What I am Thankful For

I just wanted to take a few minutes to express my feelings about this day, and to name a few things that I feel so grateful for in my life.

1. I'm thankful for my husband - Although it seems that we struggle with finding time together because he is so busy, it never fails that my life would be so empty without him - my love, my best friend, the father of my children, and he is such a wonderful father! I love him with all my heart and cannot imagine ever being happy without him. He is the greatest blessing of my life!



2. I'm thankful for my children - I think in this case, I really need to list each one individually because I am so grateful for special things about each one of my children. Through the years, they have each become such wonderful friends to me whom I share feelings with, good and bad. And even though they see my imperfections, they love me anyway. I wish there was a way to be a perfect mother. I would wish that for my children more than anything, but I guess that's why being a mother is eternal . . . I keep learning all the time. I'm grateful they love me and that they came into my life to teach me what is really important.

Jenny - I am grateful for you for helping me to have a 'friend' in my child. You were such an easy little girl, always trying to help and always tried to be what you knew we wanted you to be. You were beautiful inside and out and through the years have become more beautiful as a mother and wife. You learned things from others that I couldn't teach - to sew, to be crafty, and to do things that I only dreamed about. You were and are a beautiful dancer and set the example for your sisters to follow. It is such a wonderful thing to be able to set the standard for your siblings to follow and you did. You were so much fun for me and we loved watching the wonderful way you grew into adulthood. Not always easy, but you definitely knew what you wanted. Thank you for being such a wonderful child and mother and for loving me in spite of being the 'first', being the guinea pig who had to experience life with a young mother who didn't know what she was doing. I love you!



Amy - From the moment you were born you brought smiles and laughter into our home. You were such a happy little girl (adding a little mischief to our lives as well)! You kept us happy and laughing and there was never a dull moment in our home with you there! As you grew up you had this natural ability to stay close to the spirit, and to have the desire to have a relationship with your heavenly father that I had never seen in someone so young. You were always an example to us and gave us the desire to live up to your expectations spiritually. You were by far the easiest teenager on the planet! Friends were drawn to you easily and you had wonderful friends and made such good choices! We loved watching you pursue your wonderful talents and sharing them with others. Thank you for all you are and continue to be. You are a beautiful wife and mother and we love you!



Jason - You have been such a wonderful blessing in our lives . . . the first and only of our children to bring the Priesthood blessings into our home with your dad and such an example of how to handle adversity and stay positive and happy and continue to love life! You had to endure a lot of physical pain and challenges, but you never stopped smiling! Not even in the hospital bed with your leg in traction or your whole body in a cast! It was amazing to see how you handled those things without one word of complaint . . . not once! You grew through physical challenges, a move to a new place when you started high school, and then another move before your mission with no roots to know where home was. But you never lost your love for family or your desire to make something good and positive out of your life. I loved watching the relationship grow between you and your dad and love the person you have become. You were (and are) a wonderful son, missionary, and now a husband and father. We are so proud of you and love you dearly!



Kayla - From the moment you were born, the whole family was drawn to you. You were happy, pleasant, an easy baby, and an easy child and teenager. You had a love for life that kept us all smiling . . . your cute 'rambling' when you were happy and 'giddy' and we just had to smile watching you. You just have a way of bringing joy to everyone around you and we love you for that. You draw people to you like bees to honey . . . people just love being around you! Thank you for always seeking after the spiritual things that bring lasting blessings. Thank you for having goals, for being strong enough to keep going even when things are difficult. And thank you for always continuing to pursue the talents the Lord has blessed you with. You are my friend and I am so grateful for all of the choices you are making in your life. Because you have the desire, I know you will be a wonderful wife and mother. You have brought many blessings into our lives because of your choices. New friends, new experiences, and just lots and lots of love. We love you hon!



3. I'm thankful for my son-in-laws and daughter-in-law:

Josh - Thank you for always showing gratitude for the things we do and for putting up with our imperfections and mistakes, since you and Jenny were our 'first'. Thank you for taking the time to be a part of the things we do together as a family, and thank you for loving Jenny and for being a great husband and father and provider. We are thankful that you love us and accept us as part of your family. Thank you for leading your family in the spiritual things and for being the love of our daughters life and for being our 'friend' as well as our 'son'. We are grateful for you!



Jon - Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being willing to move us into your home when you had only been married for 6 months and we had nowhere else to go! We prayed the Lord would bless you for all you were willing to give and we hope that He has. We are so grateful for you for the way you love Amy, your tenderness and kindness to her . . . you always show her how much she means to you and there is nothing more important than that. Thank you for being a good husband and father. Thank you for leading your family spiritually, for being a good provider, and for helping us to stay strong as a family unit.



Rachel - Rachel, thank you for being willing to be the 'only' daughter-in-law in our family! Thank you for putting up with a new family, and for accepting us as part of yours. We are thankful that you allow Jason to stay close to us as a son and still know that you come first in his life. We are so grateful for your support of Jason in his pursuit of spiritual goals, career, and all he needs to do to be a husband and father. Thank you for letting him be a leader and partner in your home. You are a wonderful mother and are so selfless in that role. We appreciate you so much! Thank you for making Jason so happy!


Jordon - Even though, technically you aren't in the family yet, we want you to know how much we appreciate you and your willingness to be part of it, to love everyone and to jump in and offer help and support whenever it is needed in any way. You have become a part of our family already! Thank you for including Kayla with your family and giving her double the love in her life! (And thank you for giving us the blessing of the friendship of your family also). Most of all, thank you for loving Kayla, for treating her with so much kindness and tenderness and for being the only love of her life and making her so extremely happy. We are thankful that you share eternal goals with her and want her in your life forever. We are so grateful for how committed you are to her and how much you protect and take care of her. We are so happy you are part of our family!



4. I'm thankful for the Gospel - How could I have the eternal family I have talked about so much without the blessing of the Gospel in my life. I'm grateful for my Heavenly Father and my Savior. I'm grateful that they know my needs and bless me with the things I need - not necessarily the things I ask for. I'm grateful they help me to become better and stronger and happier. I love the Gospel, I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple and eternal families and grateful for the blessing of knowing I have an eternal home and family with my Father in Heaven to look forward to after this life.



5. I'm thankful for a home to live in - I'm grateful for a warm home to live in, a roof over our heads, the spirit that dwells there, for food and life-sustaining blessings. I'm grateful for all of the temporal blessings that the Lord has given to help us to be comfortable, warm and happy and provide for our family.



6. I'm thankful for knowledge and talents - I'm thankful for all of the little things that make life so interesting, challenging and fun, for the ability to continually learn and grow. I'm thankful for books because I love to read, for music because I can't imagine my life without it, for dancing, for the ability to play the piano and sing, even though I'm not good at it. I'm thankful that we have the blessings of learning and knowledge and that I can find joy in it.




I can't go on and on, but today I am thankful for so much. And my grandchildren - they are a result of the love of my children and their spouses and they are included in my long list of blessings, definitely at the top with the rest of my family!


Thank you all, including all of my dear friends and your wonderful examples! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I love this Thanksgiving Day!