My Gratitude List Continues

Well, I guess I missed a few days. This is the first second I have had to sit down and post since Friday. Here is the latest installment of my gratitude list.

I am so grateful for the weekends. It seems I never have time to do what I want to do, but I always use my Saturdays and Sundays to the fullest. I love Saturday because there is nothing I HAVE to do, although there are always many things I want to do. And then there are Sundays. Those are my favorite days. They truly are my rest days.

I love food. I am so grateful we get to eat. I wish I could cook more. There just isn't the time there that I can dedicate to making a scrumptuous meal each day. Someday I will be able to spend the time I want to on making yummy food. Until the, well, I will just have to enjoy other people's hard work!

I am thankful for an education. I think many times I take it for granted that I was able to receive my bachelors degree. It has been a blessing in my life. I love to learn. It has been fun teaching a different grade, because now I am learning new things. I would love to take a class on a topic that interests me and just enjoy...maybe dance or photography or cooking.

Provo High School Graduation 1998

My Gratitude List Continues

Only one picture today...but it has the temple and lights!

I am so blessed to have the gospel in my life. I often wonder what life would be like if I didn't have the gospel. It scares me to think of my life without it. I am so grateful for a testimony of the gospel. I know with all of my heart that I have a Savior who lived and died for me. I am so grateful that he knows everything I experience. I know I have a Father in heaven who is watching over me and loves me. Life would be a struggle if I didn't have the scriptures to guide my decisions. The gospel truly is my life. Life would have no purpose or meaning without this truth. I have no idea how I would make it without this firm testimony. I love the temple and know it is the only place where families can be sealed forever. It is the only place I can go to truly feel serenity. I don't go often enough, especially with 5 temples only minutes from my house. I love the temple. To be able to get away from the craziness of life is truly a blessing. (I could go on, but my words often fall short in expressing my true feelings.)

Today, I am really grateful for a job. There are so many people that don't have a job, and everyday I am so thankful to have something to keep me going each day. What would I do with myself if I didn't get to teach school everyday? I can pay my bills and provide food and shelter for myself. Things are never ideal in the workplace, but I count myself lucky to be able to work with the people I do. And my 6th graders make me laugh everyday. I really do have a fabulous job!

I am thankful for hot and cold running water and electricity. In the past year or so I have had problems with hot running water. The pilot light on my water heater kept going out. I figured out how to light it myself (big accomplishment), but what a pain to have to light it every time it was windy. That is everyday in Lehi. I am blessed with a very caring dad, and he got that taken care of for me. I was also home one evening and the power kept flickering. Not only was it scary to be in my house all alone and not have light for some of the night, but it was so annoying. What a blessing to live now when we have so many wonderful modern conveniences.

My Gratitude List

You know me and lists. Every so often (just like journal writing) I start a list of things I am grateful for, just so I can go back and read it later and remember those wonderful things. For the past couple of days I have been feeling very grateful for many things. I have never been good with words, and expressing my gratitude is not always easy, but I have really been overwhelmed with gratitude. So, each day until Thanksgiving, (and maybe even longer), I am going to share the things I am grateful for.

I am grateful for Kevin. I am grateful that he is not longer suffering. I know he is doing a great work in heaven. Him and his life play a major role in my life. I can't think of a more eloquent way to say it. I miss him so much, it is painful. But time has done some healing. I am learning that everything is in the Lord's time, and He is aware of me and my needs. I need to learn some life lessons on my own, without the wonderful support of my sweetheart.

I am grateful that the seasons change. I go crazy when there isn't any change in my life. Usually I resort to changing the desks around in my classroom. (Which, by the way, I did about 20 times last year. No joke!) I don't even mind the cold and snow. In every season there is something to be grateful for. Along that same note, I am grateful for a garage. It keeps my car cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I can fit 2 cars in it. I am sure many of you cannot say that about your garage!

I am grateful for family. Whenever I think of the family unit, I feel such peace. I know that families are of God. Without eternal families, the plan of happiness would be frustrated. I am so blessed to have an amazing family. They are always there, they are the ones I rely on, and I hope they can rely on me. We have such a great time when we are together, and we have so many happy memories. I am grateful for the eternal family I started with Kevin. Even though we are separated here, I know we will be together again someday. Because I married Kevin, I now have amazing in-laws. I am grateful for them and the role they play in my life. Even though I don't get to see them often, I think about them and pray for them. I hope I can continue that relationship with them. (Jeffs' family...I have no great pictures of the group. Can anyone help me?)


Until tomorrow my friends...

All on a Tueday

Quite frequently I need a little reminder that someone is watching over me. I was pleasantly surprised with a few tender mercies of the Lord on a Tuesday.

For the past 2 weeks, I have been waiting for some results on a medical test a loved one had. I know you probably think it is no big deal, but all of the terrible memories of many medical test results through all the cancer stuff with Kevin weighed heavily on my mind. So all of the anxiety came rushing back as I waited and waited for a phone call to find out the results. On Tuesday I heard that everything is fine. First tender mercy.

Tuesday I decide to stop and get a few groceries. I had debated my entire drive to Lehi about where to stop. I guess I made the wrong choice. I almost died. Okay, not really. But I was inches away from hitting another car. It would not have been my fault. Totally not my fault. The worst is the reaction of those in the other car. Here I am, they are in the wrong, and they are giving me the crusty looks! But, me being saved and my car being saved, another tender mercy.

The last one, but the most pathetic one, was losing my phone. (Or so I thought.) After my close call with death, I get to Walmart. I am shaking and trying to remember why I came to this store. Without thinking, I get out of the car and get my groceries. Much to my chagrin (do you like that word? Did I use it in the right context?), when I reach my car and check my purse, I can't find my phone. I review all the places I have been with my phone. Duh, the only place would have been the car. I had just finished up a conversation with my sister--not while I was driving! So I know I hadn't left it at school. I say a little prayer, pleading for some guidance as to where to even look. I even start praying that someone, anyone, will call. Then I remember it was in my lap before the almost crash. Maybe it fell out of the car when I went into the store. So I check all around my car. No phone. Customer service? Maybe someone found my phone and turned it in? Nope! I can't get it out of my head, so now I am crying and praying and driving and repeating. All the way home I am going a little crazy. I finally reach my house. Throughout my drive I think it probably flew forward. But I had checked the whole dang car! I finally reach home and find the stupid phone stuck on the rug under my gas and brake pedal! Of all the places?! So logical, yet not really.

I need these little reminders that someone else really is in charge and is blessing me! Even if they are little things, they are big things to me. Heavenly Father knows that they are big things, and He always blesses me.