Be Grateful

I'm grateful, but I need to work on showing how grateful I am more often.

It's true what they say about absence making the heart grow stronger. Being away from college makes me realize how unappreciative I was when I had it. Don't get me wrong, I love my little town and the people that live here, but, I find myself craving the educated minds that surrounded me in college. I am not saying the people here are dumb, not by any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes I like to have arguments about parabolas, and circuits, and proper names and English.

I'm grateful for college.

I'm grateful to have friends who respect me and are willing to protect me (oftentimes from myself). Who don't try to corrupt me.

I'm grateful for my family and the comraderie we have, especially when playing games together.

I'm grateful for my mother who is always trying to make herself and those around her better.

I'm grateful for my father who provides for them, and me, and wants the best for me.

I'm grateful for my adorable younger brothers who remind me every day how lucky I am to have them.

For honey and butter, mustard and ketchup, chicken nuggets and french fries, ice cream and chips, steak and potatoes, tomatoes and lettuce, cucumbers and pickles, cheese and bread, salt and pepper, pasta and sauce, ovens and fridges, mixers and pans, graters and knives, tables and chairs, plates and silverware, cakes and brownies, salsa! and chips.

For scriptures and family prayer. For the early mornings we have to wake up and read in voices that are just barely understandable. For a cat that headbutts me when she feels like I should be up and feeding her, (and who at the present time is telling me to eat less by kneading my stomach with her two front paws.)

For a car to drive to work. For a job. For coworkers who make me laugh and wish I could do more for them. For a fiery little old lady who employs me and walks faster than I can run. For institute where I learn more about the church and the gospel. For church where I feel more connected with my Heavenly Father. For the sacrament where I renew my covenants. For ward members who want to know what I'm doing with my life.

For the rain that has blessed this land for the last 3 weeks. For the clouds that mellow the sunlight. For my bathroom (which is the only bathroom in the house not undergoing some sort of renovations).

Catchin Up...

Soooo, yeah, I take so many pictures thinking, "I'll use this for blogging. Eventually." I could just do a billion posts, but I don't think I will, I'll just do one big one with lots of pictures. (Well, more pictures than I normally do.)

Rain in Kingman is a rare thing and a beautiful gift. I couldn't help from taking the photo to share with others the happy experience. It rained for a week, not heavy steady rain. It would rain light, for a long while, heavy for a minute and then stop for a few hours. Oh Kingman with all your quirks, we love you still.

"Tegan, come make some shoe pastry with me."

"Some what?"

"Shoe pastry for Kevin's birthday, he wants cream puffs." I was highly confused, what do shoes have to do with creams puffs?

Here's what:

Choux is pronounced shoe. Gotcha. We made some "shoe" pastry and it was delicious! I made the pudding and stuffed the little buggers while mom gobbed melted chocolate all over them.
The birthday boy and me. Happy 18th. Ack, yes, he is an adult!!!!

This adorable little puppy tried to run me down at midnight on Saturday night. I was driving home just as natural as can be when this dog runs straight for my car! I pulled over and discovered that he had no collar, and he hopped in my car like, "Okay, I'm ready to go, let's go."

I chuckled and drove to the neighbors where I saw the light on. Alas, he was not the sweet old lady's dog and she had never seen him before. No one in that neighborhood had. So I took him home and he spent the night in my room. Sunday morning I tried again to find his owner. No such luck. But an old man with an accent took him in because he had food and water that he kept for his other dogs. I was going to pick him up today to take him to the pound but the man didn't answer the door. Mom will try again tomorrow.

Evidence that appliances do hate me. My shower likes to race me out of the stall. Today it won.

a moment of vanity when I dressed myself and did my own hair.
I LOVE picnik.com.

What you don't know really can hurt you.