Gratitude

Despite cabin fever, it's a beautiful season and there's so much to be grateful for. 

A few years ago I did a gratitude entry for every day in November. 

I'm not going to do that this year, but I am going to list a few things that I am thankful for.

I am so grateful for my health. When I was on bed rest, one of the things I missed most was being able to play with my kids. I missed picking them up. Holding them. Carrying them out of the bathtub, wrapping them in a towel burrito, and hurling them on our bed. Rough housing, chasing and wrestling. I missed holding them close and cuddling.


What a week to ponder this one! I am thankful for Our Country. 

What a wonderful, beautiful, abundant country it is.

I'm grateful for our Freedom, for the Constitution, for men and women who lead in dignity and stand up for what is right.

God, bless America.



To be a stay-at-home Mom.

How lucky I am to have a skilled husband who works hard and allows me to be home with the kids.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm so grateful that I'm the one that gets to spend the days with the boys. I'm not always the most patient or understanding, but I do believe that not even the nicest or best teacher could take my place in teaching, educating, caring for, and Loving these boys.  

I'm their Mom. I'm so lucky to be here with them. 

How thankful I am to be Married to such a solid and seriously wonderful guy.

Mike is Fun. Happy. Smart. Kind. Aware of others. Caring. Funny. Smoldering.  

I'm so lucky to be his.


For Technology. The Digital age. Easy and quick Communication.

As much as I fought technology for so many years, with enthusiasm, passion, help and much patience of Mike, I'm loving how the world is going paperless. 

Mike got the iPad mini this week and I kind of love it.  

For me, it's opened up a new way of reading and gathering knowledge. I love how all my photos are on the computer, as will our family library of books and DVDs in a few short years. For one who hates junk and clutter, computers are simplifying my acquisitions. In the midst of the recent forest fires, I considered what we would take if we had five minutes to evacuate. Pretty much just our 72 hour kids and our computer. And our kids.  


Both my degree in education and my wonderful college experience.

There's not a day that goes by where I don't feel gratitude and/or peace of mind for that piece of paper and everything it means. I know if I had to go back to work, I could and I know if I needed to support my family, I could. When I was at BYU, President Hinckley spoke to me saying: "Be smart. You are all in school. Do not waste your time. This is a time of great opportunity that you will never have again as long as you live. Make the most of it right now... take advantage of every opportunity that you have... Yours is the responsibility, and you can’t afford to waste your time. There is so much to learn. Be smart. Give it the very best that you have."

Life lessons often trumped my secular learning, but how grateful I am that I had the one in a lifetime learning opportunity.

How 
I love our Modern day/ first world comforts and conveniences. 

Microwaves. Ovens. Running water. Heated water. Water I can drink from the tap. Beds. My bed. Cars. Heaters and AC. Flushing toilets. Curling irons. Warm clothes. Refrigeration. Restaurants. Costco that does the cooking for me. Sanitary hospitals. Modern medicine. Fancy strollers. 



Prayer. I went to a women's conference a few weeks ago and my favorite quote of the day was: "If you haven't received an answer to prayer in the last three days than you need to change the way you pray." 



Scriptures. Living Prophets. Holy Ghost. Temple. Exercise. Books. Moms. Siblings. Seasons. Friends. Vacations. Work.