Snowflakes

I'm grateful for the ability to take really hot showers during snow storms and for littlest sisters that remind me how fun it is to catch snowflakes on my tongue.

Driving

I went through Farmington today, on my way to return some pie tins. There are huge maple trees lining main street for miles. When we were little, Elizabeth told me how her Grandpa helped plant them, and would walk up and down the street every day to water them.

I was really grateful for his sacrifice today as I drove through. I felt that the trees were loaning me strength and support. Their massive trunks and copious amounts of leaves offered me a sort of haven. I feel really blessed to have had the chance to appreciate that today.

More blessings

I was really humbled today. It is so incredible to see the blessings Father gives us when we remember to give him the credit.

Things have been really tight in the past couple months. Mom and Dad have both been very stressed and it's weighing on them physically. This week is one more that we have to wait until Friday to go shopping. It's taught me a lot of creative cooking as I've been able to piece meals together from scraps.

I look around me and I see so much to be grateful for. We have a nice house a good backyard. We have two working vehicles. We live in a safe, friendly neighborhood. We are all fit, healthy (for the most part), and intelligent. We have loving family. We have a ward that reaches out to us.

Today, as mom was stressing over commercial Christmas, two unexpected wonderful things happened. My father's childhood friend dropped by with a Christmas present, just because he'd been inspired to on his way through on his truck route. He didn't know we were struggling, he just wanted to help. Not 20 minutes later, some mystery friends doorbell ditched a Huge turkey, and the makings of a Thanksgiving feast.

Even recognizing how blessed we are, the Lord opened his arms and showed us His love. I'm so grateful for those people inspired to help my family. I'm grateful to know that Father is aware of our needs, and I'm so grateful to be able to see his hand in our lives.

And then 2 years went by...

I find it more than a little sad that I haven't posted here in over two years. Especially because those two years were so filled with growth, pain, drama, and happiness. I think that had I continually looked for my blessings during trials, I may have learned my lessons a little sooner. I'm not going to beat myself up for it though. I'm just going to start over.

I'm so grateful for my testimony of God's love for me. I'm grateful that even if I don't have Anything else, I have that. My life can shatter to pieces, I could lose everything, and I would still know that. I'm grateful to a Savior that completed the Atonement for me. I'm so grateful that he made a way for me to be perfected, sinner though I am.

I'm really grateful for my father. He has always been a good example of what a priesthood holder should be. He was the one to stay up late just talking, answering my questions and expounding on them. He was the one to teach me that it is okay to hurt, it's okay to cry. He also wiped those tears away and taught me to laugh at the rain. I'm grateful I inherited his eyes. I'd like to think they see as much as he does.

I'm grateful for the opportunity I received, to free my mother to aid her recovering friend. I'm grateful for the chance to play at being mom for a while, to run my own household. I'm grateful for the skills she taught me, for knowing how to rely on myself. I'm grateful for the ability to express myself here.

James got the priesthood Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so proud of him! And I got to watch him pass the sacrament!
I remember the first time John passed it... he caught my eye and we both had a hard time not laughing. We decided we couldn't look at each other when he's being goodly like that.
James looked So handsome with the other deacons. I have such good looking brothers.

I'm so thankful for the Js in my life. They're all so handsome and such amazing worthy priesthood holders. They're such good examples to me. I love them so much.

It's soo....

Beautiful! Life is just so beautiful.

It's so green outside. I think the grass outside the info-commons is almost long enough that I could go swimming in it. It certainly looks lush and tempting enough to go lose myself in it. I need to go hiking in a forest or something again soon.
When I delivered my papers this morning, it had just stopped raining. It smelled Soo good. And all through my neighborhood are trees so covered with blossoms it kind of makes me wonder how many more they could possibly hold. It was almost overwhelming in some places with all the beautiful scents in the air. Like another scent I love can be sometimes...
I think I found the most amazing band recently. They're a Christian rock band called Superchick. I Adore them. I ..click I guess... with so many of their songs.
Like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAhtLeP4rUk&feature=PlayList&p=1C6DEC5980359F80&index=1&playnext=2&playnext_from=PL

It's really positive. But the song that I found that made me Start liking Superchick is this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlXlUgHUc60&feature=PlayList&p=1C6DEC5980359F80&index=7

Anyways, I wasn't planing on raving about Superchick... Well, I kind of wasn't planning anything... hm.. is there anything I need to clean up or clarify lately??
I don't Think so, but I do need to catch up on my journal, and map this one thing out, so I'm going to go to that. It requires paper, not a screen.

Stake Conference

Stake Conference today was Amazing! We had a huge brodcast from the conference center in SLC. Elder Lund conducted and spoke, then the primary President, Elder Bednar, and President Eyring.

It was Soo spiritual. President Eyring spoke about the prophets he'd known and told of their huge capacity to love. He described just How Much our prophets really do love us. I could Feel it through his words. It was amazing. I think everyone should find a copy of that talk. It's so forceful.