30 days of Gratitude

I am stealing the idea of 30 days of Gratitude from my friend Amanda's Blog-you should read hers as well; she is an amazing person....Anyway, so since it is November 6th all ready, and since I haven't even posted my HILARIOUS Halloween photos yet, I thought I should start.

DAY 1  I am thankful for my husband.  Sorry, need to gush for a moment.  I have never met a man that works as hard as he does.  He is a Coach, a Teacher AND he owns a business, all to provide for our nutso family.  His work ethic is AMAZING and what an example he is not only for our little family, but for those who observe him.  I am thankful that he can overlook my faults and that he still loves me no matter what.  Neither one of us is perfect: we argue, we laugh, we tease, we get mad, we smile, we frown-but at the end of the day we love.  We love each other and we love our kids.  I am thankful for the Priesthood that he worthily holds.  I am thankful that he has a testimony of the Gospel and of our Savior.  I am thankful that he lives the Gospel.  I am thankful that he fulfills his callings to the fullest.  I am thankful for his love.  I am even thankful that he is a NEAT FREAK!  :} had to throw that one in, Honey! I am thankful that he served an honorable mission.  He is my strength, my support, my everything.  He is my Eternal Companion.

DAY 2  I am thankful for my Testimony.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon).  I believe in a Father in Heaven who loves us all.  I believe in our Savior Jesus Christ and that he was sent to earth to atone for us and to help us return to live with our Father in Heaven.  I believe that Joseph Smith was a Prophet who restored the Gospel back onto the earth.  I believe that he did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove.  I believe that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson was called of God and leads us today.  I believe in the sanctity of marriage between a husband and wife. I have a testimony of Eternal Marriage and that Trevor and I were sealed together by the proper authority back on December 16, 1999, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple and now our children our sealed to us.  I believe that Families can be Together Forever.  I am grateful for the knowledge that I have regarding my loved ones who have passed away and that I will see them again as long as I keep my temple covenants and the commandments and endure through my trials.  I KNOW that I am a Child of God.  I have felt that special witness that the Book of Mormon is true and I have felt the Holy Ghost in my life to confirm all these things to be true.  I KNOW my Savior loves me and is there for me when life gets rough.  Of this I TESTIFY.


DAY 3  I am thankful for good health.  I have been blessed with good health and so has Trevor and my children.  We have all gone through things here and there, but we all recover and move on.


DAY 4  I am thankful for my house.  When we looked to buy a new home a few years ago I would have never imagined or considered moving two doors down from my in-laws, but we did.  Let me explain-it's nothing against them-honest.  I love my in-laws very much.  We did not want to live THAT close to any family, including mine.  We wanted to move to a home where we could establish our own roots and not be tied to anyone.  Well, long-story-short, both Trevor and I both had an overwhelming confirmation from the Holy Ghost that we were supposed to buy this house.  I even lost a best friend for a while over this purchase...it broke my heart for many years (things are on the up and up now).  Anyway, my home is not the fanciest, it's not the biggest, it's not the newest; I have carpet up the walls in one of the rooms, I don't have a garage, I have to share a bathroom with kids, but it's my HOME.  I love my HOME, I love my neighborhood, and I love that my kids can run to grandma and grandpa's house to get Popsicles when it's hot.  I am thankful for my house, because my house is our HOME.


Day 5  I am thankful for modern technology.  I always say that I could have been a pioneer woman-I could camp, I could use a make-shift potty, I could fish (I wouldn't eat the fish...), but I would have died during childbirth.  An emergency c-section saved my life and my oldest son's life.  I am grateful for the Doctor who developed an alternative way to giving birth and also for the doctor who perfected the bikini cut incision so that recovery was minimal.  Modern technology is a miracle for me-and I now have 4 healthy children because of those advancements. 


DAY 6   This one is for my friend Amanda-here is the link to her blog again.  I am grateful for Adoption.  Because of this miracle, Amanda and Jared are the parents to two beautiful, wonderful, miraculous little boys.  I watched from the sidelines and read Amanda's blog about the pain and sorrow they have felt dealing with infertility, only to be rewarded with the joy and peace of having those two boys being placed in their homes, their hearts and their lives.  I am grateful for those birth mothers who trusted in the Lord and were lead to Jared and Amanda.  These two are wonderful people and have gone through many trials and have been truly blessed.  Check out her blog, because I am not doing it justice-she is much more articulate, heart-felt, emotional and real.  Adoption is wonderful.  To quote Amanda, "I heart Adoption"