Gratitude: My Beliefs

For my final gratitude post, I'd like to express my thankfulness for my beliefs. I'm thankful for the foundation that my parents gave me and for the path that my life has taken through building on that foundation. I'm thankful for the knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father who sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to be my Saviour and my example of how to strive to live my life. I'm thankful for the knowledge that I don't ever have to be alone, even when things can sometimes feel hopeless. I'm thankful to have a testimony of eternal marriage and families and that communication between God and man exists today. It is a great comfort to feel God's love and influence in my life. I'm grateful for the restoration of Christ's church, and my membership in it. I am thankful for Christ's life and his sacrifice for me as well as his continued love and the knowledge that He still lives!

I so testify, in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Gratitude: skills

Today I am thankful for skills. Both my own and those of others. You might think this one was covered by the talents post, but I truly think that skills and talents are different things, although they can overlap. I'm very grateful for the opportunity I have had to learn the skills I have, and to be blessed by the skills of others. I'm thankful for the skills that my children are being taught that they will continue to develop throughout their life. I'm thankful for the skills of those people who build our homes and who manufacture the things we use. Skills are such a blessing in our lives, and it's wonderful that we can share them with each other.

Gratitude: Womanhood.

I missed another day of posting. We have sick kids, and I wasn't feeling too hot either. I still think that only missing two days so far this month is pretty impressive, for me!

Today I am grateful for womanhood. I love being a woman, a wife and a Mom. I'm also so grateful for the many women who have been a positive influence in my life: Grandmothers, Moms, Sisters, Aunts, Cousins, Friends, Teachers, Leaders...I'm sending out a great big THANK YOU! to all who have been there for me and helped form the person I am today.

I'm grateful for that extra bit of compassion and nurturing that so many women have, and I'm thankful that so many have shared that in my life. Being a woman is wonderful!

Gratitude: Memories

I know that memories aren't always totally reliable, but I am very grateful for the ones I have. Even though some things fade with time, it's so wonderful to be able to look back at my life and think about my favorite memories.
I really love my Grandma Nora. She died when I was 14, and oh how I still miss her! She had a great impact on my life, and I am so glad that I have memories of her and that I can still feel close to her even though I haven't seen her for over 24 years.
I'm grateful that I remember so many wonderful times in my life, and I am even grateful that I can remember the not so great times, because remembering those times helps me to appreciate what I have now even more.
I hope that I can give my family great memories in spite of how often I mess up as a parent and spouse.
I am grateful that I have memories of a Grandpa who I know loves me, even though he might not remember who I am anymore.
I'm grateful for the memories of meeting and dating D, and the beginning of our marriage and all the years that have passed since then. I'm so glad to be able to remember my children's births and baby years, and to have been able to see them grow up right in front of me.
Memories are a wonderful thing!

Gratitude: Employment

I'm very grateful for employment. Specifically at this time I'm grateful for D's employment and that we are able to have our needs met and to enjoy some really wonderful luxuries.

I'm also grateful that I have been able to be an employee when we needed it. There was a time a few years ago when D lost his job, and although he found another one, it wasn't enough to support our family. I was able to get a job working at our local Fred Meyer during the graveyard shift so that I could still be with the kids during the day. It was a hard ten months, but we were able to make it work and make ends meet. I was very grateful when D was able to get a promotion that allowed me to stop working outside of the home, and I'm glad now that he is able to make enough for me to continue to keep my focus on our kids.

Gratitude: Dreams and Goals

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I am thankful for dreams and goals. I'm so glad that people have the ability to see beyond their current situation and to reach for a better life, more happiness and joy, and to make changes.

Dreams are great, but they can be discouraging at times. I love that we can set smaller goals to help us achieve the things we want to achieve. Yes, we sometimes fall short, but it's wonderful that we can try, and we can grow and when we fail we can get back up and try again.

Gratitude: Imagination

Imagination is a wonderful thing isn't it? I'm so grateful to have an imagination and for the imagination of others! Think of how boring life would be if no one could imagine something different? The inventions that would never have happened, the entertainment that would no longer be available, the hope and joy that we would miss out on. I love that I can imagine other worlds while I read, or even just in my head when I am feeling bored. Without imagination we couldn't have goals because how could we set a goal if we couldn't imagine something different for ourselves? Imagination=hope to me. I'm so glad to have it!

Gratitude: The Kindness of Strangers

I'm not much of a people person. I have a tendency to keep to myself. Generally I like to stay in my own little world and I don't tend to interact a whole lot with those outside of it.

That said, I'd really like to take a moment to express my gratitude for the kindness of strangers. Just a little smile or a nice comment from someone can really make a difference. Of course there are people who aren't so kind, but since this is a post about gratitude I'll just stick with kindness.

Being kind doesn't take a lot. You don't have to do anything grand or difficult. Just a smile, a friendly look, a thank you, holding the door for someone, letting someone merge in a busy traffic situation, a compliment, putting a grocery cart away for someone, not judging...there are so many ways that we can be kind!

All of these kindnesses and more have been performed for me in the past. A couple of months ago we were out to dinner with D's Dad and all our kids. Often our kids can be a handful. That's to be expected with seven of them, and on top of sheer numbers, some of them have rambunctious personalities. We were minding our own business, and for the most part the kids were being good. As we were getting ready to order our waitress let us know that a couple who had been in the restaurant when we arrived were impressed with how good our kids were behaving, and had paid for two pies of our choice off the menu. We don't know who they were, but it was a very kind and generous thing for them to do for our family. A lot of times it seems like people only notice our kids when they are misbehaving, so to have someone notice that they were being good was really a wonderful moment for us.
I'm really grateful to that couple, and to the many people who are kind to me each day!

Gratitude: Modern Medicine

I'm thankful for the many ways in which medicine has progressed from the past. I'm very thankful not to have to be leeched, or bled and that so many things that used to shorten people's life spans have become less likely to do so through the use of modern medicine.

Progress is amazing!

Gratitude: Photos

Most anyone who reads this blog will know that I love to take pictures. Photos, whether hard copy or digital are among my greatest treasures. I love how you can capture a moment in time in a photo, see places and events you wouldn't otherwise be able to see, and share in the lives of others through pictures. I'm so grateful to have so many photos, both old and new and to be able to share them with my family and friends.

This is a picture of my Grandmother as a teenager.

Our wedding reception.

B in her blessing dress.

North Head Lighthouse.

Gratitude: Books

I love reading. I REALLY love reading. I'm so thanful for books, and that I am able to have access to so many. Books are a great way to escape from what sometimes feels a bit monotonous about life. Books open up new ideas, tell us the stories of the past and are gateways for our imaginations.

I think that literacy is one of the greatest gifts I have, and I am so glad that I am able to read and enjoy books.

Gratitude: Communication

I suppose that this post could go along with technology in a lot of ways. I am grateful for communication. I'm especially grateful for the ease with which we can communicate with those who are far away. Cell phones, computers and such all make it easy for us to talk to others who might be far away.

When I was a kid I used to watch The Jetsons. I thought the video phone in that cartoon was so cool, but I didn't really think it would ever be a reality. Now we can skype with others and talk to them face to face over thousands of miles!

I'm also grateful for being able to communicate in person and spend time with friends and family members. I'm grateful for the ability to read and write. In spite of the many great technologically advanced ways of communicating, I still love getting a letter or card in the mail. It's wonderful that we have so many ways of communicating.

Gratitude: Servicemen and Servicewomen

I should have done this one on Veteran's Day, but I want to express my gratitude for those men and women who serve or have served our country in the Armed Forces. We live in an area where there are a lot of Coast Guard and I am humbled to know families who continue on with life while their spouse or parent are on ship and away from home. I'm so grateful for the sacrifice of families of all branches of the military who endure so much while their loved ones are in harms way. I don't like to be away from D for even a day, and I can't imagine how hard it must be for families to be apart and worrying about the safety of their soldier for months at a time. It especially breaks my heart when those soldiers sometimes don't return. They deserve so much gratitude from all of us for their sacrifices.

My Grandpa fought in WWII, as did D's. I know that their experiences there had an effect on the rest of their lives. D's Grandpa especially had a hard time with the horrors he saw in the war and he didn't like to talk about it. I'm thankful for those who fought in wars past and those who are willing to enlist now to protect our country.

My friend Marie is an EOD tech (her job is to diffuse IED's and such) in the Air Force. She has been deployed a few times and loves her job. I'm grateful for her willingness to risk so much to help protect other soldiers. You can see a video about her and her colleagues here.

THANK YOU to all those who have been or currently are enlisted in the military!

Gratitude: Talents

I'm very grateful for talents. I think it's so wonderful that we aren't all cut from the same cookie cutter. We have our own strengths and weaknesses, and we are able to support and encourage one another in our differences.

There are so many different kinds of talents. They aren't just about things you can showcase. Some people have a talent for talking to others, for helping people feel comfortable, for making people smile. There are talents that we are born with, and talents that we work hard to develop. I'm thankful for opportunities to explore my own talents and to learn and grow. And I'm very thankful for the talents of others and for their willingness to share them.

Gratitude: Heritage

I'm grateful for my heritage. I have roots in a few different countries. Germany, Norway and England are where the bulk of my family came from. Some of my family came to America pre-Revolutionary War (1600's), and some came as late as 1908 from Germany. I am grateful for my ancestors and for the strengths that they passed down to me. I'm thankful that they were brave enough to start a new life in this country. Because of those choices, I am able to enjoy the many freedoms of America.

Gratitude: Knowledge

Well, I missed a day, but I still think I'm doing pretty well with posting about gratitude. I thought about backdating a post for yesterday, but I think it's okay to just let it go. No need to stress!

Today I am grateful for knowledge. I'm grateful for all that I have learned, and that I have the ability to continue to learn. I'm thankful for the knowledge of others and that they are willing to share it. I'm grateful that I can read and add to my knowledge through study as well.

Gratitude: Senses

Aren't senses wonderful things? I'm so grateful that I am able to see, hear, touch, taste and smell. There are so many beautiful things to see and hear. I love holding my kids and my husband. Foods to taste and smell, as well as the smell of the ocean and the rain. We are all very blessed to be able to have our senses! They connect us in so many ways. Not just our sense of touch, but the memory of a scent, or the sound of someone's voice. The taste of a special recipe might bring back childhood memories and connections to loved ones that are no longer with us.

I love seeing family and friends, babies and the beauties of nature. I love the sound of my children laughing, music and the ocean. I love the touch of my husband, holding my babies, and rain on my face. I love the taste of comfort food, of recipes that turn out well, and of my favorite ice cream. I love the smell of a newborn baby, the piney scent of a Christmas tree, and cookies baking in the oven.

These things along with so many others make me grateful for my senses!

Gratitude: Music

I love music! Music has power to lift my mood like nothing else. It can be a wonderful expression of love, and of so many aspects of life.
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My Dad writes music, sings and plays the guitar. Growing up I loved singing together as a family. I loved singing from when I was very little, even though I'm not the best singer. In 5th grade I started playing the Viola and played for about 13 years. Someday I hope to get a viola again and relearn what I have lost. My Dad gave me my first guitar when I was 12, and taught me to play. Again, I'm not the best at it, but I enjoy it. I'm hoping to get back into playing the guitar and learning to play the mandolin. I had the opportunity to be in two different bands as a young adult, and while we didn't hit the big time or anything, I really enjoyed singing, playing the guitar, viola and occasionally bass, and writing music. Music has such a great scope for expression.
Music is part of my heritage. My Grandfather was a singer and my Grandmother played the organ and piano. My parents were in a rock band together in high school. I have one of my Grandfather's mandolins and hope to learn to play it.
I love many kinds of music. This time of year I listen to a lot of Christmas music. I also enjoy many genres of music in general. D and I are particularly enjoying watching The Sing Off each week. There is music for every mood, and I find my life to be so much richer for it. I'm so grateful for music!

Gratitude: creativity

Isn't it great that we can be creative? I love opportunities to be creative. Family activities, cooking, crafting, writing, music-so many great outlets for creativity! Not only am I grateful that I can be creative, but I am also so grateful for other people's creativity. So many times I have found myself at the end of my creativity and have been able to look to others for ideas and inspiration. I love that so many people are willing to share their ideas.
I'm also grateful for creativity in my children, and in the people that influence their lives; Especially teachers that use creativity to help their lessons stick in my kids' heads, and people who bring us entertainment with their creativity.

Gratitude: Freedom

I'm very grateful to live in a free country. We are blessed to have the freedom to think and to worship as we choose. Free to travel the country, to get an education to express ourselves. I think that many Americans don't appreciate our many freedoms as much as they should.

Gratitude: Food

Of course I am grateful for food for the nourishment and life it gives, but also for the connection that it gives to so many things.
My husband went on a mission to Korea, and when I make Korean food for our family, it connects D's memories of his mission to our life now, and it gives our children an appreciation for another culture.
I love that we can learn about other cultures and in some ways travel to other countries through their food. We might not be able to afford a trip to Europe or other places, but we can get in touch with those places by eating the food and learning about them.
Food also connects me to family memories. As I have gotten older, a lot of childhood memories have slipped away. I don't always remember events themselves, but I often remember the food that went with those events. Making sugar cookies every Christmas Eve at my Grandmother's house was something that we always looked forward to. We didn't frost the cookies, but we painted the raw cut out cookie dough with Q tips and food coloring and then baked them. Without frosting they weren't the best tasting cookies in the world, but we loved painting them with our cousins and Grandma, and we loved the way the food coloring made our mouths and tongues colorful after we ate the cookies.
My Grandmother died when I was 14. She was and still is one of my very favorite people. She didn't spoil us, and she was sometimes stern, but she loved us fiercely and she was wonderful. Even though she has been gone from us for more than 20 years, we have hot German Potato salad every Christmas Eve in her memory. It was something she always made, and it makes us feel close to her to have it then.
Lemon meringue pie and Circus Peanuts always make me think of my Grandpa and those memories of him make me smile.
When D and I were first married we lived in Utah, and far from our parents. D's Grandparents lived in Salt Lake City, and we would drive up to visit them every so often. D's Grandma always had snacks in the freezer. They were always homemade baked goods. Cupcakes frosted in maple frosting and individually packed in baggies, or cinnamon twists. She would always pull some out of the freezer when we got there. It made us feel special.
I remember my Dad taking me to a bakery near our house when I was little. It's one of my earliest memories, and it is one that I treasure.
Food has become an integral part of our family traditions. Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning are something that my kids have all grown up with, and I hope they take that tradition into their own families when I am gone.
I love collecting recipes from loved ones and from other countries. Food, far more than just nourishment, helps to bind us together.

Gratitude: Technology

There are some days when I'd like to get back to a simpler way of life, but for the most part, I am very grateful for the role that technology plays in my life.

There is the technology that allows me to be writing this blog post, and has introduced me to some very dear friends through blogging.

Technology allows for instant communication with friends and family.

It also makes it possible for D to get some of his work done from home and have more time with family.

Technology lets me take pictures of my family and of nature and lets me store those pictures to view at a later time.

It allows me to search the internet for ideas and to have education at my fingertips.

Technology helps heat our house, lights the darkness and makes life easier in many ways.

I could go on and on about the benefits of technology, but I think you get the point. I'm thankful to live at a time when technology is available for so many things.

Gratitude: Transportation

I am very grateful to live at a time when there are so many forms of transportation. It's about a hundred miles to our nearest family members and I'm so glad that we have the ability to get there in about two hours. There are many times when I wish that we lived closer, but really we're very blessed to be as close as we are. I know that many people have to travel much further to see their families.
I'm also grateful that we can visit those who live further away. Just a century ago it was much harder to get from place to place. Transportation has made the world a smaller place and given people the opportunity to see things they might never have had a chance to see otherwise.

Gratitude: The Beauties of Nature

Living where I do, I am extra aware of the many beauties of nature that surround me. Beauty can be found everywhere, but in my opinion, nothing quite compares to nature.

The oceans...

The rivers and streams...

The colors of sunrises and sunsets...

Woods and waterfalls...

and the lights in the heavens are a testimony to God's power and love.

Gratitude: Home

Even though I can be quoted as having said, "I hate this house." on occasion, I really am very grateful for it. It has provided us with safety, shelter and warmth as well as being the central point for so many of our family memories. This house has not only been our home, it has been life's classroom for our children (and for us in many ways as well). It has been a refuge from the frightening things of this world. Though I often long for a second bathroom and to replace the shag carpet and a myriad of other improvements, I am so glad that we live here in this home, and for all that it has been to us.

Gratitude...friends

I have been very blessed in my life to have been able to make some very dear friends. Some of those friendships have drifted over the years, and some have remained strong. I am thankful for each friend that has been there for me over the years and through all the bumps, bruises and joys that life has brought me.
Making truly close friends isn't very easy for me. I have a lot of acquaintances and people I like, but many of them don't really know me very well. I am thankful for those people as well, but in particular today I am thankful for those friends that really know me and love me anyway. They truly enrich my life.

Gratitude for extended family

Not only do I have a wonderful family in my household, but a great extended family as well. I have four sisters and a brother, and D has five brothers and three sisters. Between the two of us we have ten nieces and thirteen nephews so far. That's a lot of cousins for our kids and a lot of fun at family gatherings.

We don't always all get together as often as we'd like to, but when we do we really enjoy it. I'm particularly blessed to have all of my siblings and parents live within two hours of us, so I get to see them fairly often. D's family is much more spread out, and we wish that we were all able to be together more often.

I'm so glad that my kids are able to enjoy spending time with cousins. I got to be around a lot of cousins growing up, and it was always something I looked forward to. Having a big family is great!

My family a few years ago (there have been some additions since then)

D's side of the family at our reunion this summer (again, there have been some additions and one brother and his family weren't able to be there)

Our kids with some of their cousins at "Cousin Day Camp" over the summer.

Gratitude...

I have been pretty guilty lately of feeling sorry for myself and having an attitude of wanting rather than being grateful for the things I have.

My mind has been consumed with wishing for new carpet, a second bathroom, a second car, a bigger house, etc, etc, etc.
What I really need to be doing is focusing on my many, MANY blessings and thinking about how many people in this world don't even have the basics that I enjoy every day.

With that in mind, I have decided to try to focus my blog posts for this month more on gratitude.
I've been pretty bad about blogging in general lately, so I can't guarantee anything like daily posts, but I will try to post more often and at least express gratitude for some of the wonderful things I have in my life.

To start out, I am most thankful for my family. I have a great husband who is loving, gentle and my best friend. We've been blessed with seven awesome kids who are healthy and strong. Sure, there are challenges, but I really think that the challenging times make us appreciate the good times even more. I love my family!

Our latest family pic.