Movies to Watch This Christmas Season...

(If you think of any others or have any of these that you would be willing to let me borrow, please let me know :)

1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. Elf
3. Muppet Christmas Carol
4. Last Holiday
5. Scrooge
6. Miracle on 34th Street
7. The Grinch
8. Home Alone
9. Nightmare Before Christmas
10. The Santa Clause
11. The Holiday
12. Mickey's Christmas Carol
13. A Charlie Brown Christmas
14. Chronicles of Narnia
15. Polar Express

Home?

I thought that moving to Vegas would be my long lost answer to finding something a little more permanent in my life.  I suppose in some ways it has, but in other ways it has simply illuminated a more stark contrast to the voids I had either simply been ignoring or I didn't know were there.

Who ever came up with the phrase, "Home is where the heart is" anyway?  My heart isn't really anywhere.  Part of it is where my family is, part of it is where my job is, and part of it is where I left it 6 years ago with the community that raised me.  I suppose I'm still in very much the same conundrum that  I was a year and a half ago when I wrote my song Stability.  Hmmm...

THANKS. GIVING. IS HERE!

Sorry, my post title is an old joke from my mission, and I don't think I will ever get tired of it.  :)

There are a couple of things that I am particularly grateful for this year because of the interesting and unique challenges I've been facing over the last year of my life.

• My job.  I love everything about my job.  I have truly found my bliss.  My kids are crazy, but so am I, so it works.  My 8th graders are rough kids (e.g. my student of the month for September was in Juvenile Hall the day of the awards) but I wouldn't have it any other way because the changes are that much more important for them.  I'm seeing those changes now.  I'm seeing students advocate for themselves that they want a better future and a better education.  I love it.  And I saw them study their hearts out for an exam this week in order to witness what might have been their first glimpse of success.  Change is happening, and I am so blessed to be right there with them.  

• My family.  They love me through everything.  I don't know what else to say.  It's hard being so far away from all of them but I am so blessed that they are doing well.

• My friends.  I thought I knew what true friendship was, but then going through this last couple of months has taught me what it really means.  I know I haven't met everybody in the world, but I'm pretty dang sure Heavenly Father has purposefully surrounded me with some of his best, most loving children to uplift and support me.  

• The gospel of Jesus Christ.  My life would be in complete shambles right now without it.  I live in a place that proudly wears the title of "Sin City," and that saddens me.  Everyday, thousands of people flock to this place I now call home in search of some sort of escape or release from their everyday lives.  I'm grateful that I know exactly where to find all the comfort and escape I need from this world, and it's not by going to the Strip.  I love my Savior and am grateful that I know that no matter what I am going through, no matter how hard the trial may seem, He knows how to strengthen me through it.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone :)