Happy Thanksgiving

So yesterday was Thanksgiving. This was our second Thanksgiving in China, but would be our first real Thanksgiving dinner. Gary made reservations at a restaurant called "The Canvas" for us. We decided to take 5 of our closest Chinese friends to dinner with us, so they could experience their first Thanksgiving dinner: Caroline and her boyfriend, Leo, Linda Hu and her husband, Chen and their daughter, Christy. For some reason we don't have any pictures of Linda and her husband.

It was a wonderful night!! We had turkey (and I mean real turkey. Usually we have to settle for chicken), mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, vegetables, roll, salad and for dessert pumpkin pie cheesecake. So delicious!

We also got to have some fun and do some dressing up. See what I mean!

As is typical with Thanksgiving dinner, I ate too much and was full afterwards. It was just such an enjoyable experience. It made me feel so blessed that I could have Thanksgiving dinner with people we consider family here when we couldn't be with our family in America. The Lord has truly blessed us with an abundance of wonderful family and friends.

I am so thankful for all the Lord has given me. I am thankful for Gary and his sweet love for me. He takes me as I am and loves me anyway. He supports me, encourages me, teaches me, and truly cares about me. 

I am thankful for my children. They have truly been the greatest blessings in my life. They continue to teach me about the kind of person I want to be someday. They achieve, learn, grow, make mistakes, get back up and try again. I miss them very much!!

I am thankful for those who I consider my children both in America and in China. They are many. They are family. They are a part of me. 

I am thankful for my parents who taught me to live and love the gospel. They taught me about what a marriage is, both the good and the bad. I am thankful for Gary's parents who raised him to be the wonderful man he is today.

I am thankful for my siblings who continue to help me and who continually strive to be better each day. They take care of our parents because I cannot. They take care of their other family members and friends.

I am thankful for the rest of my extended family. They are many from both my side and Gary's side. They are amazing.

I am thankful for my best friend. I miss her so much. She has always been there for me and I hope I have been able to be as good a friend to her as she has been to me. She has gone through some tough times, especially in the 6 or so years I have known her, but she keeps going. She has taught me how to endure and enjoy!!

I am thankful for all of my other friends, old and young They help guide me along my path and make my journey more enjoyable. I watch them as they go through the changes and challenges in life and have so much admiration for them. I watch as many are becoming adults and going out into life. They are bringing souls unto Christ, becoming wonderful disciples and becoming even more wonderful as an individuals every day.

I am thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lord is my shepherd. He guides my love. He protects me, helps me, strengthens me, forgives me and comforts me. I do not know where I would be without the gospel. I am glad that I am a part of it and will continue to try to be strong and be like my Savior.

I am thankful that I am in China. I am thankful for the opportunity to grow, learn and become a better person. I am thankful for the experiences here that help me to know that I can do hard things and that no matter where I am in the world, I can feel the Lord's love for me and His hand in my life.