Thankful Thursday: Appreciating What You Have

No shocker, sometimes, like everyone else, I struggle with contentment, or the lack there of.  Which boils down to one of two things for me, usually, wanting something I don't have or not realizing what I do have, or both!

I realized that in the last week or so, I have had a few realizations about being here. I've felt more peaceful and even started thinking of a future.

I've dealt with such a mixed bag of emotions moving here.  Almost everyone we told that we were moving here kept saying how beautiful it was and how much they LOVE the area.  Which is all well and good, but sometimes, like a spoiled brat of a child, you just can't see it because all you can think about is the place you left, or the people.  Part of you (okay me) wants to shut out the people and places because you don't ever want to lose or forget your love for the things that have passed.  And no matter how logical it is, to just say, "It doesn't have to be either/or", your heart is slower to catch on.

And here we are, almost a year back from Thailand, and I'm thinking, at the beach, "Wow, it's so beautiful here, how have I never REALLY seen it before!"  And I know why I haven't seen it, not in a way to truly appreciate it, anyway.  My heart loves Thailand, and my head dreamed up 30 years worth of future plans there.  Processing such a major change has taken some time, and I've experienced such assurance from God, every single time I've needed it.  And now, my head and my heart are planning a future here, with visits to Thailand, of course!

All that being said, I'm also a little wiser this go round.  God's plan may have us moving to Africa tomorrow, or Alaska.  I'm holding much less tightly to my plans these days, and I'm feeling content, and peaceful.

And here's my list of things I'm loving about CDA (Coeur D'Alene):

1. Tons of amazing parks
2. The lake
3. Their fireworks were quite impressive!
4. Easy access to stores I love, like: Target, Ross, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Grocery Outlet, and Winco.
5. Great indoor play place options nearby. (Kroc center across the street, and various fast food places)
6. Incredibly friendly people
7. The weather (I no I've complained about how cold it is, but we haven't had to run heat or air for   quite a while now!)
8. Close enough to Doug's office that we can visit and swap the car around when we need to.
9. Great library
10. GoodSeed family (everyone has been so great, I am thankful beyond words!)