The End of Gratitude Month, But Not the End of Gratitude

Well, it's been quite a month.  So much to be grateful for! 

My plan for December is to concentrate on the Savior.  Maybe my posts won't all be about that, but that will be my personal focus.

Put Your Feet Up, It's Sunday Night.

Jordan and I helped out in the Nursery today.  I am grateful for those cute little people and for our Nursery leaders.  Our leaders do a wonderful job.  There is structure, play, a little lesson, singing time and love every single Sunday.

I'm grateful for the Relief Society and the structure, play, lesson, singing and love that goes on there.  I learn so much from the sisters.  Different RS experiences have really helped shape me and will continue to help me grow into the woman I'm supposed to be.

My Visiting Teacher, Autumn, found herself with an industrial-sized can of pumpkin that needed to be used.  So she made pumpkin bread with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and shared it with many lucky people, including us.  I'm grateful to know her and for her thoughtfulness.  She made it with less sugar and no nuts and had the frosting on the side, just so that Rowdy could eat it.

Which brings me to today...

It was our last Saturday Team Challenge run this morning.  We ran at Coronado, and the weather was sunny and beautiful--somewhere in the 60's.  I ran with June and Lev.  I'm always grateful for June's running commentary (ar ar ar).  We did four miles easy, then our "race pace" for the last two miles.  Lev and I ran with Coach Dave for one of those miles.  He told us that we would both easily do a 10-minute-mile pace for the race.  Our pace was exactly that for each of those last two miles.  I'm grateful for our Team Challenge coaches and for my teammates.  Next weekend is going to be awesome!

The kids and I went shopping this morning.  I must admit that I was the one who came home with the most stuff.  I'm grateful that they are easy people to be with, that I can provide them with the things they need, and that they are good at expressing gratitude.

We're watching the BYU-Utah game from the comfort of our family room.  I'm very grateful for the education I received at the Y and the wonderful friends I made there, that I still have and love like family.

Leftover gratitude

Yesterday, I was grateful for the things I can do in my job to help others.  Of course, I couldn't do that without my amazing support staff.  I try to express sincere gratitude to them after each case and whenever I make them stay late or struggle with me through a difficult case.  The moment I walked into that control room almost six years ago, I felt at home.  They are a wonderful blessing in my life.

Happy Anniversary, Rowdstar!

Bears Reposting on the Eve of Our Fifth Anniversary

We arrived in Venice by train, just before sunset. The water buses (vaporetti) to Venice proper depart from a dock just in front of the station exit. We purchased our tickets and then walked onto a floating platform for the boat to San Marco, along with several other travelers with large suitcases.

The #4 express vaporetto to San Marco arrived, and Rowdy and Jordan pushed to the front of the line. The boys and I stayed back, because I didn't want to be one of those people who can't queue. R and J boarded the boat, the mate closed the gate, and off they went without us. As I waved goodbye, I could see Rowdy's stunned face and gesture of "why aren't you on this boat???"

Keiler and Max were a little bit concerned, but we were able to get onto the next vaporetto within about ten minutes. Our boat, however, was not an express. We were on the leisurely tour of the industrial part of Venice, the Guidecca, and the Accademia, with a lovely view of the sunset. I told the boys that I was not going to let their dad get away with it if he decided to be mad at us for not getting on the boat. After all, I was the one who had been to Venice before; I was the one with the hotel name, address and directions.

Our boat finally docked at San Marco, but not the same San Marco stop where Rowdy and Jordan disembarked. The boys were nervous, and pleaded with me to "just call Dad and find out where they are." Unfortunately, my cell phone had no service whatsoever in Europe. (What a rip! Rowdy's did, and we have the same service and the same type of phone. But I digress....)

I said to the boys, "You guys are lucky you have a smart mom," and proceeded to show them that we could go to the map and see that boat #4 had a San Marco stop just a short walk away, and I was sure that we would find them there. As we walked along the canal, I told them that they were also lucky to have a mom and dad who had faith. I knew that Heavenly Father wouldn't let us get lost, that I had a husband who would have actually listened the million times I said that we needed to stop in San Marco, and who was an Eagle Scout who knew to stay in one place when he was lost.

As we approached the "other" San Marco stop, we heard Rowdy yell, "Max!" Rowdy walked up to us with a big smile, Jordan in tow. He said, "I told Jordan that the first rule of being lost is that you stay put. You don't go wandering around." Then he turned to the kids and said, "Your mom and I--we have a thing between us. We will always find each other."

And with that, we headed as a family to our hotel.

File This Under "I Wouldn't Want To Change Places With Anyone"

A colleague's 7-year-old son was diagnosed with a brain tumor on Saturday and had it removed on Sunday.  I think that my concerns and problems are pretty small compared to that and to my cousin's roller-coaster ride with leukemia.  Yep.  I'll take what I have to deal with in life and be grateful for it. 

I'm grateful that I can provide good food for my family.  Pumpkin pies are in the oven as I type.

I'm so grateful that SNOMG 2010 didn't really turn out to be as bad as predicted, and J and M weren't grounded by bad weather.