Gratitude

**  This post was originally started in November as a Thanksgiving thing- I obviously haven't gotten it finished until now- in January but I still wanted to get it out there since there really isn't a statute of limitations on gratitude.


I fully intended to write a post every day this month  listing things I am grateful for.  However, many of the things I am grateful for have a tendency to keep me pretty busy....  so instead of a post a day, I am going to make a numbered list- one for each day of the month.   They are numbered, but not necessarily in order of importance....

1.  I am grateful for an amazing husby! He is so good to take care of us, not just financially which is nice, but emotionally and spiritually which is even more important. I LOVE that he is SO available for the kids and I. He will stop anything to take care of the kids and puts God and our family as his highest priorities. I love him SO much!  He is truly my best friend and I am so grateful to have him!
2. I am grateful that I have four wonderful children with me. They may drive me nuts at times, but they are also the source of most of my "sweetest moments" in life.  
3. I am grateful for a healthy family.  My parents have had great health, and have been able to take care of the problems that have surfaced.  My children have all been amazingly healthy.  Now as I write this I think of all the times we haven't been able to go to the gym or to playgroup because someone has been sick, but those have all been minor things.  Colds, throw up bugs, and sore throats, yes.  Major issues that require ongoing treatment no.  We've only had one ear infection- ever.  That was Alix when she was a year old...Tim and I have both been very healthy as well.  I haven't even seen a doctor for anything other than baby stuff for years (I know, I should go get a physical so I know there really isn't anything else going on...)  Oh, actually- I am wrong.  I have gone to the Dr. twice in the last two years, and both times it involved x-rays....
4. I am grateful for wonderful friends.  I have some friends that I see regularly and I know I can call for an emergency babysitter, a cup of flour, or a shoulder to cry on.  There are other friends that I don't see often, and I don't talk to often...but they are still my wonderful friends.  People that have touched my life in such profound ways that even though we don't live near each other and aren't great about calling or writing, they are still very near my heart.  When we do talk we can pick up as though we had seen each other yesterday...
5. I am grateful for amazing parents that have taught me the most important lessons in life.  They taught me to love myself, to love God, and to follow Him.  They taught me to be kind to others and to keep their feelings in mind before I speak or act.  They taught me to follow through with what I say I will do and to take responsibility when something goes wrong.  They taught me to be honest, even when the personal cost is great. And the list goes on and on....
6. I am grateful for a wonderful family.  My siblings and I fought somewhat growing up (with some more than others of course) but we are now very close.  We are all good friends and enjoy being with each other.  I am grateful for my little family too.  
7. I am grateful for my Lyndall.  I know I already said I was grateful for my family, and I truly have the four best sisters anyone could ask for (and for those of you confused thinking I only have 3 sisters- I have chosen to drop the "in-law" from my sister Julie because she is really more than that :)   I do need to make special mention of my Lyndall.  She and I are only 18 months apart and she has been my best friend from day one.    Growing up she was always the one that watched out for me and kept me from doing a lot of the REALLY IDIOTIC things I wanted to do.    And she never did it by force or even guilt, she lead me by example.  She has always inspired me to want to be better.  This is one of my very favorite pictures of us :)
8. I am grateful for the miracles made possible by modern medicine.  One  friend gave birth to twins at 23 weeks, and both are healthy and well, without any of the ongoing problems that so many super-preemies experience. And they are about to celebrate their first birthday.  Another friend just gave birth this week to twins at 27 weeks, and they have a very good prognosis.  Another friend has a little boy that when he was born 18 months ago with a serious genetic disorder, she was told to give up on him and let him pass peacefully. She found different doctors and he is now a very sweet little boy that has made a huge difference in the lives of hundreds (if not thousands) of people.  If you want to hear more about an amazing family read Kristen's blog.  
9. I am grateful for music.  I grew up in a home where my parents didn't really listen to the radio.  The first time I heard the Beatles was in college.  But, I am very familiar with Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff,  Rimsky-Korsakov, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, etc.  I have expanded my repertoire since then, but I still love classical music.  I  love that no matter my mood or what is wrong music can make me feel better.  It may not make the problems go away, but it can bring peace to my heart.  
10. I am grateful that I can not only appreciate music, but that I can create it.  I love to play the piano and find it functions as a great stress reliever.  There is nothing quite like playing Rachmaninoff to calm anger, or Kenneth Cope when feeling disconnected from the spiritual.  I also love to sing.  One of my favorite times of the day is song time.  After all the chores are done, teeth are brushed, and Jonathan is in bed- the girls and I all climb into my bed.  We read a few stories together (and lately at least one chapter from a Junie B. Jones book) and then we have song time.  The girls all snuggle into me and I sing.  Sometimes when we're running late it will only be two or three songs.  Other nights, I sing the entire time Tim is showering and getting ready for bed, and then he helps carry three sleeping little bodies to their own beds.  
11. I am grateful for a very supportive husband that always builds me up.  He doesn't criticize me when the house is a mess or when I am ornery with him or the kids.  He figures out what he can do to help and does it.  I love that he helps around the house and that he recognizes that my being a stay at home mom means that I am more than a full time housekeeper.  
12. I am grateful that my money "problems" mean that I can't go buy a new outfit or make a trip to the fabric store whenever I feel  like it, not that I can't feed my children or keep a roof over their heads. 
13. I am grateful for laundry.  I know that sounds nuts-  and contradictory.  I complain about having to do laundry, and especially about the sheer amount I do!  I have a super capacity washer and dryer.  They do loads almost twice the size of a normal machine.  And I do between 9-12 loads in a normal week.  But did you notice what I said a few sentences ago?  I have a super capacity washer and dryer!  I was reading stories about my Grandma this week.  She had nine children to take care of and a heart condition.  She would do laundry once a week and it was an all-day, back-breaking process.  It involved a washing machine that only did a small amount at a time and then the clothes had to be manually fed through rollers to wring out the water.  Then they had to be carried up the stairs to be taken outside to dry.  My grandma had a hard time walking up the stairs due to her heart condition- something made much more difficult carrying baskets of wet laundry!  Also - the fact that I have that much laundry to do means that my family is clothed. 
14. I am grateful for water.  More specifically, I am grateful for clean running water.  When I lived in Portugal, we bought LOTS of water!  We were not allowed to drink the water since we weren't native and used to the things found therein... If we were being exactly obedient, we even used bottled water to brush our teeth.....  I am so glad I don't have to worry about that.  I turn on a faucet, and there is water. No wells, no pumps, it is just there,  safe and exactly the temperature I want it to be.   Our water heater went out this summer and we were without hot water for five days.  I am very  aware of how wonderful it is to have one now :)
15. I am grateful that I am a good cook.  I do not mean that to sound arrogant in any way, but it is one of my gifts.  I can take a few ingredients, play with them a bit, and come out with something great, either from a recipe, or just messing around.  Have I ever thought something would be great and it isn't?  Yes.  Does it happen often?  Nope!  I am also grateful that I enjoy cooking, especially since I spend so much time doing it...
16. I am grateful for A furnace to keep my family warm.  I LOVE my fireplace (and that Tim sealed the hole in it so we can actually use it this year) and we have really enjoyed the fires we've had lately, but I am glad they are just for fun, and that we don't have to rely on the fireplace to heat our whole house.  I am also grateful that we don't have to chop a ton of wood or go outside to get it :)  I am very aware of my pioneer ancestors that crossed the plains in the cold of winter with their families.  I am so glad they were willing to do it, and at the same time I'm very happy I don't have to!
17. I am grateful for my Aunt Lilia and her interest in our family history.  She has spent countless hours this year putting together books about our family.  The finished project is 5 binders full of information.  Oh, and did I mention they are 4 inch binders?  The finished project is almost a thousand pages, all about my progenitors.  She graciously gave me a copy and I have been able to make copies for each of my siblings.  I have LOVED reading through the information as I've put the binders together. I have gotten trapped reading more than once... I just wish I had known I was related to some of these people while I was still in school-  I probably would have paid more attention in history class when we talked about Charlemagne, Henry the Conqueror, Alfred the Great, etc.  if I'd known they were my ancestors.
18. I am grateful for a fabulous extended family.  I have never known any of my grandparents.  They all passed away before I was born, but they were all amazing people.  I am grateful for the stories I've been told.  And I am so glad I've had wonderful aunts and uncles that have stood in for them.  My dad was the 8th of 9 children, the oldest of whom was already married when my dad was born.  Those older siblings stood in for grandparents for us.  I have very fond memories of Sunday afternoons spent visiting aunts and uncles.  Family reunions, parties, and holidays spent laughing and having a great time.  On my mom's side we used to meet in the basement of the shop where my Aunt Dora worked.  Once she retired we didn't really have a place that held everyone and our gatherings slowed down.  Then my amazing cousin moved to town and opened up her ample house to all of us.   She is so sweet to host us all and allow to maintain those relationships!  (thanks Susan!)
19.   I am grateful to know that God loves me personally.  I have had so many evidences of this in my life.  I know that I am truly His daughter and that what happens in my life matters to Him.  I know that Jesus Christ is my brother and that He sacrificed Himself so that I can return to live with God one day.  
20. I am grateful for temples.  They are not just pretty buildings to get married in...Through the work performed in the temple, I know that I can live with my family forever.  Our relationships do not end at death.  This has been a great comfort to me when those close to me have died.  I am not nearly as fearful about all the things that CAN happen because I know that even if something DOES happen, I will still get to be with them after this life.  
21. This is related to the last one.... I come from a great heritage- I know I've already talked about it... but I am grateful that even though I don't know most of these people that one day I will.  I will get to sit down and chat with my "mischievous and spunky" grandma that I am so much like, but have never met.  I imagine we can trade some pretty fun stories. I look forward to asking my other grandmother all about patience and how I can gain some with my children.... too bad we can't have that conversation now.  But I am grateful to know that one day we will.
22. I am grateful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  It has help me decide who I am and which directions I want to take in my life.  It has helped me make better choices, and in short, has helped me be a better person.
23. I am grateful for the struggles we had getting pregnant.  A lot of people don't like to take about it.  At the time we were having problems, I didn't either.  But now, on the other side, I can honestly say that our challenges in starting a family changed my entire perspective, permanently.  It made me far more aware of those around me.  I have a tendency to focus on myself- MY needs (I think we all do) and I would sometimes lose sight that others had challenges too.  They may not be as visible, or maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention... but I realized that everyone has difficulties that we may not understand.  We are here on this Earth to learn.  One of the things I believe we need to learn is to lift those around us and help them bear up their loads.  I am still working on this, and hopefully I have a long time because I still have a LONG way to go.  But at least now I'm aware of it....
24. I am grateful for a love of reading.  When I was younger I read to escape my own life.  It was the only time I was happy.  I was very depressed at one point and had a difficult time overcoming that.  One thing that helped me was my reading.  At first it truly was an escape, and then I found some books that didn't take me away from my life, they helped me deal with it.  I still love to read, and have been taught many things through the written word.  Some of the most profound spiritual experiences I've had have come as a result of something I've read and then discussed with others (usually Lyndall and Jeff :) or prayed about.  I have also learned many practical things to help me in my every day life.  
25. I am grateful that my family values education.  I know not everyone feels the same way about education my family does.  I also realize not everyone needs a secondary education for their chosen career.... but I love to learn and I'm glad I had a family that encouraged me.  My "spunky" grandma was forced to quit school as a fourth grader to help on the family farm.  She was devastated, and though she wasn't ever able to return to formal schooling, by the time she died at 47 she was a very well educated woman.  I know her example greatly influenced me and my family.  Of the 7 members of my immediate family, 6 of us have a Bachelor's Degree and two went on for an Advanced Degree.  My sister has her Master's and my brother just graduated a few months ago as a Pharmacist.  Oh, and the one sister that doesn't yet have her degree is only one class away and will finish shortly....  I love school and would go back in a heartbeat if I could :)

  I am  stopping with less than the 30 items originally promised.  Not because I don't have more to be grateful for, but because I just looked back and realized how long this post has become.  I also need to stop to go fix dinner and since it has already taken 3 months to get this far I can't guarantee when I would make it back....