Thursday, November 24, 2016

Thankfuls 2016

Happy Thanksgiving!  Ever since I have been little I have been making a list of 100 things I am thankful for each year on (or close to) Thanksgiving Day.  The tradition was started by my mom on a car ride out to Iowa to visit family for Thanksgiving and has continued.

Thankfuls for 2016 (in no particular order):
1. God - merciful, just, creator, faithful, good
2. Jesus - for allowing his Bigness to become human
3. Ian - my best friend, wooer of my heart, pointer to Jesus, and my love
4. Family - they celebrate us and encourage us as only people who have known us forever can
5. Friends who love us like family
6. Christmas music
7. Rest
8. Sleep
9. cozy fires in fireplaces
10. the one who He has blessed us with - next year at this time, we will know you Wee One
11. the blessed 2nd trimester
12. my babies at school - I have the best this year (do I say that every year?)
13. Hadley Rose and the Donkey - our reliable and safe vehicles 
14. a school that is warm in the winter and cool in the summer
15. decaf coffee
16. snuggle blankets
17. Grandpa and Kathryn - they never miss a holiday card
18. traditions that bring joy and not burden or stress
19. a washer and dryer that is in our apartment
20. Target and all its first world white girlness and its dollar section
21. my first world white girl problems
22.  God's faithfulness throughout Ian's grad school
23. The light at the end of the long adventure of grad school
24. my love - Ian
25. coffee - Ian
26.  my love's job - Ian
27. Irish coffees - Ian
28. eggnog - Ian - I second that!
29. books - Ian
30.  Riley (our friends' golden retriever) - Ian
31. our balcony - Ian
32. board games - Ian
33. our skylight -  Ian
34. Logos Software - hebrew and greek translation software - Ian
35. my professors - Ian
36. Ben Shapiro -  Ian
37. coffee creamer -  Ian
38. free panera bagels -  Ian
at this point Ian had said coffee about three times - we love our coffee
39. Matt and Cathleen -  Ian - some of the most generous people we know and teachers of how to love the "least of these"
40. Cary and Brandy -  Ian - and the blessing of having family here in Denver
41. the Bible -  Ian 
42. the Baby -  Ian
43. the Wooleys -  Ian - the best mentors ever!
44. my work family - they took such good care of me in August and September (and always!)
45. earplugs - Ian
46. gas grills - Ian - especially the free gas grills in our apartment complex
Coffee again from Ian - this time it was McDonalds coffee, which he claimed is different from free panera coffee, coffee that goes in Irish Coffees, and coffee from home...
47. Polish Pottery - Ian
48. Avocados and Gauc - Ian
49. Cinnamon Rolls
50. my fitbit
51. White Noise Makers
52. Korea - Ian - my heart is so full when I think about Korea
53. Kimchi
54. Chinese Korean Food - Ian
55. Comfortable maternity clothes that friends have allowed me to borrow
56. the ability to exercise
57. a friend who understand Calculus, teaching as a mission field, and running
58. My Bubba - a ginomorous water bottle that I have:)
59. Ian's willingness to fill up Bubba ALL the time
60. slippers
61. Christmas lights
62. road trips
63. completing goals
64. dreaming about what the future could look like
65. post-it notes and reminders
66. space heaters
67. My parents - it is so fun to watch them become grandparents
68. Jared and Katrina - we have so much fun with them
69. sunshine
70. it snowed twice in the last week - all the holiday feels
71. helpful Calculus websites - Khan Academy and MIT opencourseware
72. pedicures
73. that Ian and I agree on what to cut from our budget and what we prioritize
74. God's provisions
75. America
76. Turkey, cranberry, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower casserole, fruit salad, green bean casserole, corn casserole, beer bread, and pumpkin pie
77. Our American oven
78. paper snowflakes
79. libraries
80. friends who are just as willing to run 6 miles with you as walk for 20 minutes
81. a clean kitchen
82. answered prayers
83. pregnancy apps
84. smartphones
85. GPS (ours is named Gemma)
86. when Ian and I have a break from school at the same time
87. Penny Su - our dog niece
88. peanut butter + chocolate
89. schools that do not run out of tp
90. schools that have western style toilets in heated bathrooms (the more often I go pee, the more I am thankful for not Korean bathrooms at school)
91. Yoga & Yoga Mats
92. Ultrasounds - Ian 
93. Leftovers - Ian
94. Catch Phrase
95. Prenatal Vitamins
96. pandora
97. Cashews
98. Dan, Sara, Gracie, Sean, and Lauren - people who have changed our lives forever
99. Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins - they are the best!
100. math - Ian

Here are my 2015 Thankfuls, 2014 Thankfuls, 2013 (I think we made a list but did not post it?), 2012 Thankfuls, 2011 Thankfuls, 2010 Thankfuls, and 2009 Thankfuls.