Deeply felt gratitude

Today I was rushing around, getting things done, not stopping for a second. You know those mornings, when all is busy, and there is no time taken for being still.

Then I got in the car, and reached for the radio, and decided instead to talk with our Father. I don't know why, perhaps I just needed to feel near Him, and to pour my heart out to Him; knowing that He loves me and accepts me for who I am, with the understanding that I am indeed striving to be better. Once I started praying all I could do was express how grateful I am. Yes, we live in a crazy, mixed up world, full of wrong choices, and contention. Yet, all I could feel was gratitude for those I love; my husband, each and every member of our family, my mom, and so many others that have made or make a difference in my life. Then I could only think of what bonds us all together, the gospel; and who has made all that bonding, that sealing, available to us - our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The more grateful I felt, the more humble I became. I don't share this to boast, though it may seem to some that I am. No, it is because of those feelings, those spiritual promptings, that I am writing today. There are moments in life where the light of the gospel shines, touching our spirits like nothing else possibly could. Those moments are profoundly personal, but that is what this blog is about...sharing personal feelings of gratitude for life, and all the experiences encountered along the way. I am deeply grateful.

Soup date

Last week we made a date with Craig's family to have dinner together. Yes, they live in Utah and we live in California ...miles apart! Our date was via Google hangout. Lucas decided the menu would be soup. So, at 5 pm (Pacific time) we all sat down "together" and had dinner! It was fun spending dinner time with them. What a great idea for lessening the distance between us. I am grateful for our soup date. Thanks Craig, Angie, Lucas & Darci. :)

Lunch date

Seldom do I have the opportunity to go to lunch with a friend. Yesterday a close friend from Ripon noticed that Pat is Engineer of the year; she immediately texted and suggested a lunch date today. Everytime we see one another we say we will get together, but life gets in the way and it just doesn't happen. The funny thing is that we both came down with a cold yesterday and considered canceling but decided against it. (We didn't want to seem like we didn't want to get together...funny how friends think alike) I am grateful that we were able to catch up on each other's lives, it's fun to renew friendships.

Blue skies

On facebook it looks like many friends and family have reasons to stay home - SNOW! We do not have that problem here. In fact it's sunny out, and has been for two days! Yay! It is a little windy out, but the sun is shining, there are white puffy clouds in the sky, and the sky is a beautiful blue. What a welcome change from the fog! I am positive our temperatures will cool down in the next few weeks, but for this week I am enjoying  our 50-60+ degree weather. It just does something to brighten my spirit.

I am grateful for the beauty of this day, and the days to come. I wish all those I love could have a day or two like this right about now. :)

Friend's support

We weren't aware that there was an article today in the paper recognizing Pat's engineering award. The only way I discovered it was through our friend's comments on facebook! I'm so grateful for our friends, for their love and admiration for Pat. They have touched my heart.

Stake Relief Society

Today was our annual Stake Relief Society Meeting. They chose to do it way different than how we did it when we were in charge. Honestly, I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay home and be comfy and cozy. Fortunately, it was sunny out this morning and this afternoon when I returned home. So, the comfy and cozy part didn't even matter. I don't know why I was not excited about going, but that's another post, for another day. Perhaps.

My motivation for going was simple - to show my love and support to those who worked so hard to put this on.

Thankfully I sat next to sisters from our ward that I'm friends with. We had a great time chatting. When the program began it was a bunch of sisters from our ward, and several from the stake singing about being a mom and how frantic it can be to the tune of 'Working Nine to Five'. They changed it to 'working dawn til dusk'. Super cute.

After that our Stake President's wife, Julie, put on a cooking demonstration using a crockpot. Then we had a sister talk about the importance of family meal time. Then President Crockett spoke on the trials we face, and how we overcome them.

Then we ate: soups, salad, bread and cheesecake (though they tried to convince us to eat the cheesecake first, it was just toooo early for me to do that!)

All in all the best part of the meeting was seeing dear friends (including our former presidency), and feeling the Spirit. I am so grateful to all of those who participated, and that I could participate a little as well. It's also fun to see my husband as a HC serving the sisters...though he is quite tired now.

Easy return

I made a decision. As much as I loved my new Kitchenaid I started to realize just before leaving for Amy's that it wasn't for me. How did I reach that conclusion? It was one of those moments that hit me with clarity. That moment came when I was whipping cream for Pat's birthday angel food cake...the moment I had to cover both of my ears because the noise it made was deafening! And I'm already deaf in one ear! Yes, indeed, that was my defining moment. That decision was cemented when I used Amy's new (comparatively) whisper-quiet kitchenaid. That was when I knew. Since I made the decision I hoped that Costco would be okay with the return. Gratefully they were. Seriously, I am so grateful that there was not an iota of hassle! What a blessing!