November Is For ThanksGiving

I’m going to show some gratitude in honor of it being November. So I’m just going to share something I’m grateful every day until Thanksgiving.

November 1^st: I’m thankful for this tiny studio apartment that we live in. There’s like hardly any space, but we were so blessed we were able to find something relatively cheap and close to the school in our short time period. I get to spend so much time with Jake because of it. It like forces me to never leave his side. We’ve grown closer together since we can’t leave each other. Okay, but no really, I am so thankful for this small space that we get to call ours. (and since we’ll be moving soon, and I’ve been looking at rentals down there, I am even more thankful for the price of this place)

November 2^nd: I’m thankful for my experience in Mexico. I met some amazing people, forged some great friendships, and taught the cutest little kiddos ever! To be honest, it also was SUPER tough. My dad was diagnosed with cancer when I was away, and that made it really difficult being away from family at the time. But I had some rather good replacements over there, and they took good care of me. I watched videos of the kids and ugly-cried the whole time. When Jake got home I made him watch them with me again, and repeated the cycle… oops

November 3^rd: I’m thankful for job opportunities. My favorite thing to be thankful for are the things that are almost hard to be thankful for. I turned down a job offer today and I felt sooo bad about it, but I’m still thankful that I have many opportunities to help provide for my family, even if it’s not exactly the job I was hoping for.

November 4^th: I bet you’ve all been waiting for it, but I am so thankful for my husband. He’s pretty cool and he works hard to support us. He deals with me and my worst and my slightly better than worst. And he still doesn’t hate me for it. That’s pretty freaking cool. I know he is always going to be there for me and I’m so grateful for that. 

November 5^th: I am thankful for my family. Really though, I was blessed with some amazing people in my life. Like, they take care of me and buy me groceries and let me talk their ear off and hang out with me. Even my exes have liked my family, and good on them because they should have. I may be the outcast of the fam, but it would suck if I didn’t have them.

November 6^th: Obviously I am so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am reminded every day, but especially today. Jake has started putting on scriptures to listen to in the morning as we get ready. I heard the scripture about Jesus’ arm always being outstretched towards us and all we have to do is reach back to Him. How amazing is that?? This world is sure a scary place, but Jesus makes it soooo much better. Welcome Him into your life and you will not be disappointed.

November 7^th: So lately I have been hating school, like a lot. I feel dumber and dumber with every class I take, every assignment I turn in, and ever presentation I give. I was a little floored that people would actually want to hire me with how stupid I feel in school sometimes. But I am thankful for the education I am gaining at this university. BYU-I sure gets a bad rep sometimes. I read an article this girl wrote basically saying “I told BYU-I they sucked in a nice way,” and I thought it was just THE WORST. I guess you really do get out what you put in. I don’t always put in all my effort. I don’t always get along with every professor. I don’t always get good grades either, but I’m not going to blame that on anyone else but me. So yeah, I’m grateful for this university that is teaching me more than just how to balance debits and credits.

November 8^th: Have you ever been so overwhelmed with a feeling that you don’t even know what to do with yourself?? That might sound stupid, and this might as well, but I am thankful for feeling; for all the emotions we feel on this crazy life journey. I feel that way sometimes about how much I love Jacob. I felt this way when I was in Mexico a lot. I was thinking back about that time; that time when I was hecka depressed, cried myself to sleep every night, didn’t talk to anyone, and lacked motivation of any kind. And isn’t that the coolest thing ever? There was a lot of pain, like a whole bunch. There was a lot of fear; I didn’t think I would see him ever again. And holy freak, was I very bitter. But I got to feel all this so deeply. I didn’t just go numb to feelings, as nice as it sounded. And now I get to experience the same thing, feeling my feelings, especially with my husband.

November 9^th: Holy heck, I am grateful for the friends and acquaintances I have met at college. Today we gave a pretty good presentation in my tax class and, just dang, there are some great people. Last year I just loved all the people I came in contact with, I thought they were just the best. I have definitely lost that feeling a little bit over the year, but I get glimpses of it again and it just makes me happy. People are so cool and it’s cool that they’re in my life.

November 10^th: Jake and I ended this really show on Netflix today. I’m grateful for “Freaks and Geeks.” I think we thought it was so good because some really terrible stuff happened and somehow things still worked out okay. I showed that even the “perfect” family has their own struggles, and that people are generally trying to just find something that makes them happy and gives them purpose.

November 11^th: So today I drove the three hours home to Buhl by myself. I love driving by myself, because it gives me that alone/meditation time I really need. When I’m driving I’ll just start talking to God. That’s what I’m thankful for today. I’m thankful that I am able to pray to God. Think about it. God listens to you. The creator of the universe listens to me as I drive in my car. He listens to me always. And he listens to you always. And He helps us, always!

November 12^th: I’m thankful for my home. The one I grew up in. When I was younger, I was always a little embarrassed about what my home looked like. While all my friends seemed to live in large elaborate houses, I was living in one that was small and never seemed to be clean. But I am so grateful for the love that was shown in that house and the lessons I learned there. It’s always nice to go back.

November 13^th: I’m thankful for all the people in my life than love and support me. We’ve been writing thank you cards from the wedding this week, and it’s been fun to reflect on the family and friends that supported us on our special day. I think Jake had to be very overwhelmed at our reception meeting all these people that I was 100% confident “were just the best.” He had to have heard that over and over again. But I really feel that way about all these great people that I know. I think that one reason I generally like my life so much is because I’ve been surrounded by these people and obviously they have done things and lived their lives in such a manner that I think they “are just the best.”

November 14^th: Okay, this one is for my brother. Dang, he’s the best and I am grateful for him. Kagen has been the best friend through college. We’ve went to the temple together, and to Taco Bell, and on road trips home every other week when my dad was going through chemo. We’ve had some long talks where we complain and rant about every possible thing about college, and then we talk about our family.  He’s always there for me, and I always want to be there for him.

November 15^th: I am so grateful for painting. Seriously, I’ve gotten back into it lately and it’s the only thing I can think about anymore. I find it so relaxing and enjoyable. And I’m grateful for that because I need some relaxation after working on tax debates all day.

November 16^th: I’m thankful for plans that change. Okay, if you are anything like me, changing plans is the literal worst thing. You take all this time to plan something out for a certain time, and then something happens and it totally throws off all your plans, and your entire day, and your whole life. Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But today I had to change most of my plans, and as frustrating as it always is, I was also grateful for the new opportunities and acts of service I was able to do, instead of the “perfect” little things I had planned to do.

November 17^th: Oh baby, I’m grateful for date nights on Friday nights! Okay, dating is great and all, well once you’re married. A few reasons why: when I was single I would go on weeknight dates all the time. I don’t know about you, but I got homework to do on those days. “Do I want to go on a date this Wednesday? Actually, I want to be doing by calculus homework, Brandon!!” (Never dated a boy named Brandon) Also, talk about all the awkward moments on those dates. A girl can only hold a fart in for so long until it breeds inside of her and ruins the whole night! Okay, all joking aside, I’m just grateful that I can spend some free time with my best friend. And we went to Target and bought a skillet on our date. (I promise we’re still young and childless…)

November 18^th: I’m grateful for people who are undeniably unapologetically unashamedly themselves. You know those people that are just the way they want to be no matter how weird, nerdy, or awkward they may look to other people. How amazing would it be to just act the exact way you want to, and do the exact things you want to do without worrying about other people’s opinions? I’m convinced that most people are jealous of this type of people. Today I’m just thankful they exist, because I feel that most others are trying to be their own original person, but within the bounds of what other people think it acceptable and normal. We all want to be different, by being the same. It doesn’t work that way. So, thank goodness for people who make the world a more diverse place.

November 19: Prophets and Apostles. Okay yeah, definitely thankful for the leaders of my church. The cool thing is: God loves us. He still loves us. Just like people of old. And because He loved them, He gave them prophets and apostles so they weren’t alone and confused. And since He loves us too, He did the. Exact. Same. Thing! Talk about love. I’m grateful for their guidance, for their example, and for the witness they bear of Christ.

November 20^th: I’m thankful for my little brother! My brother left us for two whole years, yeah two of them, because He knew what God wanted him to do. So, he’s off serving the people in California and sharing the great news of Jesus and His restored gospel with them. He’s like having birthdays and celebrating holidays away from home, and believe me, that’s not fun. Being away isn’t fun or easy sometimes, but he does it, and for that I am so proud. I am so grateful for his example, to me as well as my younger siblings, and I’m grateful for him being such a great brother growing up.

November 21^st: Okay, some of you will probably hate this, so I will admit it right out front. I am one of those ‘monsters’ that listens to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. And #SorryNotSorry I am really thankful for my Christmas jams. They are just these wonderful, beautiful, uplifting songs about JESUS. Have you noticed the difference that happens to the world when we start listening to Christmas music? I will assure you it is a super positive change. It’s just happy music about Jesus, that makes people happy and reminds them of their Lord and Savior. I’ll all about this happiness and I think I’ll take part in it as soon as it is the slightest bit acceptable. 
November 22^nd: Today I changed my name on my social security card. It’s only been two and a half months, so that’s not too bad, right? But honestly, the social security office is in Idaho Falls and it is only open Monday- Friday from like 9 to 4… Those are some tricksty times, especially since Jake has the car at work most days. But I showed up at 8:55, and there was already a line! Apparently the Social Security Office is the place to be on the day before Thanksgiving. But I’m grateful that it didn’t take all day and I am on my way to officially becoming a Corum.

November 23^rd: It’s Thanksgiving!! Okay, so the last two years I haven’t been home for Thanksgiving. I haven’t really celebrated Thanksgiving really. Well not in the traditional way. Last Thanksgiving, I was on the beach in Veracruz. There was no turkey. No pumpkin pie. No stuffing. Obviously, it was hard. So I’m thankful for celebrating holidays with my family again. The thing is though, my family was pretty sick the whole day and I still wouldn’t give it up for anything.