Last week, in the middle of some frustrations and aggravations, I decided I would spend the coming days focused on blessings and being thankful instead of ticking off every last thing that annoyed me. With Thanksgiving the big even of the week, I promised I would be cataloging some of the everyday things I often take for granted, but for which I am so incredibly grateful. Here it is, as Danny and I prep for our one-day-later Thanksgiving feast with our family.

I am thankful for:

1. A house that is a wonderful, safe home, even if I’m not crazy about all our furniture.
2. My interest in cooking and healthy eating, which has led to not only feeling better, but really enjoying our meals!
3. A shower with fairly strong water pressure. And clean water.
4. Friends who I know would be there for me in the middle of the night if I had an emergency, even if we haven’t seen each other or talked for months at a time.
5. That creative streak that refuses to be suppressed for too long at a time.
6. The freedom to worship God how and when and where I want.
7. Modern digital technology like Google Hangouts, Skype, and Kakao Talk, which let me feel close to friends and family who live scattered across the country or even the world.
8. A kitchen filled with tools I love and use, like plenty of storage containers, good pots and pans, and a well-stocked spice cabinet.
9. Grace. Because I certainly need it extended to me, and that pushes me to strive to extend it to others.
10. A dog that thinks there is nothing better in the world than being with me and hearing me talk to him in a happy voice. And give him a snack.
11. Technological advances that have made it possible for doctors to replace an old  hip replacement — so hopefully my grandfather will be comfortably mobile again before Christmas.
12. Sunshine!
13. Delicious food for the family Thanksgiving dinner, and the means and abilities to purchase it.
14. A supportive community of friends and fellow photographers who encourage me and help me pursue my dreams and goals.
15. Clothes warm enough to brave snow flurries and freezing temperatures.
16. Amazon Prime — really, it saves us so much time, and money too.
17. A hot cup of tea on a chilly afternoon.
18. Desiringgod.org — my favorite place to listen to sermons online.
19. Family that likes getting together for the holidays. Without drama.
20. Modern pluming.
21. Netflix, which often keeps me company as I cook or clean or fold laundry.
22. Clients who feel more like friends.
23. Easy access to virtually any book I could want to read — often without having to even leave my house.
24. Having  a home-away-from-home with Danny’s family, complete with our own bedroom. Where we already have clothes and toiletries waiting for us.
25. Smartphones, so we can look up any information we need at any time, from any place.
26. The opportunity for Danny and me to work together. It is such a blessing, and something that has brought us closer.
27. Cars that are not only reliable, but very comfortable.
28. Our health. It’s so easy to take it for granted when we are young and fit, but it is so far from guaranteed.
29. Being on the same page with Danny in every area of how we want to organize and plan our lives.
30. Christmas music! Because it’s finally that time of year again.
31. People in our lives who have stood tall as examples of faithful living and strong character.
32. Traveling to new places and seeing new parts of the country and the world.
33. Good quality kitchen tools.
34. Access to clean water.
35. Tissues. Seriously. Because handkerchiefs are pretty but rather disgusting.
36. The sound of the ocean.
37. Seeing our friends truly happy.
38. Comfortable shoes that fit well and provide support.
39. Finding funny old relics from childhood that bring back wonderful, sometimes hilarious memories.
40. Heaters in the winter and air conditioners in the summer . . . or air conditioners year round, as it often is in Florida. . . .
41. Studio management and photo editing software that makes our work more streamlined and faster to complete.
42. Seeing measurable personal growth.
43. Parents who have always been wildly supportive of everything I have ever wanted to do.
44. The lessons we learn that eventually make struggles and frustrations feel worthwhile.
45. Watching the seasons change — every year the same, and yet new and exciting every time.
46. Mountain vistas.
47. Computers — because, for all the frustration I feel when they don’t work right (or quickly enough), we pretty much couldn’t function without them.
48. Plugging into an organization bigger than ourselves and working as a team for the greater good.
49. A husband whose love I will never have to question.
50. The exciting, promising future.

I truly hope your Thanksgiving was a wonderful one, and a joyous start to the holiday season!

~ Laura