Blessings

Life's billows have tossed me on a tempest a time or two and I've found that in the midst of the tossing, the counting of blessings seems to calm the storm. In fact, I love to count my blessings in my "non-tossed" times as well.

I certainly have a plethora of them.

And, no, I'm not going to name them one by one at the moment because I fear that the amount of reading that would result, combined with the delicious leftovers of yesterday's Thanksgiving feast, you all might just slip into a coma.

I can't be responsible for that.

Thus, the following is a simple sampling of my blessed life.

I'm thankful for Allegiant Airlines and their direct flight from Mesa to Eugene for an insanely inexpensive rate, which makes it possible for me to take weekend trips to Oregon. I'm thankful for the beautiful greenery that envelops me when I arrive.

I'm thankful for parents that have always loved me and each other. I'm thankful for those mornings in Oregon when I can roll out of bed and go on a nature walk up the mountain in the backyard. I'm especially thankful for the beautiful sunshine we enjoyed on Saturday, which seemed to warm and reassure me that all would be well. I'm thankful for galoshes. (For the mere facts that the word "galoshes" is fun to say and splashing through puddles with nary a worry about getting wet is fun to do!)

I'm thankful for a house in the woods that will always feel like home.

I'm thankful for...err...not mushrooms, but a dad that has a fabulous sense of humor and can sport the smurf hat look with the best of 'em!

I'm thankful for my "little" brother and sister, both of whom are now taller than me. They are two of my favorite people to be around and I feel so blessed to know them, love them, and call them mine!

I'm thankful to know that I will be with these peeps for eternity (as well as those family members that are not pictured.) I am so thankful for my eternal perspective.

I'm thankful that I got to come home to this guy! I sure missed him while I was away!

I'm thankful my grandparents were here to share our Thanksgiving feast! It's always a party when they're around!

And who doesn't love post feasting football?! I'm thankful our new furniture will be here in a few weeks so we won't have to use a box as an ottoman any longer, but until then I'll take pleasure in being ghetto fabulous!

And I'm thankful for my wonderful grandma! She inspires me to be a better person and I love that she and I can giggle at silly things. I'm thankful that she and my grandpa are full fledged winter residents in Mesa! It makes my heart (and the rest of me) giddy with joy.

I'm also thankful for our East Coast (and elsewhere) residing friends and family and the times we get to spend with them. I have so many other blessings, but remember I can't be responsible for the coma that this long post may or may not induce, thus I'm thankful to come to a close! Happy Thanksgiving to all!