i’m a lucky, lucky girl…

 

 

 

 

Today, I have to say that I am so thankful to be living in such a beautiful area of our country.  I’ve been all over the united states… and so much of it is absolutely breathtaking, believe me.  Colorado – especially western Colorado – has had me under its spell since I was 21 years old… since the very first time I set foot in the state and laid eyes on the most beautiful sunrise I’d ever seen.  There’s something magical about how the sun hits the snow-capped mountains as they rest against the bluest sky ever.   No matter what I’m doing…whether I’m taking a drive, on a walk with the kids or Dutchess, rafting, hiking, skiing, or swimming – I have a smile on my face when I look around.  I can’t not appreciate everything that is around me.  I feel closer to God when I’m here – especially when I’m outside and surrounded by His great creation.  It’s what brought me here to live when I was a 21 year old single mother of my amazing son, Joshua – who was three at the time.  

 I was reminded of how blessed I am to live here while driving home from Alabama a couple of weeks ago.  I was forced to take a detour through Steamboat Springs because a monstrous rockslide had closed the interstate thru my favorite place – Glenwood Canyon.  I couldn’t help but smile when I saw this.  I stopped in my tracks to take a picture. 

Dutchess, on the other hand, was not so impressed – she was pretty sick of being in the car after three days and almost 2,000 miles of driving!

"seriously, Mom?! can we just GO?!"

I am also thankful to have children who are open minded and happy pretty much all the time.  Joshua is so athletic.  He hadn’t been skiing in years – but jumped on the chance to go with his Uncle David the other day.  I don’t know if I’ve mentioned that my first husband is Chinese.  So of course our son is gorgeous – that’s a given.  But what is important is that his dad’s family – is my family, too.  They mean so much to me and we all love eachother and consider ourselves brothers and sisters…. in every aspect.  We laugh and joke like siblings, we are brutally honest with eachother like siblings, and we fight like siblings…. but most of all, we love eachother and stand up for eachother like siblings.  They are amazing people and I love them so much.  I consider them a blessing that I count often.  Even cooler?  My younger two children are their neice and nephew, too – and they call them the chinese names for ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle’ – just like Joshua does… and their kids are not just my nephews and neice – they are my kids, too!   I’m a lucky girl, I’m tellin’ ya!  

Best thing EVER – not only did Josh get to go skiing with Uncle D –

zhunHo & uncleD

takin' it all in...

 

 

what a lucky boy - learning 2 ski in Aspen!

break 4 protein shakes @ starbucks

… Piper, Cameron, and I got to spend the day with Tammy and Elisabeth – or as we call them kuMa and di-KuMa (but they’re really cool-ma’s… haha)  … and we all met up in Aspen for lunch at a great little place called ‘Little Annies’ … you must stop in there if you’re ever in town. 

yes, we're family! what? don't we look alike?!

So despite all the tough stuff that’s come up lately, I have a lot to be thankful for… a lot! 

…. right now I am thankful for a quiet house so that I can work hard on my homework

 

 

 

 

 SooOOooOoo…

what are you thankful for today?  do you have a fabulous extended family or friends you consider to be family?  how about amazing kids or neices or nephews?   are you grateful to live in a beautiful place or just that you woke up this morning and breathed in clean air and are able to drink clean water and have good food in your tummy?  we all have a lot to give thanks for, don’t we? 

Even when it’s bad – it isn’t really that bad, is it?

 

xo

~Mandy~

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• Posted in: family & friends ♦ in all things...give thanks ♦ Uncategorized