Many thanks

I am sure that I wrote some last week but it doesn't seem to be saved anywhere. Oh, well. That way I can tell some of the things that I am thankful for again! I am thankful that we can hold FHE on Monday nights and that our children still think they are great! I am thankful that we got a new heater unit on Tuesday (and for the home insurance that paid nearly all of it) so that we don't have a huge fire danger any more. I am thankful that we could get our air ducts cleaned on Wednesday (nothing like knowing that the inner workings of the house are clean) as a bonus, they found a toy ball that we have been missing for years! I am thankful that we also got back that day, our van which was in the shop due to a hit and run in our own parking area that had disabled the rear hatch from opening.

I am thankful that we didn't fail to invite people to join us for Thanksgiving dinner but as no one could come, I was thankful that we could use plastic-ware and didn't have to clean up the house. That made it possible to be able to go and watch Peter and Randy participate in the stake turkey bowl and I was thankful for that as I have been feeling a little bit sports deprived! I am thankful that the Sister missionaries did come visit on Thanksgiving evening and shared a lesson, some Christmas hymn singing, and the last of our Thankgiving sweet potato pie!

I am thankful that we found a used bed on Friday and got the girls' room organized and cleaned out so that we could rearrange things in preparation of moving everyone up in bed sizes. I am thankful that we found a way to get them to fit (even if a bit crowded). I am really thankful that Randy could help me get all these things organized and in place and has been putting up with my fall house cleaning spree that I have been on and implicating him in every step of the way. I have been thankful to learn about all the household appliances that I was suppose to have been cleaning periodically.

I am thankful to have several opportunities to talk about gospel questions with Peter and grateful to watch him grow into such a good boy. He is a really big help around the house completing his jobs thoroughly and well and always willing to help out the little people when I can't seem to get to them fast enough.

I am thankful for the pre-made children's lessons and talks that Tracy gave me years ago so that Ada could first tell me she didn't want to give the one on the topic I had pulled out and then decide at the last minute that she wanted to change back! I am thankful that she is learning to read and can participate with a little help in our family scripture study.

I am thankful that Mary Joy keeps telling me that she is thankful for me and her new birthday blanket! She is full of cuddles. I realized today in nursery as we talked about what we could do for our family members that would show our love for them that I have been receiving the highest love of all...she could play with me. I am thankful to now recognize that for what it is and try not to dread yet another game of "house".

I am thankful that Paul is still my baby even if he has mostly given up crawling in favor of walking this week. I am thankful that he still loves to suck his thumb and cuddle on my shoulder playing with my hair. I am thankful that he is getting big enough to stay out of Mary Joy's way (even if that also makes him big enough to play in the garbage can, climb up to wash dishes, and suck on everyone else's tooothbrushes)!

As I mentioned before, I am thankful for Randy. He has given me a lot of time helping get things cleaned up around the house. He has been really busy at work and had lots of scouting things to do...and I am thankful that he works hard on those things. I am thankful to get to serve in nursery with him and watch him play blocks with the kids and teach the sweet lessons from the new manual. Mostly I am thankful to know that he loves me and enjoy being with him and knowing that it will last for eternity!

Above these sweetest of blessings, I realized in the temple as I was thinking over different concerns, how trivial they were in comparison to the fact that I was helping one lady to receive the very ordinance that would qualify her to return to her Heavenly Father. I am thankful for this greatest of all gifts!