The Thankfullness game

Hey internets, I'm a scrooge face. Christmas songs make me grouchy, and I have been feeling kind of slumped lately without the added stress that is post-thanksgiving radio. So today I was feeling grouchy, and I thought of Pine view and my old apartment family and how the girls upstairs put up a turkey in the hallway and we all put up thankfulness feathers like the kindergarteners we are at heart. We were pretty silly college students all having one continuous mass sleepover, but sometimes, I was impressed with us, and this was one of those times.

This turkey is a shining memory in my life. I was having a really hard time feeling not like a big fat failure on a daily basis, and positive thinking and gratitude were things I had to concentrate on, hard. Kind of like now. But the turkey taught me a lesson. Well, the turkey and Katie.

See, I had this roommate who changed my whole life. She taught me to be happy even when you are depressed. That day with the turkey especially changed things for me. It had been a crap day for both of us. I think I had failed a math test and she had this horrid day at work and we were really in the mood to wallow. But we chose instead to do our daily affirmations in front of the mirror, and I was trying really hard to make her feel better; we were in the habit of making each other feel better. Katie ran upstairs to talk to Spencer or something and five seconds later came back and dragged me up to see the Turkey, where she had put up a feather that said she was thankful for me. I suddenly felt a whole lot less like a big fat failure, and we spent the next twenty minutes upstairs playing the Thankfullness game, aka Katie decided we still weren't happy enough and we each had to come up with ten good things that happened to us that day and write thankfulness feathers.

Twenty minutes and ten miracles later, I was a much happier person. And in honor of Kate and her positivism, I'd like to be that way again. I've slacked off, and that is no way to be happy. Thus:

Ten Good Things about today:

- I got set apart to be a ward missionary. It was awesome. I love my priesthood leaders, by the way. I am kind of excited for this.
- My dad answered the phone today. That is a rare and fabulous occurrence. Made my day.
- I had half shaved legs and no time to fix that, which is fine cause I have boots which are a blessing for just such occasions.
- Sunday Skype night, which is one of the best traditions ever.
- Sunday afternoon naps. also an excellent tradition.
- My beloved Bishop back at home who isn't the bishop anymore was just called to be our new Stake President. I don't even live there and I'm stoked.
- I get to babysit for our adorable across the street neighbor tomorrow. I am taking a trip back to junior high. so nostalgic.
- making bread dough into awesome shapes with Libby. That girl is an expert braider.
- bathtime with emma, which was happy and not fraught with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth like last time. such progress!
- Nutella. nuff said.

Crowning Glory of a cherry on top! Are you ready? Today it is less than two weeks til Nate Hansen will be at home in Utah. And so will I. That's right, for two blessed weeks, almost everyone I love will be in a common location. BUCKETS OF BLISS, WORLD!


I think I have started to treat Holidays like homework, aka 'Avoid the most foreboding holiday stuff with the least objectionable holiday stuff'. Seems to be working. I feel better.