Thanksgiving

For the past week i have been wanting to write a blog post about Thanksgiving and what i am thankful for. But i had a hard time deciding how i wanted to go about and do it. I am glad that i waited till after Thanksgiving to do so because what i experienced that day is what i want to write about.

Thanksgiving day i went up to my grandparents house in St. Anthony, Idaho. It was the year where all the kids went up. I was fortunate to have a aunt who came and picked me up and took me with them. That day my parents and little brother Stephen also came up. McKayla had to stay because she couldn't miss basketball. Shana also couldn't make it up from Texas.

In my grandparents small house, there was about 50 people. It was chaotic and loud but i loved every second of it. We had a great day full of food conversation football and movies, but to me there was still something missing. It just didn't feel the same. What was missing was the few people who couldn't make it. I never have spent Thanksgiving where Shana and McKayla were missing. I feel i have taken advantage of all those other times where we were all together. Thanksgiving just wasn't the same without them. Being with the Bischoff side of the family, i recognized that the other thing that was missing was my boys Jaiden and Tyson. When there families came walking in the door it just felt weird that they weren't with them.

So this year as i look back at some trials and challenges that i had, some life that i had to endure and get through, i wanted to recognize something that i am grateful for through all those. The first thing that popped in my head was family. I know everyone says that as their first they are thankful for, but this is the thing that i am most thankful for this past year. I have an incredible family. Not just immediate, but extended also. Being with them last week and not being with some of them really got me thinking about how much they mean to me.

I am so grateful that i was brought up in this gospel and church. That i was born to parents who were married in the temple and who also were born to parents who were married in the temple. I am so grateful that we have the opportunity to be with each for eternity and i can't imagine anything different. :)

On a side note, here is my apartments living room wall. We made a thankful tree with leaves that say many many things that we are thnakful for.