Thankful

I didn't take time in the crazy holiday schedule from Thanksgiving to write a bit about what I am thankful for. We had the fun opportunity to be up at Midway in a condo with my family and it was cold. As we relayed our sleeping children up the flights of stairs to the condo at 3am, when we had arrived there, I was so grateful for the heat and light inside the condo. We take so many modern conveniences for granted. I thought of what it would have been like if we had lived back when my grandmother (who would complete her 100th birthday this month if she were still alive) was a young mother.
There would not have been a cozy condo to rest in and warm beds to lay her sleeping darlings in. She would have been making a fire in the stove to provide warmth and some of their light. She would have packed a lunch for their trip, having made the bread herself and probably have grown some of the toppings for the sandwiches or having raised the animal for the meat.
We stopped at Wendy's on the way out of town because we were on "vacation" and it was much faster. Kade and I listened to a book on CD on the way up while the kids watched a movie and the heater kept us warm. She would have been telling her children stories and poems from memory (she was amazing at that) and singing to them. We had our comfortable Expedition with cruise control, electric windows and doors and cushy seats. They would have had to borrow a car or not make the trip at all (I hope that if my Grandma and I had been the same age she would have wanted to be my friend, she was/is such a great lady.) We are SO blessed and take it for granted way too much.
I have been able to really enjoy my young family this holiday season. Kade has been on temporary layoff and it has been so fun having him home more. My stress level is so much lower when he is around and I enjoy our children so much more too (because I don't have to be the mean parent all the time). My children are such a blessing and I really appreciate when there is help with them so I can just spend some one-on-one time with each of them and not just have everything feel like I am just herding them all along to meet overall needs instead of individual needs. My children are each so unique and special. They are fun people to be around!
I am so thankful for extended family to help reach out and fill in the gaps that I miss. They are so supportive. We are truly blessed to have both Brian & Creta and my Mom live so close to us (and each other) so we can visit often. It is so important that our children have close relationships with their grandparents and receive all that unconditional love! I have so much to learn from our parents and the vast amounts of knowledge and experience they have.
I am thankful for my brothers and the great Uncles they are to my children. The girls just adore them and get excited when they come visit and play with them. I am thankful for my sister. Besides Kade, she is my best friend and she often comes and rescues me when I am ready to pull my hair out when Kade is at work. She always can make me laugh, which is such good medicine.
I am thankful for good friends and ward members around us. We are trying to get to know all of our neighbors better. If you look for good you will find it, and if you look for bad you will also find it. The world is so much better when you just look for the good.
My husband is the greatest blessing the Lord could give me. He instantly makes me feel better and happier, just by being around him. When he hugs me and holds me all of a sudden all is well in the world and everything will be fine and we can continue trying to move forward with life when it seems challenging. It is hard to watch him suffer from his diabetes and the toll it has and does take on his body daily. I love him more than I can describe. He is such a good man and even when we face situations that we don't like, I always know that he will do what God wants him to do. He will do his best to follow the Lord. I couldn't ask for more than that! When I feel weak he pushes me and makes me a better person. He supports me in all I am trying to do. He is the best friends I could ever have and I adore him!
I am so grateful for my testimony and for a loving Heavenly Father that allows us to learn and grow to be like Him. I am so thankful for our Savior, Jesus Christ and his perfect unconditional love to save us. I am thankful for the gospel to help us know of God and Jesus and help us to live happier lives. It is so important that my children have this knowledge so they can live happy lives here on Earth and for Eternity. God is so wise to make us parents, that is where we probably learn the very most. We see our weaknesses the most by being parents (and by doing some callings in the Church), but if we let Him, God makes our weak things stronger. These are parts of my testimony and many of the things I am grateful for.