27 Years

Well, I'm 27 years old now. Strange. I can't seem to remember getting that old, but suddenly here I am, almost 30. OK, let's not talk about that--I'm closer to 25 than 30.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about my life and what I've done in the past 27 years. I have so much to be grateful for! I mean, really, my life has been awesome.

I decided to put together a list of 27 things that I'm grateful for. Things I'm glad I did, people I love, things I've learned to appreciate. In no particular order, of course--just what comes to mind.

Here goes:

1.  I couldn't start this list with anything but my husband. He is my very best friend, my white knight, my favorite comedian, my favorite travel companion, and my very best partner in all things. 
2. My parents. Gosh, I'm so lucky to have two very supportive, fantastic parents. I see so much of them in myself, that I couldn't possibly list anything I'm proud of doing without crediting them a bit, too. 
3. Henry. I don't even know where to go with this, because he is just the perfect child for me. He is pure joy, pure goodness, pure wonderful. And just so darn hilarious.
4. I'm glad I went to BYU. That decision totally changed my life, in so many ways. Not the least of which is meeting my eternal companion. I'm so glad I chose to attend a school where the gospel goes hand in hand with academia. 
5. I'm glad I was married in the Temple. Today, for my birthday, we went to the Provo Temple, where Derek and I were sealed together. That decision has brought such focus in my life, reminding me of what is most important: God, my marriage, and my family. 
6. I appreciate the beauty of God's creations. All of them. The mountains, the valleys, the deserts, the green valleys. The stars in the sky, the flowers in the fields, the animals that bring variety to our world. 
7. I'm glad I studied history teaching. It combines two things I love: history, and teaching others about that history. 
8. I'm glad I taught for a year and a half. I still think back on those times with fondness. Even when it was hard, and I did things I shouldn't have, I still think of my students as some of my favorite people. 
9. I'm glad I finished my degree. I think about where my life would be if I hadn't. I wouldn't have had the adventures I have or even some of the self-confidence I do. I know it's not for everyone, but for me--it was pivotal. 
10. I appreciate sitting and reading. You know, since I became a Mom, that time is really diminished. And when I do finally have time to sit and read, I'm so tired, I find myself taking a nap so I can keep up with school, work, house stuff, and my Little Brute. I truly appreciate that time, though, so when I can, I try to read at least a little bit. 
11.  I appreciate having the Holy Ghost with me at all times. I can't even remember life without his constant companionship, and I am so grateful to have the Spirit with me to help me make decisions, to prompt me when I need to be careful, and to guide me as a mother. 
12. My siblings. They are so awesome. I hope my kids have the same relationship with their siblings as I do with mine.
1. Corinne: the older sister I followed, learned from. I've said it before, but besides my parents, I give her credit for teaching me to read and to love doing it. Something I could never thank her enough for. 
2. Samantha: my best partner in crime--good crimes and bad. Almost every good memory of my childhood includes her. 
3. Dallon: my favorite brother. I know if I had 50, he'd still be my favorite. I hope my son grows up to be as kind, as brave, and as wonderful as Dallon. 
4. Chelsey: I admire so much about this girl, but especially the way she works. Oh, and I hope to be as funny as she is someday. 
13. I'm glad I did study abroad. That semester set so many things in motion for my life. I left my family thinking I would like England and have a good time, but I had no idea how much! And how much a part of my life England would become. 
14. I'm glad Derek and I did PKP. That gave us a taste of Cambridge, but even more than that. In our first year of marriage, it gave us some time just the two of us, far from family, to figure ourselves out. 
15. I'm glad we moved to England for a year. I would like to elaborate on this, but I might cry. Perhaps later. 
16. I appreciate a good glass of cold root beer. Being in England for a year, where Root Beer is available but expensive, I learned to appreciate sitting down with a glass of A&W. We've been home less than a week and we've already had 4 liters go through our fridge--most of it consumed by me. 
17. I appreciate having a Temple nearby. Only getting to attend once while we were in England was hard--it was expensive and far away. But having two in the same city (well, almost 2) where I live, that is amazing. 
18. I'm glad I worked hard in school. All my life, really. Even when I was a kid, I tried. Not as hard as I had to in university, but still. I'm glad I didn't ever give up. 
19. I appreciate that my parents let us have pets. I learned so much from having dogs and cats growing up, and how they really can become part of the family. 
20. I appreciate the differences between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Sometimes, I prefer what the other countries are doing. But I also recognize that those difference make us unique. They give us a chance to improve, goals to work towards. 
21. I'm glad my parents instilled a sense of patriotism in me. You will hear me talk about how much I love England every day, probably. But I am so proud to be an American. I am so proud to claim the Stars and Stripes as my own. 
22. I'm glad I work for Ancestry.com. I have learned so much at this job, and I love it. I'll always be grateful for how flexible they have been with my move to England, my family situation, and my desire to work fewer hours. 
23. I appreciate long drives in the car with Derek. I really did miss our drives out to Duchesne, through such beautiful country, when we could talk and talk and talk about anything and everything. With Henry, there is a new dynamic, but I still love a good drive where we can talk about our dreams. 
24. I appreciate the mountains. I really did miss the towering majesty of Utah's mountains while we were abroad. Going in to the canyons this week, I realized just how lucky I am to live near these--God's handmade cathedrals. 
25. I appreciate modern technology. Even just writing this blog post, I'm feeling so grateful for computers and keyboards. But this includes hot water, manufacturing, etc. I am so grateful we were able to skype with family every week while we were gone--to actually see them while we chatted! That is amazing. 
26. I'm glad I chose to marry Derek. Maybe this is going back to #1, but really--I think about this all the time. No matter what people say, thinking they influenced me, it was MY choice. I chose. and I am so glad I chose the right man. :)
27. I appreciate the challenges that come my way. Some people claim that Derek and I live charmed lives; and we do have pretty awesome lives, but we've chosen to keep our challenges private. And I appreciate that God has enough confidence in me to overcome them and to become a better person because of them. 

So---27. I realize that there are a million more things I could add to this list. But these are the first 27 that came to mind. 

I'm excited for the next year, the next decades, the next century maybe. I am so blessed and I know that I will continue to see and recognize even more blessings in my life. So here's to more amazing years in this mortal life!