Thankful

Today is November 2nd. In twenty-four days, we will celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday commemorating a 1621 celebration by the pilgrims where they had a feast after a very good growing season. Traditionally, this holiday is characterized by football, turkey, family, and giving thanks for what a person has (although this thanks that comes on Thanksgiving is generally overshadowed by the greed of the largest shopping day of the year - Black Friday - the day after). Regardless of your shopping habits, November is often a month of giving thanks, or at least of thinking of being grateful for what you have a little more often than usual. Because of this, this post is going to contain a list of 101 things I am grateful for. There are more than one hundred things, and I will probably list a few more after each post I create this month. But I just wanted to offer a little special tribute of gratitude, and get myself (and you) thinking of how truly blessed we are. They aren't in any specific order, but they all mean something special to me.

0. Kaytlin Porter and Brigham Jewkes (originally, I had put both of these totally stunning people later in the list but they somehow ignored the piece in the paragraph above where I said the order wasn't important and they disliked how "low" on the list they were. But they're super sick so I mean if this makes them happy then I'll gladly list them first.)
1. My parents, and their dedicated and incredible examples and hard-working attitudes
2. My body - It isn't perfect by any means, but I don't have any major disabilities or other limitations that hold me back and I don't have any major or life threatening diseases
3. Related to #2, the fact that my body heals quickly
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
5. The Hunger Games trilogy
6. Cinnamon Toast
7. Jake Peterson
8. The internet
9. The fact I have a bed to sleep in
10. My cell phone
11. Movies
12. Snow
13. The computer I'm typing this on
14. The fact I can run
15. Bingham High School
16. West Jordan High School
17. Every single teacher (in school or otherwise) I've ever had
18. Soccer
19. Cars
20. Money - and the fact I live in a country where I can earn my own doing something I want to do
21. This blog
22. Music
23. Holidays
24. J. K. Rowling (I don't know where I would be without Harry Potter. Biggest role model, honestly)
25. Jake Roper
26. High School Football games
27. Milky Way candy bars
28. The fact I can write
29. The fact I can read
30. The fact I was born in the United States
31. The fact I am fortunate enough to be given an education - something I did nothing to deserve
32. Lagoon
33. Brownies
34. The house I live in and all the things in it that make living a little more comfortable, even if they're not really necessary (especially the sauna)
35. Jansen Nipko
36. Sports
37. Christmas
38. Symphonies - both the candy and the musical productions (but mostly the candy)
39. Kaytlin Porter's Cookies
40. Remember the Titans
41. Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream
42. Makena Pratt and her insanely pretty face (insert heart-eye emoji here)
43. Laughter (I laughed because I realized my mom will probably read this post and see #42 but it's all good)
44. Netflix
45. Alli Mason
46. Hot soup on cold days
47. The fact that I don't have to learn anything on my own but I can learn what others already know and have spent years learning
48. Rylee Lewis
49. Brianne Jensen
50. Instagram
51. Inception
52. Michael Ponce
53. Collin Hendricks
54. Dogs
55. Twitter
56. My parents' financial stability (we aren't rich, but we've always had enough and I appreciate that)
57. Youtube
58. Spencer Maddock
59. Andrew Boud
60. Dallin Bentley
61. The fact that #0, #58, #59, and #60 are such amazing people and the fact that they're friends with me
62. Brettlyn Tuttle
63. Blankets
64. The fact I was born to parents that love each other and have stayed together faithfully for over a quarter of a century. The simple fact that I have never and will never have to go through the pain of a divorce is an immense blessing in my life.
65. Campfires
66. Paige Fulbright
67.The fact I have a roof over my head - and I've never been worried about not having that gift
68. Everyone that has given me positive feedback on this blog
69. Jackson Cutler
70. Calli Gines
71. Pencils
72. (Are you still reading this?) Hot chocolate
73. Amelia Hall
74. Paper
75. Paolo Diotaiuti
76. Elisa Diotaiuti
77. Stefano Diotaiuti
78. Lorenzo Diotaiuti
79. Duct Tape
80. Concerts
81. Cats
82. Imagine Dragons
83. Copper Hills High School and the students that go there (at least the ones I've met, and yes I'm talking about you, Quincee, Jensen, Sione, Sarah, Braden, Gavin, Kate, Raven, Ashlynn, Joseph, Tanner, Jared, Tyson, and all the rest of you incredible people)
84. Shoes
85. The chance I had to attend a HOBY leadership conference in May
86. The Fault in Our Stars
87. Looking for Alaska
88. Paper Towns
89. oKAY I guess John Green in general
90. People who are kind to others, without any exceptions or expectations; purely, unconditionally kind people
91. Jansen Nipko's photography
92. (I commend you for your dedication, you're almost there) Wendy's, and specifically their Baconator sandwhiches
93. Mallory and Adam Bohn
94. Basketball
95. Emma Stout
96. Target (like the store, not just the aim of an attack)
97. Skylee Whiting
98. People who are generous and those who share freely
99. All of the friends I've made at Bingham so far (and there are so many, I won't list them all but don't you dare think that just because I didn't list your name means you're not incredibly valuable to me, because I love you tons)
100. You. Dear reader, thank you for reading this blog post, and supporting me in the ways you do. I can never thank you enough.

So yeah, there it is. Here are one hundred and one things I'm grateful for - and there are so many more things to be grateful for. Yeah, a large amount of this list is people, but that's kinda the point I want to make. The things I'm most grateful for are the people in my life - and there are so so so many fantastic people in my life. They make me who I am. And I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for you. You've had an impact on my life, either big or small. But it's made a difference. You make a difference. Don't forget that. 

We're so blessed. It's unreal. In everything we do, in everything that happens each day. We are given so much, and there are so many things to be thankful for. Don't take these things for granted, but be happy that you have them. 


My mom told me earlier today, "I was just saying a prayer to thank Heavenly Father for my blessings. I realized that my children are some of those blessings."

You're a blessing in other people's lives. But you might never know it. Similarly, the people that you're so grateful for might never know it. This month, make an extra effort to make sure the people you care about know that you care about them. Be thankful, and you'll be happy. It'll make everyone happier. I promise 

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