Gratitude Day 8

1) I am grateful for Book Club. We just finished the third novel in the Tending Roses series: Language of the Sycamores by Lisa Wingate. I highly recommend them!

2) Spicy dill pickles (home canned) from Chrishel. (I even drink the pickle juice until it's all gone. Shhh...don't tell anybody. And don't come any closer.)

3) the Mister's steadfastness...he went to the temple tonight with some other Elders in the ward, even though he had a headache.

4) the Mister surprised Emma with a happy meal at the school cafeteria. It's a great daddy-daughter date and it sure beats mom's jelly sandwiches.

5) the Mister called to pay a medical bill over the phone and the Sleep Institute took $200 off our bill! Saweeet!

Gratitude Day 7

Thank you, Veterans...

"A veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve-- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America' for an amount of 'up to and including my life'. That is honor and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand that."

~ Unknown

(thanks, Leslie, for posting that on FB)

Gratitude Day 5

1) I love it when the Mister makes hot wings in the deep fryer.

2) Our neighbors, the Snowders, dropped by with a plateful of pink sugar cookies to announce their upcoming new arrival...

3) Reading Batman books to Caleb.

Gratitude Day 4

1) I am thankful that every night at the dinner table, the Mister asks each of us, "What did you do for someone else today?"

2) Winco's 38 cent per pound turkeys

3) striking sunrises and sunsets recently (yes, I'm awake for both)

Gratitude Day 3

1) princess stickers on the Mister's backside when I got home from Symphony

2) yummy eats in the green room before the concert

3) "good luck tonight" flowers delivered to me...from the Mister

Gratitude Day 2

Today I'm grateful for...
1) Pepperoncini's dipped in ranch. Mmm...finger lickin' good.

2) Beethoven's Ode to Joy. I'm in the thick of Beethoven dress rehearsals. Last night we rehearsed with the full chorus and soloists. It is sublime and powerful. It strengthens my knowledge that God lives, He inspired great composers and artists hundreds of years ago...because He loves us today. Most people of Beethoven's era didn't appreciate his music. So often it is--humanity is slow to embrace new beauty until after the artist dies. If you ever hear a live performance of this great Work, you will be changed. I guarantee it. I can't wait to meet Ludwig someday in the hereafter...and tug a lock of his fiercely wild hair.

~and I'm so thrilled the Mister is coming to hear it and see me play!
~tickets for the Idaho Falls performance can be purchased by calling 529-1080.

November = Gratitude

I'm going to try and post a simple 1 or 2 or 3 things I'm genuinely grateful for each day this month.
Let me preface by stating unequivocally that there isn't a day in my life that goes by that I'm not grateful for my life on the earth at this time, my divine role as a wife and mother in Zion, good health, my testimony and my temple covenants. Sooo, I will try to be more specific about daily tender mercies I experience.

1) This quote: "Adversity happens to all of us, but suffering is optional." (author???)
2) Beautiful fall weather--hello 60 degrees! And a couple of good friends to go on a walk with...