November Blessings 19

Blessing

Today I am so thankful that Jay went to Walmart & Sams to get everything we needed for the rest of the week.

This blessing comes from the man who puts a trip to Walmart at the same enjoyment level as putting up Christmas lights.

Not only did he go, but he put everything away!

I feel so thankful, so so thankful from my achy body.

November Blessings 18

Blessing

I am thankful today for leftovers, that make dinner preparation so easy on a busy night!
(and so thankful that they were yummy pizza soup leftovers!)

November Blessings 17 & challenge

Blessing

Today I am thankful for a compliment that I received. It provided such encouragement as I went throughout my day. It was sincere, and very well timed. Not that the giver knew how timely it was.
It has given me much thought, about letting others know how I feel about the good things they do. How often I think things, but don't pass it on, thinking "oh, they know."
Even if they do know, would it hurt to give a little encouragement along the way?
So here is a challenge...
Think today, of who you have "thought good thoughts" about- and let them know. Be it in a note, a phone call, or face to face.
Are you up to the challenge?

November Blessings 14

Blessing

I am thankful for good times with this one (I have to hold on to the good times, for the ones that are not so good)

November Blessings 13

Blessing

Today I am thankful for music. Wait- have I already said that? Maybe... I think I say it all the time. I listened to my favorite Christmas music all day. I absolutely love how I feel when I listen to it. I am thankful for how music can speak to my heart, and for the lessons learned through listening. I am thankful that my children all love music. I think most kids do, but mine really love it. Even if they do get a little territorial about it!

November Blessings 12

Blessing

I am so thankful for my kids teachers. For all of them. Those at school, at church-The ones they have now, and the ones that they have had in the past.
I am thankful for their preparation. I am thankful for the songs they teach. For the games they play. For making learning fun. For being dedicated. For sharing in such a big part of my kids lives.

November Blessings 11

Blessing

Today I am thankful for my Mom. I am thankful for the time that we get to spend together. There used to be a time, that I would think -"it would be so fun to do ____with mom"-

I lived away from home for so long, and I wondered what it would be like living close to her. Having my mom be around my children. Being able to run over to her house to show her something. Being able to meet at the store to check out the latest clearance items.

I am thankful for the fun that we have together.
I am thankful that she loves my husband.
I am thankful that he loves her!

I am thankful for the time that we get together. I am thankful for our mother-daughter relationship. I am thankful for her talents.
I am thankful that she is so giving of her time (and her talents!) with our family.

Thank you mom, I love you.

November Blessings 10

Blessing

Today I am thankful for perspective. I wrote about this after a road trip with our family, and sitting in a different place in the car.

I have been trying to remember to check in on myself. To see if I need a shift of my perspective.
And almost always, I benefit from it.

I am thankful for the here and now. I was reading an entry from Mitchell's mom Tracey- it gave me a shift of perspective that I needed with one of our children. This time is short. Even if its long...it is still short.

November Blessings 9

Blessing
I have been laughing at my thought of what to write about today. I kept trying to think up something else to be thankful for, health, that its the weekend, etc. etc.

But I keep coming back to this, and I kind of already said I was thankful for it- so I will say it again.

Digital photography.

And not just any photos.
No.
The photos I am grateful for today are the ones taken by my 4 year old.

Specifically the ones taken of me from behind!
There were countless photos -
If thats not a motivator to go light on the pie this next week, and get on the treadmill for a few extra minutes then I don't know what is!

So thank you dear boy ...

November Blessings 8

Blessing
Today I am thankful to live in the United States- and that right now our family lives in



OKLAHOMA
Today we celebrate the birthday of Oklahoma-100 years!
I don't know how long we will live in Oklahoma- and I never thought that I would come back to live here! But here we are, and we will love it while we are here!

November Blessings 7

Blessing
Today I am thankful for this





For most of our married life we have had 1 car and we have made it work. But oh how nice it has been to have 2 cars. This car has been such a blessing to our family the last 1 1/2 months that we have been able to use it.
We have been able to borrow it from my grandmother, and for as long as we are able to use it we will be grateful!
We are so thankful for:
The time that I am not spending in the car with all the kids taking Jay to work, and picking him up.
The time that Jay is able get to his meetings, and work, and anything else without it having to be a family affair.
Jay being able to run up to the school for the kids things, without me having to pick him up, and take him back.
THE FREEDOM THAT THIS CAR HAS BROUGHT TO US!

November Blessings 6

Blessing
Today I am thankful for the gift of time. For the unexpected time.
When something gets canceled.
Or plans change, and instantly you are given "time."
To be able to have time to breathe, and slow down, and just be home. Not hurrying.
Ahhhhh.

November Blessings 5

Blessing

"Friends are the Family that you make for yourself"

Today I am thankful for friends.
I am thankful for the friends that I have had throughout my life.
I am thankful for what each relationship is to me.
I have friends who live near, and friends who live very far away.

Some friends I don't speak to very often,
but when we do its like we have not missed a day's visit.
Then there are friends that I don't go a day without talking to.

Some friends have known me since I was very young.
Some friends only know the me that has children.

I have friends I can turn to for help, for a laugh, for a pep talk,
for a good gripe session, for advice.

I am thankful for the balance and perspective that my friends provide.
I am thankful for the sisterhood that I feel among my friends.
Today I feel especially blessed!

November Blessing 4

Blessing

Todays blessing is not what I planed to write.
My kids school went on lockdown for a good part of the day.
Today I am thankful that everyone was safe at my kids school.
I am thankful that the man across the street was not injured when shot at.
I am thankful that I had already picked up Luke.
I am thankful that the school has practiced lockdowns, in the past,
and that everyone knew what to do.
I am thankful that I could pick up my kids.
I am thankful that they both prayed today when they were scared.

November Blessings 2

Blessing
I am thankful for digital technology.
I am thankful for all that it provides for my family. The ability to keep in touch, and "constant" contact with one another.
To have my music, and photos, all semi-organized-

I am finishing a talk for tomorrow, and I can sit, and listen to my music while I search lds.org to find a talk from conference 1 1/2 years ago. I can just type in what I am looking for and there it is!

It is amazing.

Here are the techie things I am considering a blessing right now.
computer
cell phone
internet-always on fast access
digital camera
wireless network
access to my music library at my fingertips
(and I am certainly grateful for the electricity to power up all these things!)

November Blessings

I was at Hobby Lobby, and I was looking at a turkey that I would really like to have. I was thinking that I had plenty of time to get it, you know, like weeks. Like many weeks. And then it hit me, its 2 weeks away! THANKSGIVING IS 2 WEEKS AWAY!

WAIT- I have not been doing my month of gratitude! We usually have something going on with our family to remind us of our blessings. We write them down in a journal, or put them on feathers for a turkey, or on leaves, or just on a piece of paper on the fridge. But this year, I have done nothing! I just started thinking about it yesterday and what I wanted to do for it, but I was thinking about it like it was still October, and I had weeks left to decide!

The weather has been so nice, like spring...not November. We have had 2 cold days. The rest are beautiful. I think it has tricked me.

So I am committing myself to blog a blessing a day for the rest of November. And quickly come up with something for the family!

BLESSING-
I am thankful today for my senses-
To SMELL yummy candles, and lotions, and my kids after their baths, clean laundry, dinner already cooking...
To SEE beauty, my childrens faces, the colors of each season, reading a good book,watching movies together,
To TASTE different meals (that they all dont taste the same), to taste mint anything!, sonic drink, chocolate,
To HEAR music, all kinds, made by my children, CD,s, orchestras & symphonies, choirs, hymns, laughter from my family, a cooing baby,
To TOUCH my blanket, my kids hands ( holding them), and especially to hold Jay's hand, a hug from my mom, the feel of Savanna's hair as I fix it,