Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is almost here. Just 2 short days away. I think it's time I sat and made a list of a few of the things that I am thankful for this Thanksgiving Season.

• I am thankful for all the bills that come with living in a home. It means that we have a home to live in and are not crammed into a little apt. It means that we have a little yard and an area where we can have Skeeter.
  
• I am thankful for student loans because they mean that we are able to have the money that we need for Dillon to get a good education and that we have the money we need to buy groceries and pay our rent.
  
• I am thankful for my part time job because it means that I have a job. It means that I have a job doing what I love, teaching and working with preschoolers.
• I am thankful for my trials and struggles because it means that my Heavenly Father loves me. It means that he trusts me and has confidence in me and knows that I can do hard things. It means that I have the opportunity to study the gospel and the scriptures more thoroughly. It means that I am more earnest in my prayers, thus bringing me closer to my Heavenly Father.
  
• I am thankful for my family and for Dillon's family. I am thankful for the love and the support that they give to us. I am thankful for the sacrifices they are willing to make on our behalf.
  
• I am thankful for my husband. I am thankful for his continual love and support. I am thankful for his calm personality. I am thankful for his hard work and his dedication to getting a good education. I am grateful for the sacrifices that he is willing to make to for us. I am grateful for the man that he is and for the opportunity I have to be married to him for time and all eternity.
• ....and the list could go on and on....
  

Wind

I hate the wind.

When I was 5 I was at the Lincoln County Fair with my family when a micro-burst came thru. We were under the big top when it hit and somehow I got hit in the head with one of the poles holding the big top up. I remember 3 things about that night.

1. Sitting with my family and an EMT in our suburban after it happened.
2. The ambulances were all full so the EMT rode with us to the hospital.

3. I had to stay the night in the hospital (I had a concussion) and I wanted my own PJ's so a family friend (Jean Mace) brought me my PJ's and some hot chocolate.

So, for as long as I can remember I have hated the wind and actually get scared when it is blowing really hard and there are things that could potentially fall on me.
Well, as it turns out, I am not the only member of the family that hates/is scared of the wind.
This young man does NOT like the wind.
One evening the wind was blowing super hard and I had to leave for a Relief Society something or other. So as I was leaving I went to put Skeeter in his kennel and noticed that his dog food thing (a big garbage can) had gotten knocked over by the wind (it was almost empty). I set it back up and called for Skeeter and told him to get in his kennel. Usually he will just tromp right on over and get in with no problem.
Not this time.
He wouldn't come within 20 yards of his kennel. It took me 15 mins to get that dang dog in his kennel and I literally had to half pick him up/half drag him into it.

Now whenever the wind is blowing really hard Skeeter starts acting all weird and "clingy" and jumpy. He acts all scared, doesn't stray too far from the porch, and barks at things the wind blows around or down. He has recently discovered the side of the house that gets the least wind and on any given windy day, that is where you will find him.
Right now the wind is blowing 32 mph and and right now this is what Skeeter is doing.
Curled up in a ball on the side of the house waiting for the wind to die down.
Good luck with that Skeeter, we live in Idaho.

Blessed

In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, here is a little story that helps me remember how blessed I am.

The other day Dillon came home from a morning of doing farm work for his cousin. As usual I asked him how his day was. As usual his response was "It was fine." Dillon went and got in the shower and I got busy doing things around the house. That was the end of our conversation until later that night. As we were gettin ready to say the prayer before dinner Dillon says, "So...I almost got my arm ripped off at work today!"
WHAT!?!?!?! That doesn't sound like a "fine" day at work!
He then proceeds to tell me what happened. Him and his cousin were moving wheel lines across the fields to be next to the fence for winter. Well they were moving this one particular line that is really old and breaks down a lot. As it was moving the drive line wasn't working right and it was really crooked. So Dillon starting walking along the line, pushing against it to straighten it out. As he got farther down the line pushing, something happened one of the times and his arm sleeve got wrapped up in the drive line.

*Just to clarify the drive line is the little thing that runs the length of the line that the motor spins really really fast to make the line move*

He was yanking his arm as hard as he could and trying to wave to his cousin to kill the motor. Just as it was starting to hurt his arm, the motor turned off and Dillon was able to free himself. After they were finished and Dillon got back to where his cousin was he told him thanks for saving his life. His cousin kinda laughed and asked how he'd done that. Dillon proceeded to tell him what had happened and that he had turned the motor off just in time. To which his cousin replied, "I didn't shut it off."
Dillon started to tell me how it was an old motor and something is wrong with it and it randomly shuts off for certain reasons when they are trying to use it. I quickly interrupted him and told him, "Um NO! It shut off because your Heavenly Father was watching over you."
Boy am I ever grateful that He was and that Dillon was able to keep his arm.

Fall

Fall is quickly disappearing and winter is coming in.
(As I'm cuddled up on the couch in 2 blankets listening to Christmas music. SHHHH...don't tell)
This fall has been beautiful though and we have had such good weather. It has been pretty chilly but has only snowed once. And that was this weekend and it didn't amount to much of anything and was gone by that night. We have taken advantage of the nice weather and gotten out and done some hunting...

fishing...and rounding up some of the Carter's cattleI haven't been on a cattle drive or even a horse in a LONG time. Like a ridiculously long time. So, I was quite sore for the days that followed but sure had fun! Wish we could have gone more than the one day.

Other than that we really haven't been up to a whole lot. Even our Halloween was lame. The weekend before we made a quick trip up to SV since Dillon hadn't been up there since July. We got to go with my parents to their ward Halloween dinner and trunk or treat which was fun. Then on Halloween night we had witches fingers (maybe? just kinda? ok fine, homemade corn dogs)
for dinner when Dillon finally got home from school then watched a scary movie. And that was it. That was all we did for Halloween. No costumes (unless wearing an orange pumpkin shirt to work counts) , no trick or treaters, and not even any carved pumpkins. LAME I KNOW!! Oh well. We made LOTS of pumpkin cookies and even decorated Halloween sugar cookies earlier in the month. Hopefully that makes up for some of the lameness :)

Now we're just anticipating the upcoming holidays and the return of my handsome little missionary brother in just 23 short days!!