Life with Dylan

Category: thankful

  • Thoughts on being thankful and counting our blessings

    Every year when November rolls around I try to think of new things to be thankful for. New blessings that have come into my life … or in the case of this year, an old blessing that keeps giving me more and more to be thankful for.

    When I asked Dylan what he was thankful for this year, his answers reminded me of how truly blessed I am to have him as my son.

    Dylan is thankful for …

    • All the conservation work I have been able to do, like raising money for the tigers and watching Tiger Trail being built at the Safari Park.
    • For all the people and sponsors that made Dylan’s Animal Adventure Camp possible so that I could raise money for the Amur leopards and Snow leopards.
    • For getting Tiga as my birthday present and knowing she was a rescue. She is the best pet ever.
    • Having the privilege to be in the Presidents Association at the San Diego Zoo.
    • My home and my health.
    • That my mom took me on a Deluxe Caravan Safari so that I could see Nola.
    • For the support and encouragement I get from my friends who work at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
    This year I am especially thankful for my son … Life with Dylan really is inspiring. 

  • I’m thankful for what Mother Earth has given me

    As the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaches I sit her thinking about what I am thankful for this year. I’ve watched friends post numerous things they are thankful for on Facebook and twitter; some of which I am thankful for too.

    Yes, I am thankful for my health, my home, my job, my friends and family, and the ability to put food on the table – but looking at the big picture there is so much more. It can be easy to get caught up in the materialistic things in life and we sometimes take the most important things in this world for granted.

    The very things that make this world a world – the gifts from Mother Nature.

    I am thankful for the trees that give me shelter from the sun and create homes for Mother Nature’s creatures.

    I am thankful for the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that give me serenity each day.

    I am thankful for the men and women who are fighting every day against wildlife trafficking so that my children and grandchildren will have the opportunity to see all the beautiful animals of this world. Not pictured in a book, but in real life.

    I am thankful for the many parks and nature reserves that allow me and my son to connect with nature whenever we feel disconnected.

    I am thankful for this blog so that I can share my love of nature, animals, photography, and conservation with others.

    I am thankful for the countless zoos and aquariums that give people the chance to see so many different animals and that teach us about conservation.

    I am thankful for friends who inspire me to keep exploring and learning more about the world around me.

    I am thankful for the mountains, the deserts, the oceans, and the rainforests. All of which provide infinite beauty.

    What are you thankful for?