70 Things I am Grateful For

A few months ago I was tagged by my sister-in-law Corissa to blog 5 things that no one knew about me. I still haven't done it. It's not that I didn't want to do it...I honestly couldn't think of 5 things that people didn't know (that I wanted to share). Then recently, my friend Cassaundra tagged me to blog 100 things about myself. If I had a hard time with 5...there is no way I could do 100.

But I have been thinking a lot lately of something my mom shared with me. She told me of a time in her life that was really hard for her. In an effort to cope, she said that every night she would think of 10 things she was grateful for. She said sometimes it was easy, but other times...she said that 10 things would take her a while to list.

Moving to Colorado has been a little tough for me. I miss my friends, my family--my husband--and I just feel way, way outside my comfort zone...so I have been making little lists of things that I am grateful for. Some are obvious, but some are just little things that make my life happy and so much easier.

So instead of 100 things about me, I decided to make a list of 100 things that I am grateful for--however--I only got to 70. But it's a good 70. Here goes:

1. My husband--I don't have words or time if I did have the words to describe how much I love him.
2. My two sweet kids--same as above
3. Having the gospel in my life
4. The Book of Mormon
5. Hardwood floors--yeah for me and my new kitchen!
6. My Dust Buster--the easiest way to clean up Cheerios off the floor and off Jack.
7. Clorox wipes
8. Diet Dr. Pepper
9. Bath and Body Works
10. Bath and Body Work's Semi-Annual Sale!
11. Public Libraries
12. Digital Cameras
13. Contacts and hopefully someday LASIK
14. Costco
15. California King beds
16. Painted Walls--I will never have white walls again!
17. Cable TV with a DVR that can record two shows at one time!
18. Netflix
19. Di Giornno Four Cheese Pizza (yummy!!!)
20. 100 Calorie snack packs and Breyer's Ice Cream Cups
21. Baskin and Robbins
22. Flip Flops
23. Flip Flop weather
24. My friends
25. Layla's friends
26. Babysitters
27. 8x12 Photos from Costco that I use in scrapbooking
28. Michael's 40% off one item coupons
29. Layla's smile
30. My mother--only now that I have my own children do I realize how much she loves me
31. LOST--what am I going to do until next season
32. Good books
33. Good book groups
34. Holding Layla's hand
35. The fact that Layla wants me to hold her hand
36. Dinner and a movie--the perfect date
37. Pedicures
38. The Internet
39. Blogs and email...I love keeping tabs on the people I love
40. My brothers--I have the best brothers. I love each of them so much for so many different reasons. I wish they all lived closer to me
41. My sisters--I have the cutest sisters who love me even though I am not a cool and hip teenager
42. Jack's smile--I am praying that he keeps his little hint of a dimple. I love it!
43. Eggo whole wheat pancakes--so easy and they make me feel like a good mom
44. Milk--without it Layla would starve to death
45. My kids' bedtime--7:00 is when my life begins
46. My dad--I look up to my dad so much. I think every little girl thinks their dad is perfect and could never do anything wrong. I still think that about my dad
47. Crystal Light packets for water bottles
48. Baked Ruffles
49. Chocolate Molten Lava Cake from Chili's
50. All my in-laws--I couldn't have asked for a better family to marry into.
51. 6 month grace period for student loans
52. Jack's thunder thighs
53. Every single one of Jack's chins
54. The excitement of something new..be it a book, something to wear...or a new vacuum (the highlight of last week!)
55. Family in general--no matter where I am, I know there is someone somewhere who loves me
56. Bath and Body Works wallflowers in Fresh Linen and Vanilla Coconut
57. The anticipation of a Harry Potter July (book and movie)--something great to look forward to.
58. Double Strollers--how did I survive without one?
59. Parks within walking distance
60. Cell phones
61. Sprint to Sprint feature on our cell phones--I love being able to talk to my family, Caton, and my friends who also have Sprint as often as I want and as long as I want.
62. The church--I am grateful that no matter where we live, we are part of a ward and have the opportunity to make good friends with families like ours.
63. The ocean--"sigh"--I miss it!
64. The first time Jack sees me in the morning. It's like he hasn't seen me in years--he is so happy.
65. Cool "humid-less" nights
66. No snow on Christmas--a white Christmas is sooo overrated!
67. Chips and Guacamole
68. Diaper Wipes--what did parents do before diaper wipes were invented. How many times have I been saved by a diaper wipe?
69. Along those lines...Hand Sanitizer!
70. My job--I get to stay home and spend all day with the two people I love the most. I get to be there for all of Layla's discoveries and funny remarks. I get to watch Jack drag himself across the entire room to eat any Cheerios off the floor that I haven't Dust Busted yet (he really likes Cheerios). At night I am tired from the diaper changes, the feedings, the tears and whining, the time-outs, the spit-up, the drool, the scrapes and princess bandaids, and the messes, but I love that I get to do it every day. I think of all the hugs and kisses I give and get and I am so grateful for all of it.

That's all I have right now. It's more than 10 which I am proud of as I am still adjusting to my new life in a new place. But as I continually look for more things that deserve my gratitude, I am gaining more perspective of how wonderful my life really is and I realize how blessed I am.