the temple

I try to go to the temple once a week, but because of illness or Thanksgiving or other things, I haven't been able to go for the last few weeks and I've missed it. I am thankful that this morning, I made it happen. When I go to the temple, I feel peace and an overwhelming love from my Heavenly Father. I think going to the temple makes me a better mother and wife and friend. And I always, always leave feeling lighter and more optimistic. I am thankful to live so close to a temple, and I am thankful that my schedule allows me to visit often. The time I spend there is the best of my week.

To learn more about mormon temples, go here.


And this concludes another month of Thanksgiving. Thank you for following along! I really believe in the power of gratitude. Recognizing my blessings and expressing gratitude for them makes me a happier and more content and more generous person, I hope. I look forward to this month all year long and I am thankful to have been able to post here each day. And now, welcome December!

Don't forget the Worldwide Day of Service to kick off the 25 Days of Service tomorrow!

shopping days

Mike finished up our Christmas shopping late last night. Even with his busy school schedule, he wanted to do the shopping this year, and I am so grateful. He is much more thoughtful about it than I would be, and I know that because of his efforts, our kids are going to have a really wonderful Christmas. I am thankful that we are able to provide a happy Christmas for our children. I am thankful that Mike is smart with our money and creative with our gifts. And I am really thankful that we don't have to step foot inside another store until next year. That really is the greatest gift of all!

fhe

Tonight's Family Home Evening was sort of a bust. That happens sometimes. We went all over town looking for ornaments for our tree. Every year, the kids pick out a new ornament, and then when they are grown and have a tree of their own, they will have a box full of memories to add to their decorations. It's one of my favorite traditions. We'll have to try again this weekend. When we got home, we watched the video I posted yesterday for the #LighttheWorld campaign. I think the 25 days of service are just what our family needs this Christmas season. I bore my testimony to my children about the importance of serving like Jesus Christ did. And then we had family prayer and sent the little kids to bed.

I am thankful for Family Home Evening, even when it's not as successful as I would like it to be. I love that one night a week is specifically set aside for our family to be together. It is the best place to teach the gospel to my children, and a good time to have fun as a family. I love this family of mine and putting away housework and homework and everything else for a little while to be with them fills my heart with gratitude.

my faith

I never intended to talk about my faith so often on the internet, but here I am, doing it again. My membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has formed every bit of my life. I was raised by faithful parents who sought the truth on their own as teenagers. They found it in this church, which I believe most closely resembles the church Jesus Christ organized when He was on the earth, and I am forever grateful for their dedication to it.

This Christmas season, the church is spreading the message that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and through acts of service, big or small, we can help spread that light. I love this short video that shows people like me serving like Him:

Each day for the month of December, we are encouraged to get out and serve. There are even ideas for each day provided here. Things like writing letters to parents or donating blood or praying for a friend who is going through something challenging. These are simple, easy things that can help us come closer to Jesus Christ and spread His light. I can't think of a more wonderful way to celebrate the Christmas season. I know I'll be checking in each day at mormon.org to see what I can do. I hope you'll come along.

I am thankful for my membership in this church. I am thankful for the things it teaches, that it inspires me to be better, and for the way it makes me feel. I believe that it contains the truth, and through that truth, I can be with my family after this life is over and live with Heavenly Father again.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

I was going to put up our Christmas decorations today. But then I didn't feel like it. And then I decided to do it anyway, and I'm so glad I did. Stella and Elliot had the best time setting up all of the nativity sets on our bookcase while I arranged the little winter village houses in the kitchen. It seems like every year I put up fewer decorations, so I am just down to our absolute favorites. And because there aren't many things to arrange, it took almost no time at all. Even so, tonight the house feels sparkly and cozy and I am so thankful.

siblings

This morning, Stella and Elliot were complaining that they were bored so I sent them downstairs and told them them to play a game. Next thing I knew, extreme giggling was coming from the basement family room. I am so grateful that my children are friends with each other. I've never been good at setting up playdates for them, and I am thankful that they have learned to play so well with each other instead. I especially love it when Oliver joins in.

We had a really relaxing day at home filled with leftovers and pajamas and naps. I hope you did, too!

stitches

Tonight I am grateful for the nice men and women who missed their own Thanksgiving dinners to show up for work at the Emergency Room, so that when Elliot gashed his leg open at Nana's house, they were able to clean him up and stitch him up. I am ashamed to admit that when I saw Elliot's wound, I freaked out a little bit. It was so big and gape-y and my brain didn't know how to handle what I was seeing. If you need help in an emergency, find Mike. He's your guy. He was calm and patient and helped Elliot (and me) process what was happening. I am so grateful that he was there with us.

After a few hours at the hospital, a couple of popsicles, and 18 stitches, we were back at Nana's for a second round of pie.

Elliot was a trooper through it all, from the moment he quietly walked in the house with his leg hanging open all the way through to the end of the stitches. What a day! I am feeling extra grateful for my little family and our safety tonight.

I hope your Thanksgiving was less eventful but equally pie-filled. :)

plenty

Yesterday I went to the grocery store to stock up my pantry and to get Thanksgiving supplies. This morning I put my turkey in the brine, and this afternoon I will bake a pie. This is the season of plenty, and I am thankful that my family and I have enough. Too many people in this world don't, and I feel very fortunate that I am able to feed and dress and house my children as comfortably as I can. Comfort is a luxury, and I am thankful for ours. I hope acknowledging this will help me be more generous, especially this holiday season. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

kittens

Mike caught me at a weak moment on Saturday when I was just coming down with strep throat. He brought home two kittens from the pet store. (Mike has a humongous soft spot in his heart for kittens and he just couldn't choose between the two.) That brings the total number of cats living in our house to three, which is just too many. We've officially crossed the line. We are now the people with all of the cats. But the thing is, I see how much joy these kittens bring to my family (real, pure joy!), and I don't even mind. They are sweet and sort of stinky, but they'll cuddle right up on your lap and start purring and I'd have to be a monster to not let that affect me. And so today, I am thankful for these little kittens (even though they make my eyes itch and my nose run). I am thankful for the joy they bring my family and for the tenderness they bring out in all of us.

a sick day

Stella and I took a sick day today. And so, in no particular order, I am thankful for: the walk-in clinic at Walgreens, the really kind, patient doctor in the walk-in clinic, modern medicine in the form of antibiotics, and sweet pharmacy employees, a nice sister-in-law who made us soup, and the sound of the rushing wind and unexpected rain outside my open bedroom window. Despite the positive strep test and terrible sore throat, this day has been really beautiful, and I am thankful for the kind people and wonderful weather that made it so exceptional.

words from a prophet

The Sunday school lesson curriculum always references recent General Conference talks. I think if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I love General Conference. Today's lesson (which I didn't end up giving, as I was home sick with a monster sore throat) referred to Elder Vern P. Stanfill's talk, Choose the Light, and Elder L. Whitney Clayton's talk, Choose to Believe, which I summarized here. Both talks were meant to help my students learn to overcome doubt with faith. I love hearing the words of our leaders. I am thankful for the guidance they give us, for the things they teach, and for the love I feel from them. I am thankful to belong to a church that believes in modern day prophets. I can't imagine trying to navigate this life without their direction. I believe it comes from a loving God who wants to help us, and I am thankful for the words they speak, and for the opportunity to read their words again and again.

mike

Mike and I spent the whole day together today, which hasn't happened in a long time. We went Christmas shopping and kitten shopping and finished the day with Taco Bell at our kitchen table. (Mike is really good at ordering Taco Bell.) I am grateful for Mike's influence in our home. He is strong where I am weak, and together we make a really great team.

scripture

One of my favorite stories from the Book of Mormon tells how the brother of Jared and his people crossed an ocean in small barges. These barges were "tight like a dish" the scriptures say, with a hole at the top and bottom to let in air. But if the holes needed to be closed to keep out the water, the people in the boats would be left in darkness. Wondering how to solve this problem, the brother of Jared prayed to God, who didn't give him a solution. But using his intelligence, the brother of Jared gathered clear stones and then with quite a lot of faith, he asked the Lord touch them, causing them to shine. These stones lit the insides of the barges as the people spent nearly a year crossing the ocean. The barges were at the mercy of the ocean currents and the winds, but the currents and the winds were at the mercy of the Lord and so they made it to the promised land in safety. There is a lot that I can learn from this story, even though I am not required to spend a year crossing an ocean in a small barge. I feel that way about all of the scriptures. Through diligent study, I can liken the scriptures to my own life, and learn many important things. From the brother of Jared, I learn that if I do all that I can and have faith, I can see miracles (or in the very least, blessings). I learn that if I feel like I am struggling in the depths of the sea (or under the burdens of life), I can cry to God and He will bring me back up to the surface, and that He is guiding my winds. I learn that through my trials, I can give gratitude to Him for the things that He is teaching me.

I am thankful for the scriptures. The small amount of time I spend studying them each day is one of the best things I do for myself. It makes me a better mother, a better wife, and a better neighbor.


You can read the story of the brother of Jared here (the book of Ether, chapters 1-3, 6).

health

Ever since we reduced the amount of added sugar in our diet, our health has improved. Not that we were often sick before, but we are certainly sick less often now. I am thankful that our bodies have the strength to do the things required of them--that we can go to school and complete housework and run and play and serve.

I have been reminded of how fragile life and good health can be lately, and I am thankful for the blessing of health that my family enjoys.

happy birthday Stella!

Of course I am thankful for all of my children, but today we celebrate our Stella, who turns nine years old. If I could describe Stella in three words, they would be: quiet, thoughtful, and kind. I don't know how I got lucky enough to be her mother, but I sure am grateful for the opportunity!