An Attitude of Gratitude....

Many great men and women have given sermons encouraging the cultivation of an attitude of gratitude. I've had every intention of elaborating on this very subject all weekend, but unfortunately, events of the past few days have left me feeling grumpy and a little more like Ebeneezer Scrooge than I'd like to admit. It is now when I probably most need to count my blessings and express my gratitude to all my loved ones....so buckle up all of you, you know how I gush and quite frankly, since I'm a little grumpy I'm going to be cheerful about being grumpy and unapologetic about gushing...

I am grateful that even with all my many flaws, my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ still love me. I have so many lessons to learn still and I'm so grateful for the patience God shows me. I'm grateful for my religious beliefs, for the direction it gives and the fear it erases.

I'm grateful for my husband, affectionately known as He-Man on this blog. Interestingly, I just rediscovered our He-Man/ She-Ra Christmas special on DVD. This is actually a movie. I'm totally serious. Anyway, I digress, I sat down and watched a few minutes with my fascinated little girls (They both want to be She-Ra, fly on a Swift Wind the Pegasus and stomp on Skeletor's foot). I noticed something that I may get beat up for. He-Man is kind of a sissy. My He-Man could soooooo beat up the cartoon He-Man. Plus, I betcha he would look better in a loin cloth too.

I'm grateful for my sweet daughters. Growing up, I could never polish the toes of my very manly brothers. I only got away with dressing my brother, Joey, up in a dress once... Even then, it cost me $50 and my favorite dress. Nor was I ever allowed to play Barbies with them. These little girls let me do all of that and love it! They bring sunshine to my morning and give me strength when I'm at my weakest. They remind me of what's important and have taught me to live life in the moment.

I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful to be half hippie, half straight-lace, to have the most amazing brothers, built-in best friends/sisters-in-law and in-law parents, grandparents (some of whom actually carry around dearly departed great-grandmas in boxes), aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

I'm grateful for Oregon. It brought me cherished friends, Kirstin, Jen, Michelle, Carina, Chrissy and Jarrod, Jorgan, Shelley, Dedra. It brought us berries, Saturday Market, knowledge of how to pronounce 'Willamette', and put a lot of green in our step.

I'm grateful for Dugway. I'm extremely grateful that we don't still live there. It was a great place to grow up and has afforded me lifelong friendships with men and women who have become so much, who have embraced their potentials and have allowed their lights to shine, Heather, Kelley, Mel, Mary Ann, Laura, Jamie, Carey, Eric, Erin, Diana, Jeffrey.

I'm grateful that Chrissy and Jarrod are having a baby girl. They went through so much to get to this point, shed so many tears. Words can't express the elation that this hope is coming true for them.

I'm grateful for my calling in Primary. I'm so grateful that I work with three incredible women who feed my soul, make me laugh and appreciate my quirky sense of humor. Tricia, Marianne and Christine, my friends I admired from a distance until we were pulled together, will always mean the world to me.

I'm grateful for Carol and that hardly a day goes by when we don't talk to each other, laugh at each other's experiences, share Jamba Juice or help each other with the girls. I'm grateful that I'm surrounded by beautiful neighbors/friends on every side, Deanna, Becky, Carol again, Joanna, Ruth, Serena.
I'm grateful for our adopted brother and sister, Eric and Abby, who we will clobber at Mille Borne when we play again.

I'm grateful for my ability to run, to feel the wind in my face and for legs that keep me going.

I'm grateful for getting a full night's sleep for the past six nights and that Bunny's hasn't awakened sreaming in pain.

I'm grateful that so far, there has been no sign of food borne illnesses since we ate our Thanksgiving turkey 4 hours ago...

I'm grateful that my kids are funny, that Bunny knows how to tell a joke, Sunshine can make hilarious faces and our sweet, little one and a half year old, Button Nose can leave a room in stitches by dumping a bowl of food on her head, sticking her finger in her nose or her latest, tooting (not from her mouth) on command (she thinks it's the funniest thing she's ever done).

I'm grateful for our gaurdian angels, Jeanette and Jeanie who have shared so much of themselves with us and have shown us the true meaning of charity and unconditional love.

Although they count as family and have already been mentioned, I'm grateful for my Jamie and my Heather. I'm grateful that we get to raise our families together, nuture our husbands together, share the same last name and populate the world with little web-toed, neandrathal fore-headed, kilt wearing, gorgeous looking children.

I'm grateful that I cry whenever I watch "Enchanted", hear Hampton the Hamster or see those inspiration billboards on the freeway. My family can do incredible things too!!

I guess I'm grateful for more that I have blog space for plus, I'm getting really tired. :)