The Holidays

I can't believe it has been almost 2 months since my last post. Time flies when you're celebrating lots of holidays :)!

I truly enjoyed the whole month of December. So much so that I didn't sleep well on New Year's Eve because I didn't want that magical feeling to go away. However, as I laid there, I couldn't help but think of the reasons I love December so much and realized that I can and probably should carry those things throughout the year. These reasons are:

1. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE making goody plates and taking them to people. Though a bit spendy, I enjoy nothing more than turning on music and spending my time in the kitchen trying to make amazing goodies to take to family, friends, and neighbors.
2. I love spending extra time with family!
3. I love having people over!
4. I love doing special things with and for Scott and Jayna.
5. I love traditions! I should start making monthly traditions for our family, so we have something to look forward to every month.

This last December was truly amazing for me and here is why: We had no money. I may be exaggerating because we were still able to get each other nice gifts that we got through Scott's little job with UPS and money that we received from his parents, but overall we had to do things that didn't cost much. But that was where the magic was. We didn't need money. Most of the things we loved most didn't really cost us money. I am so grateful that I was brought up to appreciate what I have and to find value in relationships, family, and to find the joy in small things. 

The other reason December was so special to me was because I realized how loved we are. I don't want that to sound vain. In fact, I'm quite humbled by the love and compassion we were shown this holiday season... I don't know what we did to deserve such amazing people in our lives, but we are truly grateful! I never thought that I would have to be on the receiving end of charity, and though it is extremely humbling, I can't express enough how incredible it is to see the charity people perform. You don't realize how charitable your friends and family are until you are on the receiving end. It restores my faith in humanity and definitely makes me want to be more charitable once we are back on our feet.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father opened my eyes this season to all the good I have in my life. Last year was really rough with unemployment and always wondering if we were going to make it from one month to the next and it was really starting to wear us down. So much so, that I was becoming bitter and upset with just about everything. Now, I truly feel that everything will be fine and will work out and I'm enjoying the time that I do have with Scott and cherishing the fact that we can spend so much time together.