Thanksgiving

Every year in my journal I make a long list of everything in the world I could possibly be grateful for. It starts with the normal things, like "My mom" and ends with bizarre things like "Sand" or "Hairbrushes" with "Indoor Plumbing" somewhere in the middle.
But here, this is what is most important to me.

Family
I have the most amazing family. We love to laugh, and spend time together. Everyone is so smart, and talented, and frankly, attractive.

My parents work so hard to give me everything. It says in my patriarchal blessing that they pray for me nightly, and while that might not seem big --whose Mormon parents don't?-- I know that I am blessed to have parents in my life that care and think of me always.

Mary is so freaking awesome. I miss her all the time when I'm away and love to steal a few minutes with her on the phone. She has always been unnervingly good at anything she puts her mind to, and now she's a senior in high school, graduating a year early, and already has a million fans at a high school she's been going to for three months! I can't wait to have her out here with me next year.

Jack is just like me. In a good way, of course. How funny can an 11 year old be? He's so clever and smart, he reads all the time, and has written more books than anyone I know, including myself. Anything he tries, he succeeds at, his most recent amazing accomplishment being the cello! I love to call and talk to him on the phone and every time I do I get so swept into the conversation I forget what's going on. Last time I burned all the food I was cooking and had to hang up when the smoke alarm went off.

And Kathryn. OH MAN. I am so grateful that she is in our family. She is the smartest --and definitely cutest-- 3 year old on the planet. The last time I called home I talked to her for 5 minutes before she said, "Oh, Hey. Dad wants you," I waited for a few seconds and then she said in a deep voice, "Ahem. Oh, Hello Becky. This is your Dad, Chris. How are you?"

Now, don't think that that I only love my immediate family, because I have wonderful cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles.

We have so much fun together. So, so much fun.