I woke up on Thanksgiving morning feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for all of his many blessings, but mainly for blessing me with such a wonderful husband. Being married to Brad has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. He is an incredible partner, companion, provider, counselor, lover, and friend. I am so grateful to have him as my eternal companion. Sharing my life with him has made my life more meaningful, happy, and definitely more interesting. I admire his strength, his diligence, his perseverance, and his faith. He is a fantastic husband and father. I am so grateful to have him in my life.
Today I'm grateful for my parents. My mother and father have always been the perfect example of living what they taught. They are honest, trustworthy, enduring, loving, and hardworking people. When I think of my mother, I instantly think of her selflessness. When I think of my father, I think of his high standards and friendly nature. They give me something to look up to--- to want to be more like. I'm grateful for their fine examples of parenthood.
Today I'm grateful for my beautiful daughter, Elizabeth. She means so much to me! No one else can put a smile on my face the way she can. She's my daily dose of vitamin JOY. I love the way she looks to me for comfort, entertainment, security, and knowledge. Tonight I enjoyed cradling her in my arms and kissing her sweet, tender forehead and cheeks as she settled herself on my lap. She kept looking into my face with her big, beautiful eyes, studying me, and content to have my full attention. My heart swells with love for her. Sometimes when I look at her, I feel this overwhelming sense of stewardship. She is one of Heavenly Father's beloved daughters, and He has entrusted me with her care. I am so grateful to be her earthly mother.
Here's a snapshot of the three "babies" in our home. I am grateful for all three of them. They enjoy each others company, and keep each other happy and entertained. I find them very amusing to watch. They have very similar mentalities. They get into trouble together, they play together, and sometimes they have their own disagreements. All three of them like to follow me around the house, curious to see what I'm up to. If I walk downstairs to do the laundry and turn around, most likely all three "babies" will be right at my feet, staring up at me as if to say, "now what?" They keep me on my toes, and bring some comedy to my home as well.
Today I'm grateful for my faith. It anchors my life, keeps me focused on what I feel is important, and helps me serve others better.
Today I'm grateful for my sisters. They were always my best friends growing up, and even though we're so far apart now, they are still very dear to me. My sisters and I are very close in age. Susie and I are about 16 months apart and Rachel is three years younger than me. When we were small, my mother would often dress us up in similar dresses, sometimes even matching dresses, and ladies would regularly ask if we were triplets. We have many of the same interests, despite our personalities being so different. We like the same movies, we have the same standards, and we share the same faith. If someone were to ask me how I would define our personalities, I would say that I'm the quiet, observant, laid-back sister. I love animals, wildlife, family-life, and art. Susie is the stubborn, studious, high-motivated sister. She loves playing the piano, singing, keeping physically active, and furthering her education. Rachel is the high-energy, talkative, extrovert sister. She loves being the star of the show, having fun, and interacting with people.
When I married Brad, I instantly found myself immersed in his world. I had stepped in a new home, a new life, and a new routine. Brad's structured routine began shortly after he gained full custody of his children in 2003. Every morning and every evening he would have family prayer with his children. He read stories, read scriptures, and sang songs to Scott and Emma every night before they went to bed. They would go to the library once a week, have Family Home Evening every Monday, and go to church on Sunday.
Family Photo 2009
