My own place to blah blah

So, I really enjoy updating our family blog. Great stuff about my kids and our family events. But lately I have wanted a place to just right my own stuff. A journal of sorts. I have never been very good at journaling, but sometimes I just have some things to say. This seemed like a good place to do it. I want to use this as a gratitude journal, a place to share my feelings, my thoughts on current events. Sometimes what I write you may not agree with. That's okay! I don't think everyone should think and feel just like me. But, it's my journal and so I will write what I want. You can choose to read it or not. Choose to agree or not. You do with it what you will. It is meant for nothing more than a place for me to write down what is going on in my head and heart. You are an invited guest into this place. I hope you will feel safe here and that I can feel safe sharing with you.

Let me start with a few things I am grateful for:

*JOSHUA! and this super cool laptop he got for me for my birthday with the help of many of my wonderful family (Lisa, Diane and Rick, Sarah and Reagan, Gwen, Kyle, Steve...thanks guys! I am so grateful!!) I can't figure out what I have done to deserve such an amazing man as this! He is truly good, kind, selfless, forgiving and absolutely the closest thing to perfection I can imagine!

*Four outstanding kids! I am ever amazed that I have been given such fantastic children! They continue to bless me with their wisdom, senses of humor, and good hearts.

*Family here and far away that serve, encourage, support, lift and bless me!

*Sisters: the ones I was given by my birthright and the ones I have chosen. I have two brothers. One is far away and one is in heaven, so I don't get much interaction with them, but my sisters are so cool! And I am grateful for the friendship and support I feel from them.

*Parents who raised me to be a good person, taught me right and wrong and to choose the right.

*Friends that come into my life at the very moment that Heavenly Father knows I need them. I have, since I was very young, found great joy, peace and blessings in true friendship. They have come into my life as answers to fervent prayers and stayed in my life to bless me. A few times in my life as I meet new friends, something very interesting manifests. It is a type of recognition. It is more of a reunion than a first encounter. Like this is not the first time we have met or been friends. It is so real. So real that it is almost a physical feeling. I can't explain it, it is just very real to me. I am so grateful for the gift of friendship.

*Health and Fitness. I am so gratful for my health. I went to the doctor 18 months ago or so and got all the labs and blood work and blah blah. I am healthy as a horse! Too bad my weight is much like a horse as well. Seems that weight will ever be a challenge to me. However, the fact that I can go to the gym, run, lift weights, stretch, and do all those things that keep me healthy is a great blessing to me. It is so much easier to do this if you have a buddy to work out with. And I have been blessed with the coolest, most fun, and supportive work out buddy EVER! As it turns out she is not only a work out buddy but one of those friends mentioned earlier.

*My personal values and convictions and knowledge of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel so blessed to know that I can have my Joshua, my kids, my family and friends not only here during this earth part of life, but forever, for eternity! Wow! I sure am glad because it just wouldn't be heaven at all other wise. Knowing that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior makes this life so much different than it would be if I didn't have this knowledge.

*Freedom and Democracy. After participating in a caucus for the first time the other day, I am truly grateful for the freedoms of this amazing country. We have it so good here! Can't imagine life without the opportunity to have freedoms that so many others go on without. I pray I will be mindful of my freedoms and not take them for granted.

I could go on and on forever, and I will. But for now I must get on with other responsibilities of the day. I get to go to the dentist today. I know you are all jealous. Sometime maybe I will blog about my tooth ache. Well, maybe not. I hope that you will find gratitude in your life today and by doing so invite more blessings into your life!