richardson was a pioneer woman. One day she dropped a flat iron on her toe. It made her toe very, very sore. Nothing she tried made the sore toe get any better. She went to the doctor. The doctor wanted her to give him $100 to chop off her toe. Mary Ann couldn’t give him that much money. The toe kept hurting. It turned black. She knew it would make her very sick unless it was removed. Mary Ann knew what she would do. She took a chisel and went outside. She put her toe on a block of wood. She put the chisel on the toe. Then she hit the chisel with a flat iron. This, of course, cut off her toe! Pioneers like Mary Ann Darrow Richardson had to do things that were hard for them. They needed to be brave.

8.  Modern Conveniences
I'm so thaknful to live with wonder convinces like:

My Kitchen Aid

Indoor Plumbing

Electricity

Cars

7.  The Gospel and everything that goes with it.

6.  Health for me and my family

5.  Good heritage

My grandma, Barbara Lorena Tietjen

My great grandparents, Barbara Lorena and Amos Teitjen

Jared's grandpa, William Alma Miller

My grandma, Mary Elizabeth "Beth" Stanford

4.  Abilities.  To walk, cook, think, talk, drive, etc.

3.  My body
I upped my healthy food intake and began a new exercise regimen last year.  I've toned up and lost a little weight.

2.  My house

1.  My family- extended included