First of all, we want to give a big shout out to Chris's mom and tell her Happy Birthday!! So, "Happy Birthday Meemaw!!!" And continuing on with this idea, Chris and I are thankful for the holidays. Now, we know birthdays are not holidays per se, but they are like a mini holiday to the person celebrating them. So, we are going to include them in this post at the Swisher household:) Really though... aren't holidays the best?! We really can't decide what is the best part about them: getting to spend time with family (hopefully), getting time off of work, getting to eat all the delicious food, getting to watch all of the great holiday themed movies (A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, scary Halloween movies, and on Valentine's Day when you can finally get your husband to watch a "chick flick" with you:)) celebrating something or someone meaningful in your life (whether Christ, your country, love, veterans, mothers and fathers, etc.), and the list goes on and on. Holidays are just so fun, meaningful, and entertaining. And shouldn't we be thankful for the fun things in our lives? We think so:) We also can't wait to experience all the holidays with Mitchell. As he gets older and gets excited for every holiday... it will be a magical thing to see!! Chris and I are especially grateful this year to be able to celebrate with some family. When we moved out here we knew in this first year that money would be a bit tight, so we knew we probably wouldn't get to go home for the holidays to see family (bummer). But, we are so happy that my sister and her family are coming out to see us for Thanksgiving, and Chris's mom and brother are coming out here for Christmas!! Yeah!! Isn't family the best?! We are super excited to see all of them.
I think I just discovered Chris's new favorite holiday. Haha, I know what we'll be celebrating next August 24th:
Ok, I just asked Chris what his favorite holidays were and they are mine as well. So, here are our top three: Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the 4th of July. Happy holidays everyone!! Relax and enjoy them.
Let's see how much you know about the traditions of our favorite holiday: CLICK HERE FOR A QUIZ
NOVEMBER 15TH:
We are thankful for our childhoods. Chris and I both agree we had great childhoods. Now, of course, we did have those moments in any childhood that you would definitely not want to relive: embarrassing moments, sad moments, crazy moments, etc. But, those moments are apart of anyone's childhood and only served to teach us the lessons needed to make us the people we are today. Really though, our childhoods were great (kudos to our parents). We know there are a lot of people out there who were not so lucky in how they grew up: they were neglected, did not have their necessities met, unloved, put in dangerous situations, etc.. Chris and I both grew up in homes full of laughter, support, discipline, encouragement, and most importantly, love. We want to also use this opportunity to thank our parents for raising us the way they did; they really did everything they could to take care of us, teach us, protect us, entertain us, and love us.
I asked Chris if he could think of one of his favorite childhood memories, and like me, he said it is too hard to pinpoint just one great memory. So, I decided I would change the word "favorite" to "fun." Because thinking of a favorite is too hard (there are just too many). So, we decided to each share one fun, great memory; but please know we have many many more besides these:
For me, one of the most fun memories I can remember is my dad letting me "drive" his car into the garage. I was about six years old (well, he let me do it a handful of times when I was young, but I probably remember it as early as six), and sometimes when we would come home from some event for the day, my dad would stop the car in the driveway, let me sit on his lap, and steer the car into the garage. Haha, now, obviously my feet were no where near the pedals, so he completely controlled the speed of the car and could at any moment stop the car if needed, but I didn't know that. I really thought I was driving the car. I would get so excited when he would stop in the driveway and ask me if I wanted to drive the car the rest of the way. "YES!!" I would exclaim; my face would light up and I could barely contain my excitement. I mean, come on, how jealous would my friends be that I got to drive a car?!! :) Haha, now our driveway was not long. It was long enough to fit one car on it. So, when I "drove" the car into the garage, I probably steered it for about 15 feet. But that was the greatest 15 feet of my life:) Thanks dad!! Haha, and thanks mom for being patient enough to wait in the driveway as I climbed over the seat, onto dad's lap, and we rode into the garage at a snail's pace:)
For Chris, a fun memory he can remember is the first time his grandparents took him fishing. He thinks he was about five or six years old, and they took him to go fishing along the banks of a small river/creek. He had his snoopy fishing pole and was ready to catch some fish. Now, his grandpa helped Chris put the bait on his hook and went over the instructions on how to cast his line, so Chris was ready for whatever could happen, right? Haha, well, he knew how to get ready to get the fish, but he wasn't prepared on what to do if he actually caught one. After a little bit, the moment came and he felt a tug on his line. "Grandpa, Grandpa!! I got one." Haha, now what? Chris just stood there with his line in the water until his grandpa gave him the next instructions, "Well, bring it in." Chris was just a little bit confused, but did exactly as his grandpa instructed. So, he made sure he was holding onto his pole tight and started to run back, away from the water. Forget reeling it in, Chris ran it in. After that his grandpa made sure to give Chris instructions on what to do when he catches a fish, that he would need to reel it in. Haha, Chris said he caught that same exact fish three more times (I guess the fish was really hungry and was not getting the memo).
Here are pictures of Chris and I in our happy childhoods:) Chris with his mighty fine suspenders and me, with my crooked bangs (thanks mom) and nice under-bite smile (future braces would correct that). Haha, whatever we looked like we were happy kids!!
NOVEMBER 16TH:
We are thankful for our talents. And we are not saying this in a bragging way. Believe me, there are a lot of people our there with greater talents than me and who have way more reasons to brag:) No, we are simply saying it in a humble, grateful way; God gives us all talents to use in this life and Chris and I are grateful for ours ("Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..." James 1:17). When I was growing up, I had a hard time believing I had any talents. Because I did not have any of those outward, showy, awesome talents: I can't sing (I'm pretty sure I'm tone deaf), I can't draw or paint (unless stick figures count), I can't act, dance, play an instrument, or do any crazy acrobats. So, what was I good at? President Henry B. Eyring, a leader for our church, once gave a talk about the different gifts God gives to all of us and he stated, "God knows our gifts. My challenge to you and to me is to pray to know the gifts we have been given, to know how to develop them, and to recognize the opportunities to serve others that God provides us." As I pondered these words, I started to realize that I did have some pretty good talents, which have helped me through life. I have a good memory, I have received awards at my work for my leadership and sales ability, and I am improving in my cooking (haha, hoping to make this a full on talent some day), etc. I discussed this with Chris and he agreed that he was given more talents in this life than he had previous realized. I think it is human nature to compare someone else's good qualities or talents with our bad qualities or inabilities, and feel like we are not has "special" or talented as others. But the truth is, we each have talents to give. While Chris and I can't sing or turn flips, we are both good academics. We both got good grades, finished our degrees, and both enjoy learning. I think that is a pretty good gift to have, since many other people hate the idea of school or find it very difficult (not that Chris and I did not have to study and work in school, but we never let that work discourage us too much to where we did not try). Chris and I both are good at reading people. Not to say we have never been lied to or taken advantage of, because we have; but, overall, I wouldn't call us naive or say that we are overly trusting. Chris is especially good at this talent. He can meet people and get a true feeling for their intentions and for the way they communicate best. This talent has helped both of us tremendously in our jobs and the connections we make at work (to learn how to get along with others and stay away from those who would take advantage of us).
Now to brag on Chris alone, Chris has a very good talent for forgiveness. Meaning, he can easily accept peoples' apologies and move on. This is something I am trying to learn from him on how to do, because I tend to hold grudges longer than I should. My lack of quick forgiveness only hurts me in the long run; but even with knowing that, it is still hard for me to let go. If Chris feels someone is really sorry or just made a mistake that they regret, then he is more than willing to forgive them and move forward. The fact that he can let go of his hurt or anger so quickly is amazing and a wonderful attribute to have. Chris also is a great artist. He can draw really well (haha, well beyond stick figures). Though, I think this talent may have started to be an annoyance for him because I am constantly asking him to draw for me so I can complete some projects I have around our house (the next one on my list is some pictures for Mitchell's room). Chris is also a great people person. Now, this does not mean he is not shy, because he is. But, he makes friends easily. He knows how to make small talk when he first meets people (haha, without coming off creepy), how to connect to others, he is polite, funny, asks about others' interests, and just makes great connections. I know all of this sounds like a page out of a psychology book on "How to Make Friends," but it's all true. And to people who are extra shy, introverted, hate small talk, and find social situations difficult, they can really understand how this is a great talent to have. Again, this talent has really helped Chris at his new job to make friends and to be well liked by his boss. And this has not always been a talent of Chris's. When I met him, he was extra shy and did not particularly like social situations with new people; he would avoid them at all costs. He was great at one-on-one conversations, but almost froze when it came to group settings. But, he was forced out of his comfort zone while on his mission in Germany, and he basically got to practice over and over on how to make these types of connections with people. Now, what was once a weakness of his is now a strength. It reminds me of a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do, not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased."
Ok, ok... I could brag on Chris all day and his many talents. But I think you guys get the point. We all have different talents, some a little more obvious than others, but we should all seek out to discover our talents, nurture them (otherwise they will disappear), use them for good, and most importantly thank our Heavenly Father that he blessed us with them.
NOVEMBER 17TH:
We are thankful for the scriptures. To have written guidance from God so readily available is amazing!! Sadly, I think the scriptures are something very under appreciated and under used in today's world. People know the Bible is there, but put reading it on the back-burner. They tend to not look at it until they are at church on Sunday, or have intentions to read more but let the busyness of their day take precedence. Sadly, I have been there to; but Chris and I have been trying to change that and we have been reading our scriptures together every night (also... talk about a way to bring you closer together as a couple!!). I think it is funny how when people are having a hard time in life that they will go and spend a ton of money on self-help books and seminars, but fail to even open their scriptures. I'm not saying those books are not helpful, but why would they be someone's first or only option? Haha, the scriptures are like a giant self-help book. Through the scriptures you learn where you came from, what your purpose in life is, and what your ultimate goal and destination should be (they answer all the ultimate questions in life). When I have had a really hard day, reading God's encouragement to me is a great way to rebound.
We really are thankful that we live in a time when we have the fullness of Christ's gospel on the earth. We have access to learn from the Bible and Book of Mormon. I know several of you may not be familiar with the Book of Mormon, but simply put, it is another testament of Jesus Christ. The Bible is a testament of Christ that happened in the Jerusalem area; the Book of Mormon, written around the same time frame as the Bible, is a testament of Christ that happened in the Americas (North and South). The Book of Mormon goes hand-in-hand with the Bible, showing that God loves all his children on the earth and would not favor one group of people, or certain continents of people, more than the other. The Book of Mormon was written by prophets, just like the Bible, who wrote down God's word and laws; showing to people that Jesus Christ is God's son, that he came to earth to redeem mankind, and that through him we can all return to live with our Heavenly Father and Savior again someday. To those of you seeking to be closer to your Savior I highly encourage you to read the Book of Mormon (it will definitely change your life for the better:)). To learn more CLICK HERE
I'm going to put down a couple of Chris and mine's favorite scriptures. The first one is from Isaiah, where he is prophesying about the future and that a Savior will come and sacrifice himself for the redemption of mankind. They are powerful scriptures talking about the pain and suffering Jesus Christ would go through for our sakes. The second is a scripture from the Book of Mormon, written by the prophet Helaman. God is letting us know how to best fight off Satan in this world and the temptations he will throw at all of us.
Isaiah 53: 3-7
(3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
(4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
(5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
(6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(7) He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Helaman 5: 12
(12) And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
NOVEMBER 18TH:
We are thankful to live in this time with modern conveniences. Now, I know we already posted we were thankful for modern means of communications (cell phones, Email, Skype, etc.), but beyond that, we are thankful for all the blessings this modern time brings. This blessing was fully realized when Chris and I were watching a movie taking place during medieval times and a woman going through childbirth. Now, since I just went through labor 6 months ago, I was extra extra extra thankful I was born during this time with modern medicine, and I had the chance to have an epidural. Plus, so many women gave birth back then and then shortly lost their children to basic sicknesses, which can quickly be caught and solved in today's world. Beyond being thankful for antibiotics, we are thankful for modern technology to make our every day lives easier: washer and dryers, microwaves, ovens, indoor plumbing (yeah for no outhouses), refrigerators, automobiles, airplanes, the Internet, grocery stores (we're not completely dependent on if our personal crop makes it or not), heat and a/c, entertainment through T.V., books, visiting zoos, boating, four-wheeling, restaurants, amusement parks, shopping, etc. Obviously this list can go on and on. I think the hardest part with all of these conveniences is for us not to become complacent and lazy. Hopefully we can all use the extra time we save through all of these modern "time-savers" for good, to learn, and to spend quality time with our families.
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| Modern medicine and technology provided this image of our healthy baby boy:) |
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| It is so nice that family can travel in airplanes or automobiles to come visit us. It probably cuts off a month or so of their travel time:) |
Modern Entertainment: The Wii. Things like this are just fun:) This
is my niece and nephew this last Easter (then ages 12 and 5) dancing to
one of their Wii games. If you listen closely you can hear my nephew
start to sing along to the music (so cute!!). This is also great exercise.
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