Gratitude Day 7

I know I'm falling a little behind.  Yesterday(Monday) was a really busy day.

Yesterday I was really grateful for nap time.  Not my nap time, mind you.  I watch two little kiddies(almost 2 year old boy and a 2 month old girl) for my friend Lacee, while she works a few days a month.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I was not feeling top notch.  I think kids have a sense about these things too.  Wilson was being more difficult than usual.  By the time nap time rolled around, I was definitely ready.  Fortunately they were too.  Wilson actually slept for quite some time. and Gretchen, well she didn't sleep quite as well, but she's a pretty good baby and sat in the swing.  I didn't nap(though I definitely could have used one), but I did kind of kick back and relax for a bit. 

So definitely grateful for nap time!

Gratitude Day 6

I am so grateful for music in my life! My life would be hollow and empty without it. When I'm singing, playing or listening to music, I feel alive; I feel whole.

And music expresses things do much better than I can. Here's one of my favorite pieces. I can't sing it right now without getting choked up, but I love it!!!

How Many Tears?
From Martin Guerre (musical)

Oh Lord, I'm not the one to blame.
Oh Lord, why must I live in shame?
Each night I light a candle in his name.

How many tears through the years must I cry?
How many prayers to the Lord must I try?
Still the pain tears at my broken heart.
Sometimes I feel I was cursed from the start.

All I could hold, all I could see,
So full of promise, each day reaching out before me.
Once... Now there's nothing,
Lost as if you never saw me.

How many tears through the years can I cry?
How many tears until my heart runs dry, through the fights that a girl needs to fight
Only to do what she feels must be right.

Sometimes I wonder if someone hears.
Why must I live through so many tears?


Amazing, right?! And the melody is beautiful!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Gratitude Day 5

I'm not going to lie, this post is going to sound a little odd.  Just preare yourself now.

Yesterday(Saturday, the official 5th Day of Gratitude), I decided to be grateful that I'm not in charge.  I'm grateful that I don't always have control over what happens in life.  I'm grateful for the unknown.  I'm grateful that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and does what is necessary to help me find what I need. 

I can say with a great deal of confidence that if everything went the way I had planned, my life would pretty much be a disaster.  Some of you might think, "Wait, it's not a disaster"?  No.  Not even a little.  Sure, when I'm in the middle of trying to get things straightened out and take care of all the little details, it does feel awfully crazy.  BUT, when I step back and look at my life, right this minute, it's actually really, really great. 

I have everything I could possibly think of needing and somethings I would never have thought of needing, but desperately do.  I am honestly so grateful for a Heaven Father who blesses me endlessly and takes care of all the little details and throws in a few surprises too.  My life is infintely easier when I just place my faith and trust in Him and let Him take care of things.  When I try to get in the way and steer the boat the way I want to, well, things get awfully rocky. 

So on the 5th day of gratitude (and every day, really) I am eternally grateful for those things I didn't see coming.

Gratitude Day 4

While I'm grateful for ALL my wonderful family, on Friday(which was the 4th day....I've been really busy), I felt extra special love and gratitude for some extra awesome family members.

The divorce has meant a lot of change.  I've spent the last couple weeks working on the details of the divorce, as well as putting things together for my new life as a single woman.  It's been a lot of hard work; a lot of tears; a lot of heartache.  I've been under a lot of stress, but it's nothing to the chest-crushing, suffocating stress I've been experiencing for the last two years.  There were a lot of things I'm still trying to work out, but I have some awesome family that would bend over backwards, upside down, side ways and generally become contortionists to help me out.

Friday afternoon, my family and I packed up my allocation of personal property from the house.  Until a week prior, I was planning to just rent a storage unit.  It was another expense I wasn't thrilled about having to add to my monthly spending, but was necessary...or so I thought.  Then, my super-hero uncle, Anthony(seriously Karalynn, thank you so much for marrying someone so awesome), said they had storage in their basement and they would move things around so they could put my stuff there.  I was astonished and absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity(I've trained myself not to cry in public so I was completely embarrassed).  I said I had some bigger furniture pieces along with boxes of stuff.  He told me not to worry; that it was a done deal.  Seriously he wasn't going to take no for an answer(from me or the stuff he would have to rearrange to make room). 

They came with their truck Friday afternoon.  And within a few hours, we were all packed up and done with that part of the awfulness. 

This was such a tiny thing on the long list I have of stuff I have to do to move on with life, but it was such a burden they relieved.  Karalynn even told me that I was welcome to come stay with them if I ever get uncomfortable at the Home Ward(and yes, that is a little weird).  So many people have made similar offers, and every time it happens, my spirit soars and I think of how blessed I am to have such amazingly generous people in my life!

Gratitude Day 3

Today I am grateful for the weather we had.  Seriously the day was so beautiful!  The sky was really blue.  The temperature wasn't that cold(I'm trying not to think about what might be coming this weekend).  And the leaves on the trees were colorful and vibrant.  Driving up to the University of Utah, I was in awe of the beauty around me, which made me less irritated at the stupid drivers who were also around me.

I love Autumn and not just because my birthday is in October.  I love when the leaves change.  I love the cooler(but not cold) temperatures. 

And today, I just really needed beautiful, cheery weather!  I'm so grateful I got my wish!

Gratitude Day 2

You know what this blog needs?  Pictures!

For Day 2, I'm grateful for these two...

Emma Mouse and Taylorella

I can't imagine loving anything more than I love these two little cuties!  I feel so blessed to be their favorite Aunt!  Any day, no matter how dark, immediately brightens when either of these girls come to visit!  How empty my life would be without these two!

Gratitude Day 1

I know it's already November 2nd, but I wanted to do this little Daily Gratitude thing on my blog.  I just didn't have the time yesterday.  So I'll post yesterday's and today's by the end of the evening. 

Day 1
I have so very many things to be grateful for, which makes it difficult for me to pick one.  But I had do and I think I picked a great one for the first day.

I am grateful today, and every day of my life, for the Gospel and my testimony!  It is such a pillar in my life.  I've seen, first hand, what has happened to people who knock that pillar down:  Their lives crumble.  I know that without the Gospel in my life, I would not have made it thru the last few years in tact.  I'm so grateful that my testimony has been strong enough to help me endure the trials I have faced.

I think I chose the right Gratitude for the first day.