Happiest of Thanksgivings

I love year-markers. 

I love looking back and trying to remember what I was doing with my life exactly one year ago to the day. 

Holidays are especially good to do this with because it's pretty easy to recall what you were doing the year previous. 

Last Thanksgiving I was in Belgium, of all places, with the best group of girls. We had Thanksgiving dinner at a steak house, because it was the most American sit down restaurant we could find, and each took turns going around the table saying what we were thankful for. We all agreed that we had never felt more thankful and appreciative of our families than that night, when we were so far away from anything familiar. It really changed my perspective on Thanksgiving and took the holiday far beyond just the meal. I loved it. 

If you would have told me that night that I would be married by the next Thanksgiving, I would have rolled my eyes and thought you were trying to be funny. But yesterday there I was, with my husband of just over three months, at my grandparents house (which is in Axtell, UT - I don't even know if you can find that town on a map), making thanksgiving dinner.

I was thinking about how different the two Thanksgivings were, and came to the conclusion that each day, each "year-marker" serves as a preparation for the future ones to come -- my Thanksgiving in Brussels was helping shape me into the person I was during this Thanksgiving, and the same idea applies to each experience and trial and situation I navigate through in my life. 

It's incredible really, how our lives are so well-suited for us, even though we don't even realize it. 

The most difficult thing I learned in this year that has passed since last November, is no matter how much you try to plan and decide, and whether or not you think you have your life all figured out, our lives are planned out on the Lord's time. 

It's definitely been a interesting experience as I have tried to accept that, but I know without a doubt that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. And I also know that if I keep trying to learn and grow from whatever falls in my path throughout this upcoming year, come next Thanksgiving I will be even further on my way to figuring out what I was put on this earth to do. 

I hope your Thanksgiving was as lovely filled with warmth as mine was! 

 

And I have to say thanks to my little sister for taking all these pictures! I can't claim photo cred on these.