11-29-08
I am thankful for the blessing of serving with my sisters as the RS cleaned the church. I didn't feel well; but I went anyway. As always, I get way more out of things like this than I give.

Having a day to mostly just hang around home, spending time with kids, watching a couple of movies, making pumpkin pie.

That my daughter cleaned her room. Really and mostly cleaned her room. And I didn't have to nag her once.

Today
The clouds were so beautiful this morning. I've loved the skies during the past few days--all sorts of shades of grey--and a little bit of rain almost every day. I'm loving it.

That I came home from work and the temple this afternoon to find the dishes done and little son and bigger husband had done some cleaning while I was away. That is the best surprise and most appreciated gift I can imagine. Thank you!

rain (long may it fall)
quiet
not having to cook today (I think I'm thankful for that anyway. It feels weird. I'm a bit off today.)
central heating
vitamin c, honey lemon tea and puffs with lotion

family
having a missionary in the field
testimony
conviction
knowledge

God
Savior
truth
Prophet
scripture

friends
hugs
support
sincerity
sharing

naked trees, black against the pre-dawn sky
stillness
reflections
neighbors
the warm glow of lights appearing slowly, one by one down the street

enough food
enough clothes
enough comforts of home
enough protection
the luxury of knowing what is enough

teh internets (yes, I wrote it that way on purpose)
connections
literacy
expression
convenience


employment (long may it last)
a roof over my head
proximity
accessibility
independence

Today I am thankful for wonderful people whom I've never met who will take in my child and feed him wonderful English food. Words are insignificant to express my gratitude. (But I did check in with our missionaries here and they're taken care of. Maybe I can book them for Christmas dinner.)

Feeling snarky:

I'm thankful I only had to wait an hour and a half for Z~'s doctor appointment today instead of 2 hours like last time.

I'm thankful for my "almost-free" digital TV converter box. (That works at the moment, except for the channel programming part, but which--despite it's high ratings--did not get rave reviews on the news tonight.)

I'm thankful (or am I?) that every time I convince myself I can quit blogging someone makes a comment about how much they love my blog (thanks cousin via FB) or they sort of reach out via my blog (thanks person whom I will protect by keeping anonymous) and I wonder if somehow this tiny thing isn't somehow a good thing, too. If it's a good thing--if it is somehow making a difference (even a tiny difference)--can I really quit?

I truly am thankful for my real family, my ward family, my blog peeps, and my heated home.

And I really love how I can start the dishwasher and/or a load of laundry on my way out the door to work and come home and have it all washed. If someone would find a way to have it dried, folded (only in the case of the laundry) and put away I'd be such an accomplished woman.

I can't seem to get warm, but I'm grateful that at the end of the day I have a warm quilt that should do the trick.

I'm also thankful for a laid-back week--at least for the kids. I have to work, but it's nice they don't have any homework so things are a little chill around here.

I'm grateful to have a job. I'm a bit frightened about the future, so I don't know if I'll be so blessed indefinitely, but I'm going to keep plugging away...

I love the quiet of a Sunday morning. Sleeping in until 7:19. Watching the sky change into morning hues.

I love the dark branches of the empty trees striking a pose against the brightening sky. But crabapples still bend the branches of our tree, a gift to the birds that will be grateful when the snow finally appears.

After months of days like this it's easy to wonder if winter will ever come.

But I do know tomorrow will bring another lovely morning for me to enjoy.

It's not that I wasn't thankful yesterday. I was busy.

11-21

I am thankful for the opportunity to show my love through service.

11-22

Today I am thankful for home and family.

And for the opportunity to pray for those who are suffering hard times.



And for yet another beautiful fall day.

And for the opportunity to pray for rain.



On a lighter side, I'm really thankful someone else took my daughter to see Twilight so I don't have to.

And for really good homemade bread.

And a good (at least what I hope will be good) football game to listen to while I fold mountains of laundry.

I was invited to teach the girls (Beehives) pie baking. We made sour cream lemon and cherry.

Best parts?

That it was my daughter's idea to invite me to teach.

That the reason she chose sour cream lemon wasn't because it is her favorite, but because she knows it is one of her leader's favorites.

That this is the second time I've taught pie baking to this group of girls (they used to be in my Activity Days group). I'm hopeful that someday at least one of them might carry on the tradition--the art--of baking pies from scratch.

That one of the leaders--a genuine and generous young wife and mom--just raved and raved. I know she'll go home and try this. She was so appreciative--it was really sweet.

Oh, and ending my day with a slice of sour cream lemon pie doesn't stink, either.

Life is good.

Melody dropped by. I've missed her. I'm thankful Melody has found a good man to share her life with. I hope he knows how lucky and blessed he is. I'm thankful to know she is my sister-friend forever even though she moved to Highland. Which is almost like moving to Northern Idaho, only different. I'm thankful I had some leftover squash soup to share with her and that she raved about it. Especially since the rest of the family doesn't love it. I'm thankful for hugs from a good friend tonight.

Life is short.

Hug well and hug often.

This afternoon (after mailing a big box of silly stuff from America to my boy in England for Christmas) I donned my gardening gloves and grabbed a rake and headed over to the vast parking lot at our church. Our ward gathered there to do a fall clean-up. It was such a beautiful day--still warm enough for shirt sleeves--and the sky, in particular, was so lovely.

I usually fail to notice all the lovely trees that surround and dot the landscape of the parking lot (unless I am looking for a shady spot to park).

Those trees have lots of leaves.

(And only about half of them have fallen.)

But it was a great time. It felt good to enjoy the weather, be with friends who are like family to me, and do a bit of service.

I felt thankful and blessed to participate.

How 'bout a two-fer today?

This morning my friend Donnette called. She'd seen my post on Facebook and asked about my week. Then she made me the best offer. She didn't ask if there was anything she could do. She didn't even ask if maybe I needed dinner brought in. She said, "I'm making a big pot of chicken soup. I'll bring some over after church. And maybe some apple crisp. Would that be OK?

Yes, that's even better than OK.

Thanks Donnette! The soup was delicious and the rolls and apple crisp were might fine too. It was so nice not to have to cook today.

Bless you!

I love the Sabbath.

I'm grateful for...

11-12-08

modern medicine

ice chips

warm blankets

good neighbors and friends

narcotics for pain

medical insurance (even though it's still gonna cost me)


11-13-08

comfortable jammies

warm blankets

good movies

jamba juice and kneaders for lunch (thanks mom)

PTO


11-14-08

my kids' friends

a good oral surgeon (and anesthesia, too)

enough leftover cupcakes with really great frosting for treats after cub scouts

something yummy for when a soft-food diet is prescribed

really good pizza


11-15-08

a lovely view from my living room window

yet another beautiful fall day

another win for the Cougs

a great recipe for Pumpkin Cookies

Monk reruns

A Pumpkin Oreo shake for Family Home Argument treats after going shopping last night for our big Christmas package for Luke.

It really doesn't get any better than that.

I like being able to have this type of dialogue with each of my older kids as needed:

"You are not being fair to me."

"I do not want to be a nag. It's not in my nature. But I am your mother. When you choose not to do what you say you will you put me in a position where I have to get on your case. Do not do that to me. I do not want it to get in the way of our relationship."

"I want to trust you, but you have to earn it. It is easier to maintain my trust than to get it back once you have betrayed my trust."

There are a number of adults close to me with whom I wish I could have similar conversations. But I can't. So I am even more amazed that teenagers are capable of such conversations and open to such honesty.

the best "little" band ever heard--and check out this season's hardware! (not pictured, my child, who was in a mood that night)

I stink at rock band.

I realize I shouldn't be grateful for that.

But I am grateful that at the marching band party the kids thought it was awesome that me, the band director and his wife completely stunk it up.

(If they'd have had vocals I could have totally rocked!)

Really great lunch with some really great friends.

The perfect crisp Gala apple.

Having only $2.40 library fine for overdue books and videos on the month I was finally going to get "the library mom" thing right and return things on time (I was expecting it to run me about $16).

I love the crazy, unpredictable, this-way-and-that-way-then-Look Out!-it's-it's-coming-right-at-you, haphazard way the first snow was blowing this morning.

Kind of like my life.

On some days I long for rhyme and/or reason.

But I kind of think I might get a little bored if it were all that simple.

One thing I love about the fact that I now wake up at 5:00a.m. instead of 6a.m. is I can get up and get a few things done, then have some time to snuggle with my youngest child before he gets up to get ready for school. It's great to have some one on one time and everyone else thinks they're just too big to cuddle anymore.

I'm going to enjoy it with him while I still can.

I'm a couple of days late with my intended month of Thanksgiving on my little blog less traveled by, which is dedicated to thanksgiving. But here goes:

I am thankful to have served a mission. My mission was not what I expected it to be. But there are friends, companions, experiences, and learning opportunities that are dear to my heart. But perhaps the best blessing I received from serving a mission is coming to fruition now, as I am able to share encouragement with my missionary son from the perspective of someone who has been there.

I hope it is helpful to him.