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I did it.
I started a second blog.

alisa-blessing-a-day.blogspot.com

Blessing a day 2009-

I am thankful for ...

Last night I was reviewing my day and started thinking about what I was thankful for. I started my mental blog- and then thought,"Oh- wait- November is over." It made me kind of sad.

I think I have set a habit. I think I benefited from that habit. There were days in November that were some pretty grumpy days. At night when I reviewed things I sometimes had to really think to try and find something that blessed my life. Once I got over my grumpiness a list would start to flow. I am sure that some days it seemed odd some of the things that I was thankful for. But I was sincere. I spent some time every day of November thinking about being thankful and I really think that in itself was a blessing.

A few Sundays ago I came across a Gratitude page on our church's website lds.org.
This stood out:

"Bitterness, resentful feelings, or mean-spiritedness cannot exist in a grateful heart. Greater happiness is achieved as deeper gratitude is developed."

Who couldn't use a relief from resentment, bitterness or ill will? I think we all have life experiences that cause us pain and grief and sorrow. I know I need help in keeping a perspective on things.

So I need to keep documenting a blessing a day. I am not sure how I will do this. I like writing it on my blog because it gets done. If I am just going to write on paper I don't know if I will do it. Maybe I should just set up another little gratitude blog for myself to just keep right on going.

What are you thankful for today?

Blessing a Day 2009 30

I am thankful for two very unrelated things but they both stood out as things that I am thankful for today.
I am thankful for sleeping children- all asleep at the same time. Oh the sweet silence.
I am thankful for tweezers in the car. And sunlight to use them. (I am not however, thankful I need to use them, but I am thankful they are there.)

Blessing a Day 2009 29

I am thankful for hot water. I am thankful that I can just turn it on and it comes out hot. I don't have to do anything before hand to make it hot it just comes out that way. I am thankful that I can take hot showers. What an everyday convenience, but one I would certainly miss if I did not have it.

Blessing a Day 2009 28

I am thankful that stores are open later. I can help get the kids down to sleep and make a quick run to pick up something ALONE! I am thankful I am not working retail. For 6 years I worked at the mall. Some of the time was fun- but I don't miss it.

Blessing a Day 2009 27

our family portrait the day after thanksgiving

I am thankful for traditions.
I am thankful that we can break traditions. (no turkey for thanksgiving- hooray! no stinky leftovers-hooray!)
I am thankful that we can bring back old traditions. (bookstore visits the day after Thanksgiving) I am thankful that we can make new ones. (shrimp for Thanksgiving)

Blessing a Day 2009 26.3

I am thankful that someone made us a yummy dessert to share with us for Thanksgiving Day and dropped it off.
Yum.

Blessing a Day 2009 26.2

I am thankful Jay cleaned up the leaky shrimp juice that I had thawing in the fridge. I am thankful he took care of it so I did not have to do it. gag.

Blessing a Day 2009-26

I am thankful for being able to walk. I am thankful that my feet move. I am thankful that right now my body is working. Over the last year I have hurt my heel, my knee, my ankle- nothing major needing treatment, but it hurt to walk and exercise. I am thankful that our bodies heal, and are able to do what they need to. I am thankful for that perspective and that I can be thankful for the ability to walk.

Blessing a Day 25

I am thankful for sleep. I wish I did not need it so much, but I am so thankful for when I can go to sleep when I am tired and wake up when I am rested. I am thankful that I don't have trouble sleeping. I do fight it- trying to go on less than I need. But I love how it feels when I am able to just go to sleep and wake up rested. I love to be able to sleep in- you know until after 7. Just waking up when my body wakes. So I guess I should also be thankful that my family lets me do that every once in a while. I love when we have time off of work and school to sleep until our bodies wake.
Yep I am thankful for restful sleep.

Blessing a Day 2009- 24

I am thankful for FREE.
(picture Adam Sandler in the movie bedtime stories saying free for me)

I love a good deal. I love it even better when things are free. I had the great day of free today. Tucker and I went to the mall for story time, then for a little stroll. The See's candy was out so we each had a little sample. Then we walked around to a few other stores. Tucker's sucker kept him pretty occupied so we were able to check out a few stores before he got too antsy. Then I decided to go into a store that I never take the kids. Godiva. I went in to sign up for the free chocolate of the month card. A lady in front of us was buying a large amount of chocolate and needed to just spend a few more dollars to get $10 for free. After she bought her extra items she turned around and handed Tucker a WHOLE. BAR. OF. CHOCOLATE. She said he looked so cute, she just had to share. I wanted to tell her that it was not kids chocolate, but bit my tongue. Tucker was kind to share with me. Oh delicious! All for free.

Blessing a Day 2009- 23 from yesterday

I am thankful for family nights-
I am thankful that we have a time set aside to spend time together. I used to think that every night was family night. You know when the kids were really little. But now as our family has changed with more children and different schedules, and other things we have going on, I can appreciate the counsel to set aside time to spend together as a family. I enjoy that it is not my responsibility to plan the evening. I am glad we have a little book to refer to of who is in charge of what. I am glad that I am not always the one in charge of lesson. I am thankful that everyone gets a chance to do everything. I am thankful for the time to be together.

Blessing a Day 2009- 22

Today I am thankful for a sabbath day. A day of rest from the normal go go go of the week. Even though Sunday's can be busy in their own way, it is still a day of rest from my routines, the laundry, the housework, the shopping, the errands.

Today I feel thankful.

Enjoy.

Blessing a Day 2009- 21

I am thankful for peppermint.
I am thankful for sleeping in.
I am thankful for long talks.
I am thankful for a run to the store by myself.
I am thankful for two delicious Thanksgiving dinners two nights in a row.
I am thankful that we were able to get together with my side of the family. I am thankful that everyone got along. I think they all really had a good time. Miracles never cease. (said with a smile!)

Blessing a Day 2009- 20

I am thankful that my mom is safe.
A neighbor of my mom's contacted Jay earlier today saying that she saw someone jumping over my mom's fence. She was worried that my mom might have been robbed, and she had called the police.
Everything is fine- but it shook me a little.
Thankful- doesn't seem a big enough word tonight.

Blessing a Day 2009- 19

I could write about being thankful for so many different things. When I sit down to write this every night I try not to make it too deep or difficult. I just try and think of one moment that stood out during the day that I felt gratitude. That I felt a blessing in that moment.

I am thankful that today I was available.

A former teacher of Savanna's passed away today after suffering a brain injury over the weekend from a fall off his roof. When I got the automated phone call from the school I new where I needed to be. I felt like I could not get out of the door fast enough.
As I walked into the cafeteria to hug those dear sweet girls I felt grateful that I could be there at that moment. That I was not tied up doing other things- like the rest of the week.
Nothing that I could do, but give hugs, and share love.

I am thankful that today I was available.

I am sure I will write more about this later.
Lori wrote about it.
Jim wrote about it on his photo blog. Day 107 -Click details to read what Jim wrote.
Read the families blog ...
The Griffis family blog-

Please keep the Griffis family and friends, the students and faculty at school in your thoughts and prayers.

Blessing a Day 2009- 18

I am thankful that my neighbor brought me a beautiful salad before dinner. Is it just me or does salad always taste better when someone else puts it together? I am especially thankful for the salad because as I was making the corn bread I discovered something inside it and decided to throw it out ... along with the rest of the cornmeal. I don't think I need to say why. So. The salad was a great thing to have to go along with our cornbreadless chili.

Blessing a Day 2009- 17

Tonight I am thankful for Dr.s and Target and CVS pharmacy. I am thankful for Target and CVS coupons that give me gift cards for new and transferred prescriptions. I am thankful for our Dr.'s office that gets us right in when we call about Luke.

Blessing a Day 2009- 16

I am thankful Jay cleaned out the clogged bathroom drain. Without me asking. It most certainly wasn't his hair that was clogging it, but he took care of it anyway.

Blessing a Day 2009-15

Today on the way to church I commented to the kids that I was so thankful for our van. That it worked. That it kept us cold when we were hot, and warm when we didn't want to be cold.
I remembered that I had written this in July but never posted it.
I am thankful for our van.

Goodbye Van
It seems only fitting to bid farewell to something that we spent so much time in.
We traveled many many many miles in it. At parting there were over 240, ooo miles on the odometer.
It had seen its share of spills-breastmilk, cowmilk, yogurt, many a sonic tipped over cup-
Food had been dropped-french fries, chicken nuggets, hamburgers, pretzels, cheerios, fruit snacks and who knows what else.
Our family went from 2 kids to 4 kids. It held many a baby carrier, car seat and booster seat, stroller, pack-n-play, highchair etc.
We traveled with all kinds of luggage and been on numerous road trips and carried more than we thought possible (besides people and luggage) from:
utah to colorado (countless trips!)
utah to oklahoma
utah to new mexico
utah to california
utah to oregon
oregon to california
oregon to utah to colorado to oklahoma to new mexico, then back
oregon to oklahoma

We say goodbye to the van that when Jack was in his if-there-is-a-hole-something-must-go-in-it phase, he put about 2 dozen pennies in the slot on the dash that housed the stereo speakers. Jay had to pry them out with tweezers oh-so-painstakingly one at a time.

Goodbye to the van who was rear ended by a police officer in Utah who tried to blame it on me, then tried to not cover the costs of repairs and replacing car seats.

Goodbye to the van that has carried us everywhere.

Goodbye to the van that drove us back and forth to Doernbechers Childrens hospital for Luke's care and surgeries.

Goodbye to the van that I spent countless hours pumping breastmilk in.

Goodbye to the van that dropped the oldest 3 kids for their first day of school ever.

Goodbye to the van that has made many a Target, Sams, Walmart run.

Goodbye to the van that has made many an emergency room visit for almost every member of the family.

Goodbye to the van that squealed in the ran, but did not need a part replaced. (we think you just did not like the rain, or maybe you did and we just could not understand your sound)

Goodbye to the van that took us to the beach many a time.

Goodbye to the van that for the longest time I wondered what your blue snowflake button was for.

Goodbye Great White.


Hello shark! We are so glad you joined our home!
You have been well initiated already- by almost every form of bodily fluid. (I can almost promise you that you won't see breastmilk!)
Your windows have been colored on with licorice, which looks so similar to red crayon.
You have already been filled with sand and red dirt from going to the lake.
Popcorn has been ground into your carpet.
The kids have bickered in you, and you have proven you have a good sound system.
The air is as cool up front as it is in the back, if we want it to be.
You have traveled well so far. We hope we take you on many road trips and that you will enjoy us stuffing you with just as much stuff as we did with the previous van. We appreciate your non squeaky belts, and your quick stops and starts.
(and as a token of my appreciation I promise to keep up with washing you and vacuuming you out at least monthly.)