In the United States of America, today is Thanksgiving.
I’m in Nicaragua, and even though we’ll be celebrating alone, we decided to still celebrate as a family.
We love celebrating holidays in the countries we visit, but it’s also important to maintain family traditions and celebrate selected holidays while traveling and living abroad. It helps you to connect to where you come from and who you are.
Thanksgiving is a great holiday (one of my favorites), not just because of good food, but because it offers you a time to reflect on your blessings.
And that’s something I really need to do right now. I’m struggling with some personal challenges, and ‘counting my blessings’ will certainly help.
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So here I go. things I am thankful for.
- An incredible husband. Really, he is the best. Strong, positive, optimistic, funny, sexy... he’s really amazing, and I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am without him.
- Kyah, my oldest, she is helpful, good, and outgoing. She has helped me to become a better mother.
- Parker is creative, talented, tender-hearted and obedient. He’s a great son.
- Kimball is off-the-wall, contrarian and passionate. He can be very thoughtful. He makes me laugh.
- Aaliyah is sweet, creative, and loving. She’s my little princess.
- Atlas is funny, sweet and fully of energy. I can’t imagine our family without him.
- Saige (?) -- I don’t know what she’s like yet, but I can’t wait to meet her.
- The opportunity to have children and give birth, even though it's sometimes frightening and difficult (both giving birth and raising kids 😉 )
- God who continually guides my life, despite my rebellious spirit.
- My mother who has always supported our crazy lifestyle choices, and never questioned our sanity.
- My father who taught me to love reading and inspired me to make healthier lifestyle choices.
- My siblings who I love and miss more everyday.
- My mother-in-law who would do anything in her power for us.
- The many incredible friends we’ve met during our travels.
- All of you who read and follow our blog and give me a reason to continue writing and sharing.
- This big beautiful world of which I’ve been able to explore a small portion of.
- My big dreams, which give me hope to ‘keep moving forward’ when the going gets tough.
- For good health.
- Fans to help keep me cool in the Nicaraguan heat.
- Mosquito nets to protect us from those dang mosquitoes!
- Great books. They bring me face to face with greatness and help me to be better, to maintain hope and to never stop dreaming.
- My Mac. I love it.
- My camera. I love taking pictures.
- My essential oils. I’m so glad I have them.
- Beautiful sunsets.
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What are you grateful for today? Please share in the comments.
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I am thankful for you too, all 8 of you! I do love and support you and though I do have the occasional sleep interrupted night thinking, pondering and praying for you, I am grateful that I have the faith to trust that our loving Heavenly Father, and also your earthly father, are watching over you and will bless you. I sometimes wish the Lord wasn’t so fond of ‘photo finishes’, but His timing is always perfect, and He is ever faithful. I know your dad’s patriarchal responsibilities continue on through the veil and we talked about him possibly having more opportunity to be of influence from that side of the veil than from this side. I urge you to watch for evidence of his influence in helping you. Our faith is often tested to the enth degree, but as long as we focus on gratitude and continue to trust in the Lord, He will direct our paths. I pray that you will be guided to find the proper support for Saige’s birth and that you will make a study of birthing technique and preparation that will help you to trust in the natural process your body is prepared to go through. Fear is the opposite of faith, and I say this as much for my own benefit as for yours, that we need to develop our gratitude and faith to such an extent that there is no room left for fear.
I remember watching you sleep in your bassinet in our first apartment, dad and I together, arms around each other, and both tearing up at the thought of you ever getting your first scraped knee or a broken bone or such. You were just so perfect and we felt such a weight of responsibility to take care of you. We never realized how much we could love this precious little part of ourselves and we so wanted to do it right! You were definitely our experimental model, and we made plenty of mistakes, but we obviously did many things right, because look at what an amazing, capable, beautiful inside and out, faithful, loving accomplished woman you have become! You teach me so much every day about courage and passion. I respect you acting on your dreams, even though it is never easy, and doing what so many others only dream of. I can only imagine how scared I would be in many of the circumstances you have been through and am amazed at your confidence and faith. You know only too well that most often the things we fear, when we actually face them, are not so bad after all, and once we get through them, it’s like, ‘what was I afraid of?’ I wish so much that I could be with you, but even though you were in AK, I wasn’t with you last time. Your dear husband was by your side, and I know the Lord will provide capable hands to assist you when the time comes. I told Fred last night, you must be feeling a little like Mary and Joseph. I know dad is counseling with Saige before she makes her appearance, and loving her before we do!
I do miss all your beautiful children and pray that a way will come to allow us all to be together and enjoy one another soon! I love and miss you all!
Wonderful list Rach! Love you. Miss you more and more everyday!
RoxanneChristensen Love you too Rox!
I’m grateful that I’ve managed to drive without getting in a major accident so far.