Thankfulness December!

Christmas is over and a whole new year is waiting to be welcomed in.  It's amazing how much can happen in 365 days--how much life can change.  I am thankful for God's faithfulness, provision, goodness, and love that never fails.  Unbelievable.  We are people who constantly fail.  We forget.  We are selfish.  We decide to be lazy "just for today."  And yet God never decides to take a day off.  He never makes complaints.  He is just good and loving over and over.  We forget to notice the contrast.  As we welcome in 2016, may we give our focus to Him and living in a way that causes Him to increase.

1. Getting home safely!
2. Landing in Seattle and finding clouds...and rain...and cold
3. Power outages.  While this reminds me of all I am blessed by in life, it is also a fun "adventure" to be without electricity for an unknown amount of time and read/write by the candle light.  LOVE!
4. Winter storms
5. Cold, frosty winter mornings.  Could only be improved by whiter grass. (like snow)
6. Friends and family to spend the Christmas season with
7. Opportunities to organize.  Really, organizing can get terribly addicting.
8. A night of 2 hours of sleep because I got to stay up most of the night and talk with one of my best friends.  Maybe I was a little tired (still recovering, ok.), but it was so worth it!  Loved having time with her, whispering in the darkness late into the night.
9. Trying pickles in ice cream for the 1st time.  Very possibly not the best combination, but well worth the memories.
10. Hilarious conversations with friends or family.  They all keep me laughing pretty consistently
11. Snow flakes!  Even though it never stuck or snowed for very long, it produced some very ecstatic on-lookers.
12. The wonder of snow
13. The blessing of tears to express love for someone
15. The opportunity to snowboard again for the 1st time in almost 6 years
16. Very patient, wonderful brothers who help in said snowboarding  (be jealous)
17. The reminders that life is passing, and the things that count are those that were spent serving the Lord.
18. God's provision in the past year.  He knows we have needed it, and He hasn't failed us yet, even though we are often prone to worrying.
19. The goodness of a new year to start fresh again
20. The faithfulness of God even though we are so consistent at falling short.  He is good.

Only because my family made me laugh so hard, stay up so late, and play hard.  <3

More pictures and blogging to come.  It's been a busy month with much to write about and many pictures to be seen.  I promise they will be coming in the future "when I find time..."  Happy New Year!