Friday, November 28, 2014

A Month of Gratitude

On Facebook, I tried to post what I was thankful for each day during November.  I missed a few days, but it certainly helped me to recognize and remember how truly blessed I am!

Here are the things I posted:
Nov. 1:  I am thankful for good books to read, time with my family and the fabulous weather we have had lately.
Nov. 2: Grateful for extra sleep last night and beautiful meetings at church today. And especially for the enabling power of the Atonement as Sister Esplin spoke about in General Conference.
Nov. 3:  Grateful for heat and electricity. Warm sweaters and sweatshirts and thick socks. Blankets. Hot chocolate. Everything I have to keep me comfortably warm as the temperatures begin to drop.
Nov. 4:  I am grateful for good friends. They bless my life in immeasurable ways.
Nov. 6:  Missed posting what I was thankful for yesterday. So two things today: clean water to drink. A working dishwasher. (We went a couple of years without a dishwasher...and it is doable...but particularly since I work and life seems to be quite busy lately...I am very, very thankful for my working dishwasher.).

Nov. 7:  Thankful for my car and the ability to get to where I need to go quickly.
Nov. 9:  Grateful for darling children (my own and others) who invited the spirit, taught us and showed such enthusiasm for the gospel today. Also very grateful for their Primary leaders and teachers who have helped to teach them. Wonderful primary program

Nov. 10:  Grateful for my husband, Alfredo, who cooked two separate meals yesterday (empanadas and spaghetti)...and made enough for our lunches and dinner today...which meant I only cooked breakfast yesterday and today. He is such a great cook! He also leaves the kitchen cleaner when he's done than it was before he started. He does so much for me and for our children. He is the best! I love him so much!!
Nov. 11:  Very thankful for the freedoms I enjoy and all those, past and present, who have sacrificed so much so I have these freedoms.
Nov. 13:  Super grateful for my wonderful book club friends. I needed to laugh today after a rough day. So blessed to have wonderful friends! Also grateful for renters protection plan on my daughter's violin...

Nov. 14:  Grateful to have a darling class of 2nd graders. They are cute, smart, wonderful kids and I really enjoy my time with them.

Nov. 15:  Grateful for date night with my husband tonight. Also grateful for delicious food...and so grateful that we have enough food to eat each and every day. We are so blessed!

Nov.  16:  Today I am thankful for great teachers....teachers at church, teachers I work with, the teachers who teach my daughters at school. I feel blessed that my children have amazing, dedicated teachers who teach them reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and Spanish (for the younger two) as well as teaching them respect and responsibility and hard work and perseverance and other life lessons. I feel so very grateful that we all have fabulous teachers at church that help us learn more about Jesus Christ and help us become better. And I feel so thankful to have wonderful colleagues who are dedicated, hard working teachers that truly care about children.

Nov. 22:   This article:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-dannemiller/the-one-question-every-parent-should-quit-asking_b_6182248.html    Especially loved this: "But what if I were to ask you to list the five people who have meant the most to you in your life? The ones who taught you what it means to be a true friend. A person of integrity. I know without a doubt that 100 percent of us could do it in a heartbeat. And the list would be filled with people who never had a highway or high school named after them. People who never had their name carved on a ceremonial trophy. But here's the kicker. The mere thought of their faces likely makes your heart swell. Might even bring a tear to your eye."

I have been blessed to have so many more than just 5 people who fit that description.

Nov. 23:  My three beautiful children (My wonderful, responsible Michelle.  My spunky, silly, sweet Gabby.  My caring, tender hearted Ella.)  Yummy food.  The temple.  My family (parents, sisters, brother-in-law, nieces, nephew, husband, children).   Good books.  Especially the scriptures.  The beauty of this Earth.The chance that my daughters have to learn to play piano and the opportunity my oldest has to play violin. Music is a huge blessing.

Nov. 24:Today I am thankful for appliances. Particularly my washer/dryer, dishwasher, stove and oven. But also, my Blendtec blender, waffle iron, microwave, toaster oven, (all of these appliances listed have been used today!) as well as my hand mixer, bread machine, rice cooker, Crockpot and other appliances. Each of these appliances makes my life easier!

Nov. 25:  Today I am grateful for a long weekend, time with my family, and this approaching holiday season.

Nov. 26:  I am thankful for so many things. Internet access. My health and the health of my family. Life. A home. A car. A great neighborhood to raise my family in. Fabulous neighbors. Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson. Clean water. Hot showers. Dinner with friends. A trip to the zoo with my children. Christmas music. A soft bed. Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Friend. Opportunities to serve. The best parents and grandparents ever. Two talented, beautiful sisters. And... so many more things. Read one of my favorite children's books to my class yesterday and was reminded of one of my favorite quotes, "The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time. The more we say thanks, the more we find to be thankful for. And the more we find to be thankful for, the happier we become. We don't give thanks because we're happy. We are happy because we give thanks." -Douglas Wood, "The Secret of Saying Thanks"

So.Very.Blessed.

My greatest blessings, of course, are the gospel of Jesus Christ and all that comes along with that.  And my family.  All the other things are added bonuses.

I am also grateful for the beautiful photos of my family taken by my friend, Carey.









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