11- I'm thankful for my calling as a the Sunbeam teacher. Although not easy to go and teach 8-10 4 yr olds all by myself every week, I sure have fallen in love with them all and it breaks my heart to have to loose them next month. I love having their parents tell me how much they love me and even re-inact primary at home pretending to be "Sis. Harris" I hope someday they can look back just as I have and be thankful for all their primary teachers.
12- I'm thankful for technology. Living so far away from family, I rely on the internet to skype and cell phone to call and text. It truly is a blessing to live in this era where so much is available to us. I don't know what I would do without skyping. Today I skyped with my favorite little nephew Jaxon. Gosh I miss him and my sister Kim so much, I'm greatful they took time out to say hi and sing a song to me, even if it was just a five min skype date :)
13- I'm thankful for my neices and nephews on both sides of the family. I live for these kids and when I'm around them I just can't get enough of them all. All I do when I see them is hug and kiss them and tell them how much I love them.
14- I'm thankful for my all my brothers and sisters in law. I have so much love for each of them and I'm so greatful for all their love and support for Jeff and I. It's been hard living so far away from them all. It's hard to think we will never end up in St. George again close to Jeff's brothers... we miss how convenient it was to go and see everyone and to laugh and play games together. I'm thankful for my sisters Husbands and for how much they love and respect my sisters. I'm so thankful they married men that provide for their families and who are incredible fathers.
15- I'm thankful for my incredible in-laws. I truly have been blessed with the best in-laws ever... I don't think anyone is as lucky as I am. And despite always living away from them and seeing them ever so often I feel so close them, as if I have always been apart of their family. They are the most generous and thoughtful people ever. And I appreciate all they have done for Jeff. You can tell they are incredible parents by how much Jeff loves and respects them.
16-I'm thankful for service. Jeff and I agreed that when we moved here to Alaska we would find every possible way to serve others around us. We have had the opportunity to serve in our ward, to our friends and to many others without them knowing. Charity truly is the pure love of Christ... and Jeff and I have both felt it. Just yesterday we had the opportunity to volunteer from our ward to go and unload food to hopefully feed 500-600 families in the Anchorage area. Our stake does a project called, Thanksgiving Blessing where we have the opportunity to donate some money to purchase food for those not able to have a thanksgiving meal and then we give a few hours of our time unloading and delivering the food. It was so neat to see all who volunteered to help. and the amount of food delivered was remarkable. It was below zero out and we were all working together with frozen fingers, toes and running noses to get all the food prepared for this week. It was a long 2 hours in the cold but such an amazing opportunity to be a part of.
Jeff eating a popsicle in -10 degree weather
The numberous bags of apples that was the culprit for our freezing!!!
17- I'm thankful for such amazing friends... both old and new. I'm thankful for the friends we have back in Utah who we continue to keep in touch with ever so often and I'm thankful for the friends we have made here in Alaska that have really become our family. I don't know what we would do without such great friends to keep us entertained and laughing in life.
18- I'm thankful for HEAT!!! You don't realize how incredibly cold it can get until you live in a land that gets below zero for not just a day or two... but for weeks. Our first winter in Alaska was very mild and pretty tolerable. Granted my wardrobe had to change a bit but the fur boots, coats and many layers is very fashionable here :)This winter... not so enjoyable. It is only November and we have had more snow fall already this year than all of last winter combined... and it's only November, winter lasts til April here!!! This past week we have broke records since 1969 with temps below zero. We still have yet to turn our heat on in our house only due to the fact that he heats the bedrooms first and then the living room. We hate having a hot bedroom and in fact still sleep with a fan on... under 2 comforters of course :) We have a fantastic floor heater that keeps us warm while we cuddle under blankets on the couch... But we will see how long we can keep that up. Waking up to 50 degrees in your house is never a fun thing!
19- I'm thankful for laughter and how easy it turns a bad day around! There is never a dull moment being married to my husband!
20- I'm thankful for traditions. Jeff and I like to share our memories of traditions from growing up but we have loved starting our own. We love getting up early to do black friday (except this year everything open up at midnight... I'm not happy bout that, kinda ruins the whole black friday) then we set up Christmas. We also go to Lowes every year to buy a new house for our Christmas village. Jeff started this tradition with our first chritmas when he surprised me with 4 new ones and our house decorated. We also are fortunate to help a family out for christmas. This truly invites the Christmas spirit. I remember when I was younger, knowing my family was not the richest family on the block, but our parents made us go under the tree and grab a wrapped gift with our name on it to go give to a family. We would drive in our van, with the sliding door open and the inside lights unplugged so no one would see us and we would run and knock and drop off a giant black garbage sack with gifts intended for us, but knowing others would appreciate far more than we would. I hope with Jeff and I starting this tradition as a couple, we will continue it with our kids. This year Jeff and I will be spending Christmas with just the 2 of us... as hard as it is to not be home with family for the holidays, I look forward to coming up with many other traditions. But we look forward to seeing all our family in January
1 comment:
Tricia and Jeff - You two are simply amazing! We have loved knowing you and having you as our friends. You two truly have a Christ-centered home and were always so inviting. We love and miss you guys so much. Hope to see you in January! Enjoy your Christmas together, Ryan and I are doing the same thing for the first time this year and are so excited to start new traditions of our own.
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