Day 4 Dad

Dad

I have always been a daddy's girl. From the halls of Ricks College to the video production truck, you might say I've always had him wrapped around my little finger. But that goes two ways and I adore my dad. He was always the fun dad, down on the floor wrestling, going to the zoo with you in Kindergarten when everyone else had their moms, jumping on the trampoline, riding the roller coasters, chasing your friends threatening to kiss them, but really just doing it to listen to them scream and giggle. My dad is the best dad.

How many times he has listened to me cry over things that didn't really merit tears and then helped me find a solution. Or at least reassured me that things would work out. This last weekend he spent his whole Saturday changing the struts on my car. All by himself. While I went shopping with my mom. He was late for work and the new struts didn't actually fix the creaky noises. BUT they were worn out AND I would have gotten them changed anyway because that's what the mechanic guy said I needed BUT by having my dad do it I saved about $500.

Basically you won't find a handier, funnier, more serviceable guy, who love God and loves his family. And I love him. He has always worked hard for our family and he is one of the greatest examples in my life.

Day 3 Julie

Sissy Pie

Today I'm grateful for my baby sister. After 3 younger brothers and 6 long years (to a child a year is basically forever) I got a sister. What a blessing she has been to me. I couldn't have asked for a funnier, kinder, more creative, crazier sister than the one God sent me. She is one of my very best friends. She can cheer me up and make me laugh like no one else can. She is an example of a Christlike person. She loves God and she loves his children. When I grow up I hope I can be just like my beautiful and talented Sissy Pie.

Day 2 Mom

Today the person I'd like to highlight that I'm grateful for is my mom. Mothers are the epitome of charity and selflessness. We put our mothers through a lot, from conception to forever. They are sick while they're pregnant, uncomfortable and tired. Then they go through labor which sounds terrible. Then the sleepless nights of caring for a tiny person. Then into toddler craziness, school projects, programs and drama. Continuing into more expensive projects, programs and drama. These years here, from about 12-18, had to be the worst ones for my mom as far as dealing with me. I was a nightmare. So rude, I knew everything and I was 100% sure my mother knew nothing. She didn't understand anything and was just trying to make life more difficult. I'm surprised she didn't make me sleep in a tent in the backyard. Then we're off to college and mom is left at home worrying if we are eating okay, getting enough sleep and making good friends. And mom is always there. When I have a question about how to boil eggs or get ketchup out of a shirt, mom is who I call. She listens to me complain about whatever it is I have to complain about. She thinks she's so funny sometimes, and usually in those moments, she really is. *poof you're an egg* She supports me in all things. She comes to my marathon in a painters mask because she has bronchitis and no voice and has to be there by herself for hours while dad is out tracking me along the route. And she whistles for me and I know I'm so close and then she just hugs me while I cry it out that I'm finally finished and then she braves driving in Utah, which she hates, so that I don't have to drive my own car home. My mom is a rockstar and I wish that I had recognized that as a kid. But I recognize it now. Thanks mom, for your life of sacrifice. I love you!

Day 1 Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ

I wanted to start out with Christ, as he is the person I am most grateful for. He makes life easier to deal with. He understands me perfectly. Lifts and carries me when I just can't go on. Love me unconditionally. Made the Plan of Salvation possible. Knows what the best thing for me is, works with me to achieve whatever that might be. Endlessly patient with my lack of faith, constant short comings, and inconsistency. He is the perfect example of who a person should be and has provided a way for me to achieve that.

I love him.

Gratitude

As I was driving to work this morning I was praying in my car. I do that often, as I'm not quite with it when I first wake up, so praying in the car lends to more coherent prayers. I started listing things I was grateful for and then had the thought that I should list people. Then the thought that that should be my gratitude posts for November. Pretty sure I can find 22 people I'm grateful for. So I'm going to start today and go the rest of the month. God has blessed me with so many wonderful people that I am truly grateful for and I want to acknowledge them.

7 years

Last Saturday marked the 7 year anniversary of when I came home from my mission to Spain. It kind of got lost in the day filled with cleaning house, making soup, getting a massage (long overdue), and going to Stake Conference. 7 years is a long time. Like birthdays, anniversaries of significant events in my life make me reflect on where I am and what I'm doing. It's a hard thing to balance being happy where you are and being hopeful and motivated for the future. I often find myself heavily on one side or the other of this very fine line of balance. I'm either completely complacent with where I am, thinking "why would I ever want to leave this?" OR I'm, in the words of Anne Shirley, "in the depths of despair", desperately wanting a life I don't currently have. My "ponderize" scripture for the week has actually proved very helpful to me as I struggle with finding this balance (leaning more toward the depths of despair) and work to keep optimism and hope in my life.

He has a plan. What I want right this very second may not be part of his plan for me right now. That doesn't mean I won't get it. As I was working in the temple last night, I was struck by a word that is repeated multiple times throughout an ordinance. "Preparatory" And it's the same for every patron. It doesn't matter where we are in life, we are all being prepared and we will receive God's promised blessings in his time. So after being home for 7 years, I am not anywhere close to where I thought or wanted to be. And that's okay. While I might be on plan HH, God is still on plan A. He only has one plan. Things are good and things will be good, even when they don't feel like it. God is good.

No friends

Today I saw someone post "All my friends are married, so therefore I have no friends". Some days that definitely rings true. But most days it doesn't. Grateful for all the friends I have, both married and not.