I Am Grateful

This time of year the talk starts to center on the things that we are grateful for.  As I was listening to the radio today, the program I was listening to featured interviews with individuals who, along with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, were shot outside of a Safeway on January 8, 2011.  In some ways, it seems as if this event just happened.  I remember it vividly as I waited to deliver Will.  And yet, Will turned 10 months old today, so it has obviously been a while.  I was intrigued in listening to these folks; they are grateful for little things like planting petunias in dirt, being outdoors, relationships, lunches with friends and most of all, by having the chance to be frustrated by the slow progress of their recoveries.  All of them were grateful for the progress they've made and the lessons they've learned.  That got me to thinking about what I have to be grateful for.

Over the course of the last year, my life hasn't been nearly as traumatic as those of these individuals, and that in and of itself is reason to be grateful.  So, for posterity, and as an exercise in counting my blessings, I want to share with you things I am grateful for.

I am VERY grateful for my husband.  He works so hard.  He stresses about things so I don't have to.  He spends every free moment he has working at something to make our lives better.  Heaven knows he doesn't take much time for himself and I worry about him.... if his boss is reading this, he could really use some help!  I know it won't change much, but I want him to know that his hard work does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.  He makes me smile and makes me laugh.  I love this about him most.

I am thankful for four beautiful children.

Erin is creative, loving and growing up before my very eyes.  She tries her hardest to make things good for her brothers and sister.  She has developed quite the sense of humor and can make me laugh; which is great because sometimes I really need that!

Allie is smart and sweet and oh so helpful.  I cannot imagine what the last year of my life would have been like without this little helper.  She is generally very quick to respond to my pleas for help and Will lights up when he sees her.

My little Jack..... what would I do without him?  He makes me laugh, and makes me happy all over.  He loves his mom, and I hope that never changes.  No morning would be complete without our "snuggle time."  This boy is going to do great things and I can't wait to watch.

Sweet William; I never knew what I was missing, but now there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he was meant to be here with us.  He has the most beautiful, expressive brown eyes.  He loves to dance and watching him sway to the music makes my heart happy.  I have loved being a mom of a newborn again.  Who can believe that it has almost been a year?

I am grateful for our home.  Whether or not it is a castle, it is a safe warm place to spend time with those I love most.  It is such a relief as we head into winter to be able to feel secure in my bed while the wind howls outside.

I am thankful to have time to spend with my family, and to honestly and truly appreciate it.  As I have gotten older and our kids have grown, I want to put a forcefield around us and keep us by ourselves forever.  I love that we have fun together and that though it isn't always rosy, we would pick to spend our spare time together.

I am thankful for families; both mine and Matt's.  I am thankful for the love, support and sacrifice they exhibit on our behalf.  I am thankful for babysitters, for cousin time, for one-on-one time with grandparents and for aunts and uncles that get to be fun with kids.  I am so thankful that we have been sent here to be a part of a family and I am thankful for the examples and paths blazed by those who have gone before me.  What a legacy I am fortunate enough to have.

I am grateful to live in the time and place that I do.  I love living where I do; at the foot of the mountains in a beautiful state.  I am grateful for the natural wonders that bless my life.  I am grateful for living in this wonderful country and for the opportunities this affords me.

I am thankful for the things I know and the opportunity to learn more.  It's awesome that I can learn about whatever interests me without having to worry about what anyone says.  I am so glad that my children have the opportunity to go to school.  That we are able to meet their needs so that they concentrate on learning the lessons they need to.  I am thankful for good books, and that I can read.

I am thankful for good friends.  There are so many people in my life who are there to lend a listening ear, bring me a coke or laugh at my jokes.  I only hope that I am able to return the favor.

I am grateful for modern medicine and the fact that medical woes that may have troubled my family in the past are made easier by medical advances.  I am grateful that I live in a society that helps to care for its elderly and its young.  That there are professionals who are not only proficient in their professions, but are also caring people who love their patients.

I am thankful for reliable transportation and the ability to deal with problems as they arise.  My children are so lucky to be able to participate in extracurricular activities that I can drive them to.  I am glad that the kids schools are close and that we have any number of shops close by so that our lives, and our bellies, can be richer and fuller.

I am so fortunate to be able to walk, to move, and to make my body do what I want it to.  I can think and I can talk.  I can say what I mean to say and I can actively participate in things with my family.

I like the wet nose and warm body of my dog, Annie.  Despite the fact that she is sometimes a pain in my rear, my life wouldn't be the same without her.

Finally, I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and the knowledge I have that he knows me and my struggles and that he has atoned for my sins.  I am so thankful for all that I have.  I am truly blessed and I will do my best to live worthy of these things that I have been blessed with.

Happy Thanksgiving!