Day 12 of Gratitude

Today, I'm grateful for my grandparents. Not just my parent's parents, either, but my great aunt and uncle, Emily and Ben. My Nana and Papa kept us every summer growing up, and now I live close to my Nana. I love how she helps me with the kids, and is creating some of the same wonderful memories I had with her and Papa growing up, with my children now. I'm thankful for all that Emily and Ben do for us as well...from cases of diet pepsi to childcare. I know I can count on Nana, Emily, and Ben to help us whenever we need it! Sadly, my Grandma and Grandpa live very far away, but I am very grateful for them as well! I have so many great memories from my childhood in Grandma's kitchen, making "cookies" out of leftover pie crust. Thank you for all you do, to all of my grandparents!

Day 11 of Gratitude

Today, I'm thankful for my sisters. I have many, although, I grew up with none. I have Katrina, my step-sister, Bonnie, Tashya, Katrina, and Sarah, my sister-in-laws. And Jessica, my sister, who I grew up with, just not under the same roof (and we don't share parents.) It's so wonderful to have so many "sisters" in my life that I can turn to, and that treat me like family always! So, thank you, to all of my sisters today!

Day 10 of Gratitude

Today, I am thankful for my brothers, Ryan and Erik. Despite constant torture as a child, I have many wonderful memories with my brothers! I also know that I can count on them for anything, no matter how far away we are from eachother. I love watching Peyton and Brody play and fight together, because it reminds me of how my brothers and I were growing up. I look forward to watching them grow closer as they grow older, as Ryan, Erik, and I did.

Day 9 of Gratitude

Tonight, I am grateful for Hospice Doctors. Tonight, during a late admission, one of our Hospice Physicians put into perspective for me the work that I do every day. He told our new patient and his wife that we (hospice staff) do the work that we do because we love it, because we love the patients, and that for some, the work is a ministry for us. I have always looked at working in Hospice as a ministry of sorts. I've never had a job where I've done what I loved, and felt so close to Christ at the same time.

It's comforting to know that the physicians who do this work daily, are doing the work because they are passionate about it. Because they love the patients. Because they love the families. And because they love God. It is inspiring to watch the medical staff at Circle of Life work with the patients with such love, understanding, patience, and sincerity. One of the many things I have learned since working in Hospice, is that it is not a job...it is a calling.

So, tonight, I would like to express my gratitude to wonderful, caring, Hospice Doctors, who have been called, and who do what they do...not because they have to...but because they have a heart for it.

Day 8 of Gratitude

Today, I am thakful for Lizards. Not the reptilian kind, but the BFF kind. I have a friend named Liz who, despite only being friends for a few months now, is one of the sweetest, kindest, funniest friends I know. She is an amazing social worker. A wonderful mommy to Fletcher and Bruiser. A straight shooting, tell you like it is, honest friend. She has helped lift me up when I was sad, and makes me laugh like crazy. So today, I'm thankful for my friend, Lizard!

Day 7 of Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for night time cold medicine...which can be taken during the day...so I can sleep the day away...

Day 6 of Gratitude

Today, I am thankful for my DVR...and my swingset...and macaroni and cheese. I am sick today, and Nick is in school, and I have 5 children that will be at my house for 24 hours. I am more than happy to watch the 3 extra sweeties, and my 2 crazies, but I am sick. So today, I am very grateful for my DVR, my swingset, and for macaroni and cheese.

Day 5 of Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for the pitter patter of little feet. Two sets of little feet that is. I love the sound of my children running down the hall when they wake up in the morning. I love the sound of their little feet running out of their bedrooms at night (when they know they are supposed to be in bed). I love the sound of their feet running around my house, as they are screaming and chasing each other. I am ever so grateful for little feet, and pray they don't grow too big, too quickly.

Day 4 of Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for facebook. I know that seems like such a strange thing to be grateful for, but it has given me the opportunity to catch up with old friends, stay in touch with family, and offered many opportunities to feel the love from these people. When I first posted about my miscarriage on my facebook page, I was shocked at the amount of support and love that was posted on my facebook page. So, yes, I am thankful for facebook today.

Day 3 of Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for my husband. He is hard working, ever loving, hilarious, caring, sensitive, and my best friend. I think about the day we got engaged and light up every time I think about it. I am grateful for his sense of humor that changes my scowl when I'm angry with him to a fit of laughter in a matter of seconds. He has the ability to get out of any type of trouble with a joke. I'm grateful for his support in my decision to go back to work, and his interest and validation in the work that I do. I'm grateful for his sacrifices he has made for our family, in running his own business, and going to school. I'm grateful for the countless nights he has gotten up with our children in the middle of the night, and rubbed their calfs when they had leg cramps, sang songs to them when they were scared, and rocked them when they weren't sleepy. I love you, babe!

Day 2 of Gratitude

Today, I am thankful for my parents. All of them. I am blessed to have 3 wonderful sets of parents. My mom and dad, who raised me. My step-mom June, and step-dad Steve, who have all welcomed my brothers and I with open arms. My mother in law and father in law, Donnette and Phil, who have also welcomed me into my extended family with open arms. I have learned valuable lessons from all of these wonderful people, and I am eternally grateful for the impact they have all had on my life. I can always count on them to be there for me, and for my husband and children. Thank you!

Day 1 of Gratitude

As I go through my 25 days of blogging what I am thankful for this month, I would like to start with the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am first and foremost grateful for this sacrifice in my life. Over the past month, I have had the opportunity to personalize the atonement in my life, and learn what it means to me. This is something, I will admit, that I have never put much thought to. However, as I learned that my sweet little baby returned to live with our Heavenly Father, I had two choices: I could live in depression and sadness forever, or I could understand that Heavenly Father has a plan, and it is perfect, and there is a reason for everything. By choosing the second choice, I felt my Savior's love. I felt his arms around me, and I felt him lifting me out of the sadness. I hear the reverence in my children's voices as they close their prayers "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I see the light in their eyes as they talk about our Savior and what they have learned about him at church and at home. I know that my Savior lives, that he loves me, and that he died for me. I know that he has felt every ache, pain, and moment of despair that I have experienced. I know he did all of those things, because he loves me. So today, I would like to publicly express my gratitude to the Savior, Jesus Christ, for his atoning sacrifices.