23, 24, 25

November 23: I'm grateful for date nights. Trev might not have a job right now and we are a little tight on money, but we always make date night a priority. When I went to Guatemala in July 2012, I had the opportunity to work with a couple who have been happily married for 35 years. When I asked what their secret to success was, they told me three things: 1) never go to bed mad, 2) communicate, and 3) make date night a priority. The wife told me that their date nights over 35 years was one of the main reasons their marriage had survived for that long. It gives you the chance to escape reality, enjoy your spouse, and do something that isn't typically something you do every night. It allows the chance for muted communication to happen too. With that advice in mind, I told Trevor when we first started dating that we would always go on a date night, whether it be cheap and at home, or fancy and expensive. This past weekend, Trev and I went to the SUU ballroom concert on Friday night and then saw Hunger Games: Catching Fire Saturday night. After the movie, we ordered Chilis to-go, and spent the rest of our Saturday evening together on the couch watching a penguin documentary. (My husband has an obsession with penguins.) It was a lovely and relaxing weekend with my man, and it gave us a chance to breath and think about other things instead of stressing about finances and school. Date nights will always be my favorite night of the week.

November 24: I'm grateful for my love of reading that has carried with me since a young age. When I was a little girl, my dad often found me curled up underneath my comforter with a flashlight and a good book. I would get scolded and the book and flashlight would get taken away, or else I would never go to sleep. I would go to the Lehi City library and check out a stack of 25 books (all over 250 pages) and hammer through them in two weeks. I'm a fast reader but I retain the information and grasp concepts well. My younger brothers don't like reading at all and that breaks my heart. Reading is my escape from the real world, a place where my imagination can run free. Reading is fun! I can't wait to *hopefully* pass on my love of reading to our children.

November 25: We had the chance to work with Trevor's young cousins for one of Trev's class projects. Children are so eager and willing to help adults, and love to give their input on how to make things better. We finished the project thanks to the kids' patience and help. Before we left, Trevor and I started talking with his aunt and my emotions came close to the surface during our conversation. Instead of gawking at me like young children can do, the four York kids went into the living room and made this sweet card for me. They then quietly slipped it to me and walked away. The youngest cousin, Jaylin, climbed up on the kitchen counter and asked me to read the card to her. The card says, "We love you a lot!!! It doesn't matter what anyone thinks of you as long as WE love you! Love Ashlyn, Jasie, Ammon, Jay" I finished reading the card, and the two older girls came into the kitchen and wrapped their arms around my neck and said, "You're like our older sister. We love you, Natasha." It never ceases to amaze me that even though children might not know everything that is going on, and the cousins didn't know why I was being an emotional bawl-baby, but their words hit a sweet spot in my heart. Kids can be so in-tune sometimes. I love hearing spiritual stories about young children. Yes, sometimes kids can be brats; yes, sometimes these cousins drive me crazy, and yes sometimes I want to never be a mother when I see children acting up. But deep down I love children and can't wait to have my own someday. I'm especially grateful for the chance to be a role model and older cousin to the York children. I'll always cherish this sweet card.