Fall, Halloween, and now Thanksgiving

It's officially that time of year again. November has begun, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I can't even believe we have gotten here again. In reminded myself to be thankful (and oh I have so much to be thankful for) I just wanted to write a little post about our our Fall has been going, how Halloween went, and of course a few things that I am very thankful for. Fall semester started for Dave and that meant Organic Chemistry and getting ready for the MCAT. This has been a very hectic semester for him. I'm so proud of how hard he works. He wakes up everyday, drives the hour to school, is there all day long, and then finally at about 7pm he walks through the door for dinner. I don't envy my sweet husband at all, but man I am so thankful for all that he does for us. He works so hard for our little family. I know he has to bare the brunt of everything in this family because the doctor's won't allow me to work, and I am so thankful for how hard he does work. He has been on the Dean's list since he decided to go back to school and become a doctor and I couldn't be more proud of him. I did a few speaking engagements over the summer, and since fall has hit I have been working on my own little projects. I know I am unable to work, so I do little things at home that I hope will bring a little bit of income to help out our family when I can. I have learned how to make jewelry, and making earrings are my favorite. I don't have a shop or anything just a page on Facebook where I post them, and some other fun craft projects, and that has been really fun for me. If you would like to check it out, my Facebook page is All This All That I also have an etsy page that I sale my things on as well which is also All This All That I've been struggling with my health a little bit lately. I think the scar tissue has just started to get tight again and it's making it harder for food to move through me. It's just the way life is though, and as long as I have this amazing life to live I will take whatever I am thrown. :) Dave and I recently went to dinner party with some people in our ward, and I'm constantly reminded of what amazing people we have around us and how blessed we are by the friends we have. I couldn't ask for better friends. As we sat there at dinner our friends asked me all about my Oprah story, and how I ever got to be 302 lbs, and what kind of a struggle was that for me, and we just sat and talked for hours. We had so much fun sharing in their love and company. I was so grateful that I felt well enough to be able to go over and enjoy dinner with them. We really do have some of the most amazing people in this entire world right here in our own backyard. Halloween was a blast! Halloween is my Mother-in-Law's birthday, and she was turning 23 this year so it was a big one! ;) My sister in law from Alaska came into town with her 3 children and husband, and what a treat that was. We have had so much fun! On the morning of Paula's birthday we woke up and made her breakfast as she got all dressed up for Halloween to go to work, and then she stayed a little extra and had breakfast with her children. I made one of my casseroles from The Nummy Little Blog and my brother in law made crepes, and everything turned out great. It was a really fun morning. That night, Dave got home from school and we got him all dressed up as the Big Bad Wolf who ate grandma from the Little Red Riding Hood. I was my all time favorite character...Miss Piggy. We had a blast.

We had so much fun just being with each other and with the family, like we always do. More than anything that is what I am grateful for. I am grateful for my amazing family and friends and how much fun Dave and I have sharing in their love.

I do have so much fun with Dave's family, but my heart does ache for my sweet family. My sister who is in WI with her husband and kids, my brother Brock in WA with his family, my sweet brother Paul with his amazing wife and their children in Orem (but is so busy with nursing) and of course my Mom and Dad who I wish I could see everyday. I was glad to see all of them getting dressed up for Halloween though and having a great time. Kirk and Cay even dressed up this year, which I thought was so much fun. Thanksgiving will be great and I'm so looking forward to it. We will be spending this year with my family in Springville and I'm so excited I can't stand it. The last few years my parents have been in OK with my sister, so I'm thrilled that I will get to spend Thanksgiving with them. Mainly in this time of giving thanks, I am so grateful for the amazing family and friends that I have. I am grateful that even through my health struggles I have a life to live. I can deal with anything that is thrown at me as long as God will give me a chance to live it. I have made some amazing friends here by my house lately, and if I wouldn't had made it a year ago I wouldn't be alive to have this girl in my life. I wouldn't be alive to have met all the women I did on my speaking engagements this summer. I wouldn't be able to have one of my sweetest angel friends just show up at my house with one of the greatest gifts I have ever received, and just have her thoughtfulness warm my heart. I'm thankful for the life I have and that I get to live it. I'm thankful that I have each day with my amazing husband and the love he has for me. I have an amazing life. Even if I am in the hospital a few times a month, it doesn't phase me 1 bit because I have a life that I never thought I would or could have, and I'm grateful for every second of it. I'll continue being thankful as long as God will give me the right to live it. Happy Holidays everyone!