Things that I am thankful for...

1. The fall - I absolutely love this time of year! Especially now that I live on the East Coast, after growing up in California, it's so beautiful to watch the leaves change color and to feel that chill in the air. I am looking forward to baking apple pies, drinking hot chocolate, pulling out my fall/winter clothes and switching to flannel sheets on my bed! (I know, I'm such a dork.) But seriously, there is something refreshing about change. I also love the start of a new school year - I always did as a student and I still do now as a teacher. It's such a gift to have a fresh start every year.

2. College football - My husband and I are huge college football fans. We both are extremely passionate about our teams and we pretty much spend every Saturday on the couch. We just love this time of year! It's really fun that we have this in common and we were even on ESPN last year! Our teams (Nebraska and USC) played each other last September and so of course we went to the game. (Along with both our families!) We uploaded the clip to Youtube so maybe I will have to post the link sometime... it's pretty funny!

3. Daily chats with my parents - It's amazing how living 3,000 miles away from my family has brought me so much closer to them. Pretty much every day on my way home I call my mom or dad. We don't always chat for very long, but I feel so close to them, despite the many miles between us. I NEVER EVER imagined that I would be living this far. (One of the many surprises God had in store for me on this journey of life.) I know that my family misses me a ton, so I am really thankful for these chats that keep us connected.

4. My super amazing hubby - I realize this should probably go up to the top of the list (instead of being behind fall and football!) But this is not in order of importance. I hope that I never take my husband or the gift of our marriage for granted. He truly is the best gift I have ever received. I can't even begin to imagine my life without him! Despite all the darkness that we are going through right now, I know that no matter what happens we will handle it together. He is my partner in everyway and we were truly made for each other. I pray for the grace to be a good wife and to do my job of helping him get to heaven.

5. A cup of coffee and a good book - I absolutely love to sit down with a cup of coffee and a good book. (Right now I am reading Pillars of the Earth and I'm almost finished - all 1,000 pages!) It's interesting how during these past couple of years of trying to conceive I have really felt as if my life has been "on hold." In some ways I've actually resented all the free time I have because I know that if I was a mom, I wouldn't have so much of it. (Isn't that silly?) That being said, I am really trying hard to embrace the present - and this includes being thankful for the time to just sit and read!

6. Blogs and Facebook - While I admit there are pros and cons to too much time on the internet, I have been able to connect and reconnect with so many friends this way. It's been fun to catch up with so many people in my life.

Well, this list isn't very comprehensive... but it just happens to be the things on my mind right now. Thank you God for all these gifts.