that kind of grateful

Thanksgiving morning I sat down to complete my "I'm grateful for..." list that I've been compiling for a blog post, a la my 2009 adventure.

But then I paused. As much as I enjoy my vague and layered expressions of gratitude, they seemed to be missing something. Then I realized: In expressing gratitude for things, I wasn't paying enough attention to who I was expressing gratitude to.

About the time I realized that, I looked up at Kyra & Kevin and said, "Thank you for having me." It felt awkward but I also thought I'd better at least try to practice what I was deciding.

So I decided instead of posting my "I'm grateful for..." list, I would instead be more deliberately grateful to others for what I have.

Most important is my Heavenly Father, to whom I have expressed gratitude for my many blessings -- including most of my abandoned list (patience during traffic, for example -- I think that is definitely a divine gift). And to whom I am trying to remember to express gratitude a lot more often, for everything.

More mortal gratitude expression...I'm still working on. One of the things I was "grateful for..." this month was a book that I read twice in succession the first time I read it, and then when I picked it up at my grandparents' house again (because I couldn't help myself) I still loved it and cried and then picked it up again at the end to see if I could translate the character's voice in my head into my own voice (not very well, sadly, because I'd love to read it aloud to someone so they can hear it the way I do). I really should write this author a letter letting him know how much I've enjoyed this book of his and how grateful I am that he went to all the work to make it worth reading. I'm scared to, but I think we'll both appreciate the gesture if I ever get around to it.

And all the other people in my life that I haven't expressed gratitude to, sorry. Maybe I'll get to you too. For now, just know that I am grateful for your presence in my life.

Title Text: "The Last Snowfall"

hoy cerrado

Here's a nice bit of symmetry:

We went out for street tacos last week just before I hopped on a plane to Michigan.

We went out for ... street-ish tacos in Detroit just before I hopped on a plane back to Utah.

And lucky me, to get tacos twice in a week!

Title text: "No Gringo" ~ Vienna Teng
[Nothing's closed, it's just Spanish, okay? I thought it might be better than "tan amargo"]

I can trace all my books [October 2012]

I believe I have smashed my previous record. Train rides are amazing. And so are evenings that are long with no electronic devices to distract me. I've decided to start going out some evenings (FHE, Institute, temple) so November shouldn't be as dramatically long a list.


October
92. Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara
93. The Road to Yesterday by L.M. Montgomery
94. Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier
95. Allegiance by Cayla Kluver
96. The Seven Tales of Trinket by Shelley Moore Thomas
97. Wake by Amanda Hocking
98. Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child
99. Deep Blue Eyes and Other Teenage Hazards by Janette Rallison
100. Fame, Glory, and Other Things on My To-Do List by Janette Rallison
101. Revenge of the Cheerleaders by Janette Rallison
102. Redoubt by Mercedes Lackey
103. Dodger by Terry Pratchett
104. Pride & Pyramids: Mr. Darcy in Egypt by Amanda Grange and Jacqueline Webb
105. The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross
106. The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long
107. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
108. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
109. Cardington Crescent by Anne Perry
110. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
111. Rutland Place by Anne Perry
112. Daisy by Josi S. Kilpack
113. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson