Genuinely Thankful

So I have this problem about keeping surprises a secret.....

I CAN'T DO IT! And this is really an issue when Christmas is so close.

I wrote this poem today for my parents and was going to save it for Christmas but I can't! So i figured it'd be a little surprise if it came from my blog? Just tell me yes so I feel justified in revealing this early. And now I get to come up with another Christmas idea for them! :)

Anyways! That was just the introduction to the real post :)
(photography by Becky Anderson)


God has brought me on quite a journey in multiple areas of my life the past 4 months. One of them, though, has been bringing my heart to a place of true and genuine gratitude for my family. I have never ever been so thankful and dependent on my family as I have been recently. Without God and my parents, I wouldn't be doing life. The encouraging phone calls with them are often God's gift to keep my head up.


I have also never missed my family so much as i do now (which makes sense considering I've never lived away from home). And while this ache to be with my family hurts, it has been beautiful in growing in me a greater love and appreciation for them.



So today, as i ponder Thanksgiving, and the incredible blessings that God has gifted me with, my family is at the top of the list this year right next to God's faithfulness. Because He has been faithful to me. Oh so faithful. And one of the results of His faithfulness is allowing me to be born in the family that I'm in. I'm so thankful.



Dad, Mom, Noah, and Caleb- I love you guys!! See you in 52 hours :)

Genuinely Thankful

Never appreciated that goodnight kiss

So many things I didn't expect to miss.

Yet now that I'm gone I see just how blessed

I was to grow up in our safe, loving nest.

You gave me everything I could ever need.

Always so careful to guide and to teach

Now I have a safe place on a hard or bad day

To call and to cry and know I can reach

The familiar voice of my mom or my dad

My brother's funny antics that make me feel not so sad

This incredible gift of my family

Was one I've always had but just didn't see

Because sometimes you have to move away from it all

To appreciat the ones always there when you call.

11/20/10