A Month of Thanks

This month, everyone is posting all the things they're grateful for on Facebook daily. I often times get so busy and caught up in responsibility that I forget the hundreds of things I'm really thankful for, so I figured I'd just make one big giant thankful post. 

1. I'm thankful for my family, including Jon,  that has been there for me.

2. I'm thankful for my pets that make me laugh and smile every single day- even if they are kind of naughty. 

3. I'm thankful for my small circle of friends who accept me for me without judgement- they're family, too.

4. I'm thankful for the roof over my head, and that I have a comfy place to sleep at night. 

5. I'm thankful for my employees that make Ruff House what it is today.

6. I'm thankful for the opportunity to run Ruff House and the lessons it's taught me. 

7. I'm thankful for people who support small local business, because they help me support myself and my employees. 

8. I'm thankful for the beauty of four seasons.

9. I'm thankful for the opportunities for charity that cross my path. True joy is found in charity. 

10. I'm thankful for the healthy food that I have access to that has helped me obtain better health.

11. I'm thankful for the people that have come into my life as I follow my passion of ethical dog breeding. 

12. I'm thankful for the trials of my past that have made me who I am today.

13. I'm thankful for my in-laws that have been there for Jon and I.

14. I'm thankful for the gospel.

15. I'm thankful for the experienced ethical dog breeders that have taken the time to help and educate me. 

16. I'm thankful for my vet, who has been a wealth of knowledge for me.

17. I'm thankful for the knowledge I've gained that has led me to making more eco-friendly choices, and the people who have brought that knowledge to me. 

18. I'm thankful for the financial stability that has allowed me to put clothes on my body, and food on the table. 

19. I'm thankful for the skilled doctors and surgeons that have helped me get healthy this year.

20. I'm thankful for the internet, the people its brought into my life, and how easy it makes it to keep in touch with loved ones miles away.

21. I'm thankful for my dependable vehicles, and that we are able to maintain two vehicles.

22. I'm thankful to live in America.

23. I'm thankful for the right to vote.

24. I'm thankful for the scriptures and the answers I've found in them.

25. I'm thankful for the lessons I've learned from animals.

26. I'm thankful for books, and the stories and lessons they provide. 

27. I'm thankful for my education- limited as it may be. 

28. I'm thankful that I have the drive to constantly learn more, and for the resources to do so.

29. I'm thankful I have an understanding of the importance of living green, and that I've changed habits that I can pass down to my kids.

30. I'm thankful for the desire I have to constantly improve. 

31. I'm thankful for the freedom of speech... because you know I've got an opinion on everything. 

32. I'm thankful for my health.

33. I'm thankful that I have the freedom and right to be myself. 

I'm sure I'm thankful for a lot more, but I'm hungry, so I'm going to go eat the food I'm thankful for. 

Just Sayin'

The Thing About Elections....

It's that time of year: election season. I am a firm believer in how important it is to vote, no matter what you believe- vote, vote, vote. I feel like it's one of the things that really sets this country apart, and I think it's incredibly important for American citizens to be involved with the political process.
That said, I'm amazed at how quickly friends, family, and co-orkers turn on each other over their support of one candidate over another. Let's be real here: neither candidate is perfect, so it absolutely surprises me how many people are so shocked when one or the other says or does something completely stupid, and then they use that to put their own candidate on a pedestal.
I think what irks me the most, is that SO many people sit on their high horse and point the "stupid" finger at anyone who disagrees with them. It's like people seem to forget who their friends are and just attack anyone who isn't voting the way they are. Now, I'm a fairly outspoken person. I have my beliefs, I stand by them, and I don't really give a damn what anyone thinks of them, so in all honesty, I can't be THAT surprised when I tick people off. I even rubbed a cousin the wrong way for voicing that based on the incredibly ignorant statements on women's bodies and rape they have no business making decisions for women. (well they HAVE, and despite the fast I'm voting Republican this year, I can recognize that!) DO I care if people disagree with me? No. Not at all, and if they choose to be offended by my beliefs there's not much I can do about it. But, even my Mom of all people got "hate mail" from a so called long time friend calling her blind for the simple act of "liking" one of the candidates on Facebook. People who would never dream of intentionally offending anyone, people who are very subtle in sharing their thoughts, people who do not put their beliefs out there bluntly for the world to criticize are getting attacked.And the thing is- this doesn't change anyone's mind. Telling me I'm stupid isn't going to make me vote for someone else, it's just going to make me want to punch you in the face for being a jerk.

So, a few things to remember before you jump down someone's throat over the election:
1. Two different opinions doesn't make either one stupid or blind. Stop calling people ignorant, blind, or sheep just because they don't agree with you.A business owner, a coal miner, and a stay at home mom might all have different political views which are influenced by their person life situation and how the policies effect THEM.
2. Neither candidate is perfect.
3. Before you attack someone, ask yourself if the election is really worth tainting relationships over. I can't think of any that are.

Whether you think we can't afford another 4 years of Obama, or you're still feeling the promises of hope and change- vote, and stand by your beliefs without being a jackass. :-)

What am I for? I'm for lower taxes. I'm for proof of citizenship. I'm for working hard. In the words of Tim McGraw: "Democrat, republican.... guess I'm screwed I'm neither one."


Talk about irony, not 5 minutes after posting this to Facebook, I get: "You're not who I thought you were, I can't believe you'd vote for Mitt, blah blah blah"
SO much for the message I was going for.