November: Gracias Month

You guys, the Colorado Stoess clan is on the cusp of a breakthrough. If everything goes according to plan, we should be able to finish unpacking this weekend. Glory be. 

The carpet in the basement is supposed to be installed today and the couch for the basement is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. Woot!

We've had boxes stashed everywhere throughout the upstairs and our attached garage has been out of commission on account of the stuff we crammed in there in a disorderly fashion so I’m very excited; although I’m already feeling a little weary at the thought of unpacking and organizing.

Brian is my hero and has been working diligently on the basement painting/prep and I’m pretty excited to have it be a space we can actually utilize instead of it just resembling a couple of solitary confinement prison cells. I've also been putting off exercising until I can do it in the basement. For some reason my brain decided it’s better to jump around on carpeted concrete than creaky wooden floors. Let’s just hope we ordered the magical carpet that makes me totally motivated to work out.

Once we’re situated I’ll post some more pictures. It probably won’t happen until December though, as we’re hosting the Washington Stoesses and Duffs for Thanksgiving and we’ll have our first full-house!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I am feeling uber-thankful these days and I feel like sharing today so here are some of the things I'm thankful for right now (not all-inclusive and in no particular order):

Home. There isn’t a moment that I don’t feel thankful for our house. Yes, the bathroom was built for someone 7 ft. tall and the kitchen layout is a hot mess but that doesn't take away my love and appreciation for this house.

Wisdom. I’m thankful that we moved when we did, with enough life experience to know what kind of lifestyle we wanted to live (slower pace, able to walk most places). I’m also thankful that we stuck by it and were able to find jobs and a house that enables us to live that lifestyle.

Health. We are both healthy and are not prohibited from doing any activities we want to do.

Nature. We get front row seats to some of the most beautiful scenery in Colorado and are able to enjoy hiking and camping in said scenery. I’m also grateful that I have learned to appreciate it and not take it for granted like when I was a kid.

My Mom: “Jaime, look where you live! Look at the scenery!” 
Pre-pubescent Jaime: *eye roll* “I don’t care! Can I go watch a movie?”

Love. We recently watched Anziz Ansari’s “Buried Alive” special and he talks about how amazing it is when two people meet, especially outside of work/school. That got me thinking about what would've happened if I hadn't met Brian in school and I’m pretty convinced I would still be single, living with at least 5 cats. I feel very thankful to have found Brian when I did and that God sped up the process by knocking me off that skateboard. God knew I’d end up alone with those cats and he had to act fast and take drastic action to make it happen before I graduated. Apologies to the cats out there that didn't get adopted because of my meeting Brian.

Pets. I’m thankful that I have been given a heart for animals and that I have found such great ones to give that love to. It’s also reassuring to me that I have at least some motherly instincts despite my awkwardness around {and lack of} kids.

Friends. I have been very blessed with the people God has surrounded me with in my lifetime and, don’t roll your eyes, I’m thankful for Facebook so I can stay in touch with them. I think I only have 2 people on my grudge list. After 32 years, that’s pretty good.

Family. You don’t get to pick your family but I actually like mine. They have always been so supportive, generous, and loving. It’s a blessing to have such a great safety net in this world.

Humor. I’m very thankful that I have a sense of humor and that I’m surrounded by humorous people & things. I’m also  thankful that I have the ability to find humor in the little things. Laughter is a gift.

Gospel. I’m thankful for mercy, grace, forgiveness and the promise of new life.

Water. I’m thankful I was able to overcome my obsession with drinking soda and that water has become a form of sustenance I enjoy. I’m also thankful all I have to do is turn on a faucet and it magically appears.

Hope. For most of my adolescence/teen years I thought I had discovered the magical formula of life and that was to live without hope. If you always expect the worst, you can only be pleasantly surprised. Tah-dah! Disappointment became the thing I tried to avoid at all costs. And then one day, I started going to counseling and she called BUNK. She made me realize I can’t avoid disappointment. I’m still disappointed when unfavorable things happen even if I have prepared for them to happen so what did I really have to lose? She made me realize I had created my own religion devoid of true grace, mercy, and love and I had put limits on what God could do and what I felt I could ask for. I began the road to recovery and I learned how to allow my heart to speak and to open my mind/heart to wanting more in life. I’m forever thankful for that lesson and that I've been able to keep my hope this year even when God has continuously and annoyingly said no to my desire to get pregnant.

Acne. I’m going to say that I’m grateful for the giant zit on my cheek, who is rudely obstructing my vision, for keeping me humble. There, I said it. Can you go away now, please? I’m freaking 32 and your time has passed. Go humble some middle-schooler.

My 30’s. I was reluctant to embrace my 30’s but I have learned that they are rather productive years. I feel more established, refined even, as a person and that's a neat feeling to have so I'm thankful for that.

And with that, I'll leave you with some recent pictures of Fall on the Western Slope and from when my parents came to visit.

Part-way up Red Mountain