Thankful Me

  Families stand in front of two covered wagons I have always loved the above photo. The youngest child is my grandfather. I don't know who the woman in the right of the photo is. With her hands on her hips, and staring at the back of the man in front of her, she appears to be none-too-happy about the situation. And what was the situation, anyway? Were these people relocating, or simply out for a picnic?  Change is hard. It takes time to wrap our heads around new things (just think about changing from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time--or vice versa!) Looking for the good in whatever situation helps us handle the not-so-wonderful parts. How can life be an adventure without change?  As you might have gathered from the title of this post, John and I have some imminent changes. He has decided to take a sabbatical from retirement for about a year and has accepted a new job in California.  There are things about this that make both of us relate to the hands-on-hips w...

  Four deer graze in my parents' front yard It's been a busy week for me, and I'm realizing that I need to hurry or I'll miss the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop. John and I have been road-tripping; we visited my parents for a few days, then drove up to the Olympic Peninsula, then visited our daughter in Seattle. We got home late last night.  The Pacific Northwest is my "fill my soul" place. When I think of hiking, I think of walking on damp (if not muddy) paths in cool temperatures, with a constant canopy of green trees above me, and a dense understory growing on either side of the trail. When I think of the ocean, I envision a rocky coast, not a sandy beach. Come with me to the temperate rain forest in the Olympic National Park! A picture is worth a thousand words, so obviously the following photos are worth at least ten items of thanks! John stands next to the world's largest spruce tree Moss-covered branches hang over a pond in the Hoh Rain Forest John...

  Our little trailer taking its final camping trip before winter Here it is, Friday the 13th, and I am, thanks to technology, blogging while in our little trailer in a campsite in a tiny town in Utah. This is a far cry from my childhood idea of camping. Camping means sleeping in a tent in the woods, away from people, with none of the modern conveniences of home. As an adult, I really appreciate a comfortable bed, running water, indoor plumbing, and a kitchen to cook in. Wifi is a bonus that allows me to get a post written. Would I prefer trees and fewer people around? Of course, but it's the day before an annular solar eclipse, so there are going to be lots of people. As for trees, this is Utah, not the Pacific Northwest, so trees aren't as abundant. A tiny little tree has been planted in our campsite, though.  In a decade or so, this tiny tree might provide some shade I'm thankful: 1. . . . for not being superstitious. Friday the 13th being followed by an annular solar ecl...

Drexel watches the TV screen during General Conference Last weekend, instead of going to a church building, I (along with millions of other people) worshipped from the comfort of our own homes by tuning into General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . I'm thankful that twice a year I have that opportunity, and that I could gather with family to watch and listen. There were many great talks, but for this week's TTOT, I've selected a few quotes that stood out to me.  A person sits alone on a bench. Caption: [Don't] let our eyes, our ears, or our fears mislead us but open our hearts and minds and minister freely to those around us as He did.--Chistophe G. Giraud-Carrier Four individuals hold their hands over their hearts. Caption: You will never be happier than you are grateful.--Gary B. Sabin A girl writes on a chalkboard. Caption: Our words are one of our superpowers and family members are like human blackboards. --Tamara W. Runia A woman'...