The Maverick Center Parking Guy

I went to my very first Grizzlies game tonight with Eric. We were late. We pulled into the Maverick Center parking lot (totally boxed in with a line of cars behind us) and THEN saw the sign - Parking $6. Eric had no cash. I had $2 and managed to scrounge up $1.50 in change. When I got up to the parking guy, I told him our situation. He said he would take our $3.50 and give us a discount. Then he told us to enjoy the game and our night. I'm thankful for his mercy. I'm sure he could have made us turn around (although I'm not quite sure how...), but I'm thankful he took what we had and let us in! 

The Sandy employee bowling tournament

It happens every year and I'm pretty I've been thankful for it every year. This year is no different. I'm thankful for the opportunity to see the people I work with in a different environment. In thankful for the fun and the laughs and the comradery we get to experience together. I really am thankful for my job and the people I work with! 

Rosie

Today I'm thankful for the long-time Sandy City Fire Chief, Don Rosenkrantz. Today Rosie retired and the fire department threw him one heck of a party. I'm thankful for all the help and support Rosie and his team have given us through the years. I know he will definitely be missed, but we're happy for him and his retirement. 

60 degrees in February

Today I'm thankful for the little taste of spring we are currently experiencing. I could get used to 60 degrees! Unfortunately I know it won't last. But that won't stop my from enjoying it while I can. I'm so glad spring is at least on the way! 

A song

I was SO tired driving to work this morning. When I tired driving to work, I usually end up dreading the day more and more!! But today, while I was driving and tired, a song came on. The chorus of the song repeats the words, "This is gonna be the best day of my life." Today I am so thankful for that song. It was peppy enough to wake me up and the words were good enough to stop the dread from taking over! 

Examples

I'm thankful to have so many great examples in my life. I'm surrounded by people who constantly teach me new things - just by the way they live their lives. 

Meals with friends

Today I'm thankful for 3 meals I shared with friends. We had a visiting teaching breakfast at my house this morning. We had 10 girls from our Relief Society over. Krista and I went to lunch with an old friend. And tonight we went to the Jazz game and out to dinner with some other friends. I'm thankful to have spent my Saturday with great people! 

One mile

I ran a mile today. I'm so thankful for that mile. It was in the anti-gravity treadmill and it was only 50% of my body weight, but it was awesome. I'm thankful to finally be at this point in my recovery. I finally feel like I'm on my way to being back to 100%! 

The whites of my eyes

I'm so thankful for the whites if my eyes...and especially that they're starting look white again. I woke up on Tuesday with pink eye (compliments of an awesome sinus infection). Luckily for me it was all bacterial and the antibiotics are doing the trick. I'm thankful to be feeling like I'm finally on the mend. Being sick is the worst!! 

The garage door

This morning I turned my alarm off. And then I went back to sleep! I'm so thankful my garage door opened and it was loud enough to wake me up! I could have been in big trouble if I didn't! I'm thankful Krista went to the gym early so she would be opening the garage at that time. 

My typically good health

I'm sick. It's been almost 10 days. Today I finally broke down and went to the doctor. Sinus infection. Pink eye. And I had to stand on the scale after almost 3 months of not working out (and not making the best food choices). I'm feeling pretty crappy. Plus, I spent a lot of time with Eric yesterday so I'm full of dread that he'll end up just as sick as I am. I hate it all! But, being sick gives me an opportunity to really be thankful my usually good health. I'm thankful for antibiotics and cough syrup. I hope those things will get me back to my usually good health so I can hopefully get back to exercising in the next few weeks! 

The Olympics

I haven't watched too much of the Olympics this year. But today I had a really lazy day. I spent the first half if the day watching with Krista and then I spent the second half of the day watching with Eric. I'm thankful for the Olympics and their ability to bring the world together. I'm thankful I have them recorded on my TV so I don't have to watch the events I think are boring! 

Gratitude

Is that silly - to be thankful for the thankfulness that other people show? I think it's a dying concept. Too many people are "entitled" and negative. They seem to forget all the good things they have to be thankful for. Even when things are terrible, there is always something to be thankful for. I'm thankful for the people in my life who not only remember that themselves, but also inspire me to be mindful and thankful. 

Fingernail clippers

I have the worlds biggest aversion to nail files. I cannot handle having my nails filed. It makes me cringe, it makes my hands all sweaty, I just can't handle it. I also can't handle having my nails long. So I'm thankful for fingernail clippers. I'm thankful I can keep my nails short without ever having to file them. 

Timing

I'm sick. I've been fighting it since Monday. Every day has been just a tiny bit worse than the day before. Today I coughed all day. Hard. I stayed home tonight and I'm headed to bed before 9:00pm. And yet, I'm thankful for the timing of this sickness. I prayed so hard that I would be able to make it through my surgery recovery without getting sick. And I did! Even with both of my roommates getting the flu. Even with EVERYONE I work with getting sick! I held out. I'm thankful my body was able to fight it all off until now. I'm thankful I have a 3-day weekend ahead of me with no plans. I'm thankful I can just rest and hopefully be back to 100% before Tuesday. I'm also thankful I had some cough medicine here so I didn't have to go to the store tonight. I really hope it works well so I can sleep!! 

Lunch with Amelia

I got my (soon to be former) co-worker addicted to Eleanor's Bakeshop, a gluten free bakery in Sandy. They make the most delicious gluten free sandwiches. But, the sandwiches are kind of small. One is never enough. So Amelia and I would order three and split the third. It was a fantastic arrangement. I'm thankful for the many times we got to go to lunch. Today was the last time. Amelia is moving to Arizona. I might need a new lunch buddy!  

Valentines Day flowers

I'm really experienced at being a Valentine. I've been a Valentine for 28 years! But I've never HAD a Valentine on Valentine's Day. Today I'm thankful for the flowers that a pretty incredible guy gave me...even if they're early...and even if I have NO idea what I'm going to get him! Guess I better figure it out. 

10 hours of sleep

I'm getting sick. I'm trying do hard to fight it, but I'm not sure it's working. I'm thankful for the 10 hours of sleep I got last night. I went to bed early and fell asleep before I could set my alarm. It's kind of a miracle I made it to work by 8:00! I really hope this blasted sore throat doesn't turn into anything worse!! 

Endurance

Today I'm thankful for the ability my body has to endure. I don't feel good today. I woke up with a sore throat and my head started throbbing as soon as I got out of bed. (That should've been my clue to get back in bed, but I didn't). I decided to go to work. Usually when I get a cold, I end up feeling better if I get up and go about my regular day. Not today. I felt pretty crummy all day. But I drained a lot of my sick time when I had surgery. Twice. So I stuck it out. I kept my door closed so I wouldn't share my germs. And I made it. At least through work, I didn't go to school. I'm thankful my body has successfully fought off all the other bugs I've encountered this winter! And I hope a good nights sleep kicks this bug's behind. I don't have time to be sick!! 

Ward conference

I'm thankful for ward conference today. I'm thankful for the opportunity to sustain my leaders and hear the messages done had prepared for us. I'm thankful for the organization of the church and my membership in it. 

Rainy afternoons

It's pretty obvious that I am not a winter kid. I don't like the snow or the cold or the inversion or the short days or the dark. Today I'm thankful for a little taste of spring. Instead of snowing, today it rained. Since I didn't get much sleep last night at the campout, I was pretty tired when I got home. I snuggled up on my couch with my favorite blanket and fell asleep to the sound of the rain outside. It was pretty magical. I'm thankful for the seasons and that each one has it's time. I know winter is far from over, but just know that spring is coming brings me some comfort. 

Pit

I played a new game tonight at our ward winter campout. It's called pit. I'm thankful for the opportunity to try something new. I'm thankful for the people I got to know a little better while we played. I'm thankful for the good times and the crazy amount of laughter. 

The University of Utah student section

I haven't done a very good job of taking advantage of all the perks of being a student.  But tonight I did go to the U of U Mens Basketball game. I got in for free and so did my guest. I'm thankful for a fun, free outing! I'm thankful we got to sit in the student section. It was loud and obnoxious and really fun! 

Extra physical therapy

Today was a long day. After many hours of budgets and meetings and fighting fires (not literally) at work, I had to go straight to physical therapy. I love physical therapy! Well...at least I love the people there. By the time I got there today I was tired and had a big headache (undoubtedly from staring at numbers on a computer all day)! My rockstar physical therapist said, "let's do some work on your neck and see if we can help your headache." Yes, please!! I'm so thankful so was willing to do that. I'm thankful it really did help my headache! 

Breakthroughs

I am thankful for tender mercies! They are all around, we just have to look for them! Today I'm thankful for quite a few tender mercies that came in the form of breakthroughs. I had three very important, very good conversations at work. These conversations are at least a step in the right directions on an issue I have been massively struggling with for a few weeks. It never ceases to amaze me how our Heavenly Father is aware of us and what we need. Today I really needed those breakthroughs. 

A free Monday night

I've had a Monday night class since September! I have the occasional Monday off for holidays and such, but tonight my class was canceled. I'm thankful for some extra time off. It's been a crazy couple days and I'm thankful I got to spend some quiet time at home instead of being at school late tonight. 

Humor

Today was a rough day. It was hard to find things to be thankful for. But I reviewed the day, I decided I'm thankful for humor - even if I happened to find humor in unfortunate circumstances today. Sometimes that's the only way to deal with unfortunate things - find the humor and plow through. I'm thankful for the snippets if laughter today. 

Ted Talks

I don't know how I lived almost 30 years without being introduced to Ted Talks! This semester I've had to watch a few for homework. They're always so intriguing and inspiring. I need to do a little bit more research on Ted Talks in general (find out where they're recording, what the requirements are to give one, etc.). And I need to figure out how to find more that interest me. I'm always thankful for a little bit of inspiration.