Gratitude

"Gratitude is a Spirit‑filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God's love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence."
- Bonnie Parkin

Keeping this gratitude journal has changed my attitude. I really felt like I had a good attitude before but I now truly feel the incredible extent to which I am blessed. As I looked at everything I could write about I no longer saw what I don't have or wish I did.

I am grateful for the transformation expressing gratitude has made in my life.

Let it Begin

I am so grateful for the Christmas season. It can be a crazy time of year but on the whole people are kinder and happier. And I love that we celebrate the birth of our Savior. I love all the music so closely tied to the emotions and memories of Christmas. Some of my favorites lyrics are the latter verses of Away in a Manger.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay be my side
'Til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to Stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear Children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there

Digital Cameras

I am so grateful for digital cameras. It is so wonderful to take as many pictures as you want and edit them. I have been working on Macy's Scrapbook online and it is such a fast, fun and easy way to create.

I can't wait to finish it.

Happy Thanksgiving

"The pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving."

-H. Westermayer

I am grateful for the pilgrims' quest for freedom of religion. For the sacrifices they made to journey to and settle America. I am also thankful they had the inspiration to set aside a day of thanks despite all the hardships they faced.

Sunshine

I am so grateful for the gorgeous, warmish weather we are having. It is fabulous.

In the Still of the Night

Every once in a while, Macy will wake up crying in the night and allow me to rock her. These are precious moments. I hold her tight as we rock in the still of the night. She nuzzles her head on my shoulder and tickles the back of my arm. As we rock back and forth, my heart swells.

I offer a silent prayer of gratitude for this incredible little spirit that Heavenly Father allowed to come to us. In the still of the night, I concede that the wait to get her here was a small moment considering the treasure we have received. And if we live worthily, she's ours for eternity. How grateful I am for this knowledge.

Emma and Joseph

Our Relief Society lesson was on the beautiful letters Joseph wrote to Emma. The letters showed so much love and tenderness. It was a wonderful view into their relationship.

Their lives were incredibly difficult. The trials they endured are unthinkable. I am so grateful for them both.

** The book available at Seagull and Deseret Book is made up of the actual letters. Our RS teacher said it is basically a duplicate of the lesson manual but has pretty pictures.

Winning and Losing

I am grateful that the Jazz won tonight. Although the BYU vs. Utah game went well for everyone who came to watch the game at our house, it wasn't so pretty for us. So, at least the Jazz ended our night on a good note.

I would also like to publicly rat Jenn out as the craziest fan. She was sweating, her face was flushed and she had to take several timeouts throughout the game. Hilarious!
*Brooke, Katelyn & Rosie showing off the huge pizza

Dream Job

I am so lucky to have my dream job. The hours can be long . . .


But the pay can't be beat.

Friends

I have had so much fun this month seeing and talking to several friends from high school. I am also so excited to go to lunch with my friend from Merck. I am so blessed to have these friends. I am so grateful also that my best friends are the members of our families.

Two Big Blessings in Little Bodies

November is national adoption month. I feel so strongly about adoption because both sides of our family have been blessed greatly by it. Two adorable and hilarious nieces. They don't come any cuter.

The Mirror in the Girl

Now that Macy talks a little bit and role plays a lot, I'm learning more about myself. I must say "yeah" and laugh a lot on the phone. I love to see how much she kisses and hugs her dolls. And if anything goes anywhere near the toilet she yells "no,no, no!!"

But as a parent I have also learned more about my relationship with my Heavenly Father. This has been a significant blessing to me for which I am very grateful.

A few days after our most recent miscarriage when JD had just returned from another trip to the emergency room for kidney stone pain, I was feeling a little forsaken and not much like praying. I felt that praying had become a useless exercise for me. I've been praying for years for JD to be relieved of the excruciating pain he lives with daily and for us to be able to grow our family. I felt that there was little use in me praying for what I wanted and felt we needed. Obviously, my will was not God's will, so why keep asking?

That morning I was washing all of our bedding and Macy was devastated to see her beloved blanket go into the washer. She was lying on the closet floor sobbing. I kept trying to pick her up and comfort her but she wouldn't let me. I said to her, "I'm right here, let me comfort you." And in that instant my heart softened and I realized that my Heavenly Father felt this way about my stubborn resistance to come to Him. This was a turning point in my healing.

The Places We Go

I am so grateful for all the fun places Utah has for kids. In the past few weeks we have been to the Discovery Children's Museum, the farm at Thanksgiving Point, the little Dinoland at Southtown, and library classes. Before the month is out we will probably also visit Wheeler Farm and the Zoo.

We are so lucky to have all these places close and most very affordable.

My Grandma

Today we went and visited my Grandma, Anna Laura. She is 91 years, 10 months old. She was so happy and grateful for her family and the care she is receiving living at my aunt's house.

I am so grateful for her and her example.

Locked Out

I am thankful we were locked out of the house today because I have not laughed this hard in a long time.

JD to the rescue, new suit and all.

Creativity

I saw the following quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf on a blog I like to read (kellymccaleb.typepad.com).

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty. Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty. You might say, 'I’m not the creative type. When I sing, I’m always half a tone above or below the note. I cannot draw a line without a ruler. And the only practical use for my homemade bread is as a paperweight or as a doorstop.' If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination. If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter."

I am grateful for the divine gift of creativity. For me, the strong desire to create comes in waves. There are times in life when I'm not into creating and other times when the desire is overwhelming. The past few weeks I have had trouble sleeping because I am thinking of new projects and trying to decide which I want to do first.

In the picture above, Macy is wearing the skirt I made for her. It is the easiest sewing project out there. But I was so thrilled with it, I can't wait to make another.

The J-Dizzle

I have been looking forward to this one all month. I am grateful for JD.

He is long-suffering, patient, and passionate. He is a guardian of truth, a thinker and philosopher. He truly loves and seeks to protect the English language. When he does something he seeks for perfection. He believes in the golden rule and really lives it. He is an involved, loving and fun dad. He is quirky and obsessive compulsive. He is brilliant. But what truly won me over is he is funny.

JD is my best friend. Macy and I are very lucky to have him in our lives.

Good Night

Tonight I am thankful for a nice, soft, warm bed with clean sheets. I'm exhausted, Good night!

Prayers

I am grateful for all the prayers for the missionaries throughout the world. We love and miss Grammy and Grampy so much. We know their load is heavy. It is so reassuring to know so many prayers throughout the world are said on their behalf as part of the force of missionaries seeking to bring others the gift of the gospel. We are so proud of them.

Happy Veterans' Day

I am so grateful for the sacrifices of so many soldiers and their families to preserve the freedoms I often take for granted. I really can't imagine how scary it would be to go off to war or to send a loved one to war.

JD's grandma, Billie, was widowed in World War II when her husband JD Holzheauser was killed. She had a very young son at the time. JD's grandpa, Edward Kitch was JD Holzheauser's best friend in the service. They fought side by side in the war. Ed sought Billie out when he returned and they fell in love and were married. Even though there was a happy ending to her story, when I think of Billie hearing the news that her little boy had lost his dad, I am reminded of just how much veterans and their families have given up for all of us. (The picture above is of JD and Ed.)

My Grandpa Alma also fought in World War II as a fighter pilot. He and my grandma were married soon after meeting because he was going off to war. That's about as much detail as I know, but I plan to learn more.

Not for the Faint of Heart

Do you think an unparalleled love for ketchup may have a genetic link? Jonny used to dine on ketchup sandwiches. Yep, a bun and a whole lotta ketchup. I believe Brookie also used to lick up the sauce and Rosie has been know to take a gulp or two.

But Macy seems to have taken it to a new level of disgustingness. She loves the "num, num" as she affectionately calls it. She goes to the fridge, gets out the ketchup, goes to the drawer and gets out a dinner plate. She then gets up on the chair at the table, pours herself a little dab and then dips whatever food she can find.

Here she is with a nice fruit snack aand ketchup snack:



I am grateful for the quirks in all of us. It is the spice of life, no matter how distasteful.

The Saints at Church

I am so grateful for good, caring nursery leaders. Fifteen toddlers to two adults is a scary ratio but they manage for two hours. To all the nursery teachers out there, you rock!

Abundance

I read that if you own more than two pairs of shoes, can eat six straight meals, and have a change of underwear you are one of the richest 5% of the world. This is so sobering.

I am so grateful that we are blessed to live a comfortable life, we have two cars that are reliable, warm clothing, plenty of food, shoes and a (somewhat*) warm home to sleep in.

* JD likes to keep the house at 66 degrees.

Convenience

Tonight, I am very thankful for restaurants. After a long week what did the pioneers do? No Cafe Rio!

Not to mention all the chores. I could not survive without my washer, dryer, vacuum and dishwasher. And especially Tivo.

Talent

I am thankful for talented artists, writers and musicians that enrich our lives.

Here is the link to our favorite music video. I have watched it dozens of times and never get sick of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM_n2lKjlRQ

Dedicated to Greg

I have a few thoughts about President Elect Barack Obama.

Politics aside...

I think it is awesome to have a black President. I was very moved watching the emotions on the faces of the people in the crowd during his victory speech. What an incredibly huge day for blacks and all of America.

I think he is an exceptional speaker.

I am eager to learn more about how he became the man he is.

I think it is a heart wrenching twist that the grandmother who helped raise him passed away 48 hours prior to seeing him become president.

I will be praying for him.

Family

I have had occasion several times today to be so grateful for our family.  We are so lucky to belong to two great families.  You are all amazing examples to me.  Everyone has such unique talents and strengths, which bless me daily.  

Thank you for being the people you are and for raising children that I love so much. I love that Macy has such awesome cousins, aunts, uncles and especially such loving grandparents.

Election Day

I am so grateful that we live in a free country and that we have the opportunity to vote. But mostly I am just glad that the elections will be over. It has gotten ugly this year.

I appreciate the Pulsipher and Carr families standing up for what is right, however unpopular and scary it has been.

Internets

I am so thankful for the internet. I don't know what we did without it. I look something up everyday and I love reading everyone's blog. I also love e-mail.

Simple Pleasures

I am easily delighted. It has been four days since we visited the Costco in St. George and I spied the Method refill bottle for their handsoaps. I am still thinking about the design of the bottle.

I am thankful for pretty things and companies that spend a little extra time to make the packaging or product visually appealing. I am also thankful for Method because they have the greatest wood floor cleaning system and it makes my house smell of almondy goodness.

Deer Valley Turkey Chili Recipe

I forgot to post this last week. It is a favorite at our house.

Deer Valley Turkey Chili

• 2 cans black beans
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 medium Anaheim chilies, seeded, chopped
• 2/3 cup chopped red onion
• 2/3 cup chopped celery
• 2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 Large Leek (white part only) ** I haven’t ever added the Leek
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/4 cup corn flour
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 cup Sugar
• 4 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 4 cups diced cooked turkey (I cook boneless turkey breasts or a turkey roast in the crockpot)
• Toppings - grated cheddar cheese, red onion, sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime slices

Seed and chop the chilies, chop the onion, celery, red pepper and leek.
Mince the garlic and get the rest of the ingredients ready to cook.

Melt butter in pot; add chilies, onion, celery, bell peppers, leek, garlic and oregano. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Add the flour and spices, cook 5 minutes.
Add the sugar and 4 cups stock and bring to simmer.
Puree 1 1/4 cup of the corn with the remaining 1/2 cup of stock. Add this to chili.
Mix black beans, turkey and remaining cup of corn. Simmer all for 25 minutes.
Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, red onion, sour cream, & fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

Gratitude

Reflect upon your present blessings,

of which every man has plenty;
not on your past misfortunes
of which all men have some.
--Charles Dickens

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Continuing with the list, I am going to blog daily in November on things I am grateful for.

Today, I am grateful that I am blessed with joy and contentment. While it's true that I want to have another baby, I am fully content with my life. Every day I am overwhelmed with joy. My days are filled with love, laughter and fun. I have sad moments but these are few and far between. These moments also serve to remind me of just how blessed I am.