365 Days of Thanks..Day 37

Day 37: I am thankful for the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Every Christmas, I think back on that first Christmas in Bethlehem when our Lord and Savior was born.  I imagine what it was like and the sounds of the angels singing and those who came from afar to see the newborn King.  It is probably far beyond anything I could ever imagine, but knowing I have life after death because God sent His son is the most amazing gift I could receive. 

Thank you Lord for your love!!

Dreams...

I have been doing a lot of thinking about dreams lately.  Not only the dreams we have while we are asleep but those we strive for in life.  We are given this life, this one and only life to make it amazing and to try and make a difference in the world. 

My dreams have been wonky lately.  Yes, I did just use the word wonky.  I love that word.  When the weather is nice, I take my bike out on the trails around here.  So one morening when I woke up, I was not surprised I had a dream about biking on the trails.  I was taking my bike out.  I usually go about 8-10 miles each trip.  Towards the middle of my ride, the clouds started to close in.  I started to bike home as fast as I could.  As I continued, lighting started to strike.  I made it home but was barely missed by the lightning.  When I woke up the next morning, I looked up the significance of lightning in dreams.  It stated that changes would be coming and happiness on the way.  I took that as a good sign but still waiting for some of those changes. 

I had another dream where I was in a swimsuit going down a blue waterslide that was about a mile long.  Along the way, a kid would put obstacles in my path and I had to stop and move them.  I moved them and then continued on my way.  I woke up before I got to the end of the slide so I don't know how long it actually was.  I was curious about what this meant so I went to my friends on facebook.  My friend posted this: "It means that it feels like you're in an unstable period filled with change (and growth!) and that you feel like it's long and never-ending (which is why it's a mile long). But you choose to see it positively and make the most of it, since you see it as a water slide and not a rapid river that's hurting or drowning you." I found this explanation very helpful and makes me feel better about the dream.  I also found out that Water tends to be about purification, change, renewal and new life. Perhaps this is a good dream and the future will continue to be optimistic. 


With these dreams, it has made me think about my own dreams in life.  It makes me realize what I want in life.  In life, more and more I realize I want a family.  I am looking forward to one day saying vows to my future husband and starting our lives together.  With that life, I hope to bring some amazing children along with it.  As far as my career, I don't know where it is headed at the moment.  It is scary and exciting all at the same time.  I am a planner and it is hard not knowing what the future holds.  Ask anyone who knows me, I struggle with this.  I am optimistic that something will come through and things will be better.  Until then, I am working on another dream: my novel.  I have always dreamed to see my name in print on a book.  I have been in newspapers, poetry books and other blogs on the web but to see my name on a novel, it would be amazing.  It is a possiblity that I hope will come true one day.

Until these dreams come true, I will continue to dream.  It keeps me going and the fact that I can is amazing to me.  I don't know what the future holds but I hope that my dreams come true and how they are meant to.  I just have to remember to go forward with love. 

365 Days of Thanks...Day 36

Day 36: I am thankful for the sunshine. 

Back home during the winter, days can be pretty dreary.  We wouldn't see the sun for days except when it was illuminating the sky above the dark clouds.  Here in Colorado, the sun shines almost everyday, even when there is snow on the ground.  The snow doesn't stick around like it does back home but it is beautiful when it snows and the sun shines off of it. 

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

 

I always love this time of year.  Ever since I was a little girl, I loved this time of year.  Christmas Eve was spent at home with mom, dad and the brother.  We would play out in the snow all day, usually pelting each other with it.  Mom would call us in for dinner.  Beef stroganoff.  I love it.  I try to recreate it but I am horrible at it.  Then one of the parents would take my brother and I somewhere.  Just one, the other stayed at home.  When we got back, "Santa" mysteriously came.  We would then get to tear into those presents while eating the Christmas cookies we made the day after Thanksgiving.  After the present opening was done, we would change and head to the candlelight service at church.  We would head home and sleep till the next morning. 

The next day we were greeted with Pillsbury orange rolls with icing.  Orange juice usually came in too.  After that, we would load up the car/truck/jeep with the presents for the rest of the family and head to Burlington, to my grandparents house.  I come from a very small family and usually everyone would be there, including sometimes a couple dogs.  We would all gather, hang around for awhile.  I usually found the veggie tray and put a black olive on each finger.  My aunt (at the time) got me to love them.  I still do to this day.  My fingers are a bit bigger now so it doesn't work as well.  The family would then gather in the living room.  There wasn't a big tree, just a small one on the table.  My grandfather would always wear his Christmas vest that would light up and a tie as well.  My brother and I would usually be Santa handing out presents.  We were the only kids in the family, so it was fun.  Dinner was served at the big table.  Since we were a small family, there was no separate table for the kids.  After dinner, the table would be cleared while Trivial Pursuit was being brought out.  The adults would play the game with their drinks while my brother and I did what we could.  I sometimes would sit down at the piano and play.  After awhile, we would pack up the car and head home.  My brother and I usually fell asleep but always woke up as we turned down our street. 

I miss those Christmases as a kid but as I am getting older, new traditions are starting.  Since I met my love, we spend Christmas Eve together after I go to church. We have a dinner of stuffed shells, with a bottle of wine usually from my mother.  After dinner, we would exchange gifts.  This year, I have found something I am hoping he truly loves.  The next day, we pick up his boys and head to his folks for Christmas Day.  It is nice to be included in their family celebration but it makes me miss my own family.  My family is getting smaller and smaller and it is hard to be away from them. 

I look forward to having my own family one day and starting some traditions with them.  It may have been a hard year this year, but I am still loving this time of year.  Nothing can ruin my Christmas spirit. 

It is a great time of year to share some love!! <3