100 Times Thankful

One of the young women in our ward gave a talk on Sunday about being thankful. It was a great talk. She suggested that everyone take time to write down 100 things that they are thankful for, divided into 10 different categories. So, here goes - my 100 things.

Ten Living People I am Thankful For:

1. Dave - obviously...he is wonderful! I definitely married the right person. He is such an amazing husband and person!

2. Bria - she is a beautiful, smart, talented girl and we are lucky to have her in our family

3. Max - such a character! Without him, life would be dull!!

4. Logan - I just LOVE him!!!! I can't wait to watch him grow up!

5. My mom - for raising and teaching me right, for always listen to me , even if it is mostly complaining, and for always being there, etc, etc, etc (because I could never really list everything - there are far, far too many reasons to be thankful for her).

6. Mike - my amazing step-dad, who really is the best dad I've ever had.

7. My Mother and Father-in-law (is it cheating to start combining?!? I don't think I'll make it in 10!) I am so thankful, first, that they raised Dave to be so wonderful. I am so glad that our kids have such incredible grandparents.

8. Thomas S. Monson - How blessed are we to have a living prophet on the earth today!

9. My family - my sisters and brother as well as my sisters and brothers-in-law. Sometimes things get crazy and it never seems to be perfect, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

10. Friends and Neighbors. We have truly been blessed with wonderful, lifelong friends. I feel very lucky to have them.

Ten deceased people I am thankful for:

1. My Grandma Ransom. No one could ask for a better grandma. She was the most selfless and giving person I have ever known. I really wish our kids could have met her, but she died before they were born.

2. Gordon B. Hinckley. I can't even put it into words. Without Gordon B. Hinckley, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

3. My Grandpa Ransom. He was amazing at family history. Thank goodness he kept a record (an very detailed record - over 200 pages!) of his own life. He was a good grandpa when he was alive, but I never knew him as a man until I read his life history.

4. Jesus Christ.

5. The pioneers. The huge amount of sacrifice they gave reminds me that I can do hard things.

6. Joseph Smith. Doc. & Cov 135:3

7. Emma Smith. She was such an amazing woman. I can't imagine having to live through the sacrifices that she was called to endure. The amount of support she gave to Joseph as her husband is almost unbelievable and her example helps me strive to be a better wife.

8. Dr. Seuss

9. My Uncle Garth

10. Benjamin Franklin - because many of the things I'm thankful for wouldn't be possible without his contributions.

Ten Physical abilities I am thankful for:

1. Running. Not that I'm very fast, but thank goodness I'm fast enough to run after my kids!

2. Being able to cook and clean. Not that I always enjoy doing either, but I am so thankful I have to do them.

3. My eyesight. I am so thankful I can see and enjoy this world and our beautiful children.

4. The ability to taste good food. Especially this time of year. Yum!!

5. I'm thankful for my computer knowledge. I feel like I have been pretty blessed with an understanding of computers and have been able to use that to help earn a little extra money here and there in our lean times. And, of course I enjoy some of the projects and things I can do.

6. I am so, so thankful for the need to sleep - especially now when I have less sleep with a little baby. But, I am thankful our bodies need sleep and I have to stop and take a rest.

7. I am thankful for my ability to drive a car.

8. I am thankful that I am able to take three crazy kids to the store all alone. It's not always easy and there are many times that I forget half of what I went for. But, I can do it!

9. I'm thankful that I can hear music and the sound of our kids laughing and playing

10. Smiles and laughs. Not just my own, but those that surround me day after day.

Ten Physical Possessions I am thankful for:

1. Our home. I love our home and not a day goes by that I don't feel thankful to have it.

2. Our cars. With all the "green" talk on TV these days, Bria keeps asking if we can walk places. We live so far from everything. If we were forced to walk, it would be miserable. I seriously don't know how Dave could even work! We probably wouldn't go anywhere - especially in the winter. Not that I don't love walking, but I think we'll save our "green"-ness for other things.

3. Our computers. I would be completely lost without mine and Dave makes a huge portion of our income by using his. I cannot imagine living in a world without computers.

4. Television. Maybe to some it might sound shallow. But, I. Love. TV. It's something that Dave and I have always done together and we love it. I am equally thankful for our DVR that allows us to pick and choose our shows and watch whenever we want - which is usually very late at night.

5. The washer and dryer. Seriously. Push a button and it does all the work. Amazing!! Now, someone just needs to invent and clothes folder and put away-er. (I guess that's what kids are for, right?!?)

6. The grill. And, of course Dave and his grilling masterfulness. It really wouldn't even be something to be thankful for without someone who uses it so well.

7. Good books.

8. The shower/bathtub and good smelling soaps.

9. Our photos and camera.

10. Our soft, comfortable bed to go to sleep in every night.

Ten things in nature I am thankful for:

1. Fruits and Vegetables and growing them. I love gardening and it never ceases to amaze me what you can get from one little seed.

2. The mountains. I love camping. Everything about it. Being near a campfire, with trees surrounding you. I love the sounds of the birds and animal and the wind blowing through the tress. I love being in the mountains.

3. The ocean. I don't think you can truly appreciate the power of God until you are near an ocean. Watching and feeling and hearing the force of a wave is just incredible.

4. Waterfalls

5. The fresh smell of rain.

6. Thunder and lightning - as long as it's not too close to me.

7. The beauty and color of fall.

8. Spring blossoms covering trees.

9. Living in Idaho, it's hard not to appreciate the beauty of winter, even though I often complain about how cold it get - snow really is beautiful.

10. The moon and stars

Ten things about today I am thankful for:

1. Pumpkin pie. Really the yumminess of all of Thanksgiving dinner, but especially pumpkin pie.

2. Being a mom. This is literally the hardest job I have ever done, but it is also the most rewarding. I wouldn't trade it for the world!!!

3. Teachers. Especially the one's who teach my kids.

4. Dave being home from work for a couple of days. He's been working so hard lately, he really needs a break!

5. The baby swing. Such a lifesaver!

6. My health and the health of everyone in our family.

7. Christmastime.

8. Our growing food storage.

9. Pinching Your Pennies. We wouldn't have the food storage we do without this website.

10. The blogosphere. Especially our blog. I am so thankful that it is so easy to keep and share a journal of our family and for the ability to get it published.

Ten places on Earth I am thankful for:

1. The temple.

2. Our backyard.

3. The grocery store.

4. Albuquerque.

5. The Oregon coast.

6. Hawaii.

7. Disneyland and Disneyworld.

8. Salt Lake City

9. Arches National Park

10. Yellowstone

Ten Modern Inventions I am thankful for:

1. Modern Medicine. Obviously for many reasons, but the biggest reason is that we wouldn't have Max at all. He would never have made it through the incredibly complicated delivery. He was a complete miracle baby.

2. The Internet. Online bill-pay, ideas for my calling, printable coloring pages, research for every crazy question I come up with, deal finding. Gosh...I use the Internet for nearly everything.

3. Indoor plumbing

4. The DVR. See "Physical Possession" #4

5. DVD players for your car. Long trips are SO much easier with one.

6. Riding lawn mowers. I never mow, but I know it saves Dave hours of time mowing our whole acre with a riding lawn mower.

7. My iPod.

8. Texting. I am not a huge fan, but when it is the only way I can get in touch with Dave in a hurry, I am truly thankful.

9. The furnace - especially on cold night like tonight.

10. The hot water heater. There is nothing more wonderful that a hot bath!

Ten Foods I'm thankful for:

1. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate.

2. Pizza. I used to always write that down as my favorite food in elementary school. Sadly, even after all these years, it is still probably one of my most favorite foods.

3. Pot stickers.

4. Homemade bread.

5. Ice cream. Especially when it has chocolate in it.

6. Brownies.

7. Pepsi.

8. Salad.

9. Milk and cheese.

10. Cold cereal. I love that our kids can get it for themselves in the morning so I don't have to get up as early as they do. We really have some early risers in this house!

Ten things about the Gospel of Jesus Christ I am thankful for:

1. The Atonement of Jesus Christ

2. The Book of Mormon

3. Tithing. It is sometimes so hard to pay, but every time we do, we witness very specific and real blessings

4. The priesthood.

5. Eternal Families.

6. The ordinances of the Temple.

7. The primary. I loved serving in the primary and I'm so thankful that my children can be a part of it. Children really are blessed.

8. The hymns.

9. The Relief Society and visiting teaching.

10. The prophet.

I am seriously ashamed to say that was harder than I thought. Naming 100 specific and different things takes some thinking. Then, after a few minutes of thinking about each category, narrowing it down to just 10 for each!