Gratitude post day 26

I would like to say on this special Thanksgiving holiday that I am profoundly grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. None of this would be possible or worth anything if it wasn't for him. I would be lost and desolate with no purpose or value or worth. All that we do on earth would mean nothing because we would never make it back to our Heavenly Father. I could never fully express in words my feelings because in my vocabulary they do not exist. But I can try to show through my actions. I definitely fall short, but my Father in Heaven knows my heart and my struggles and my efforts. All I can do try my best, and keep trying to improve. <3<3<3 

Gratitude post day 25

Today I feel super grateful!

-I'm grateful for new days, new starts, redos, try agains, and love along the way. 

-I'm grateful for prophetic influences that guide disciples of Christ along the straight and narrow path. 

-I'm grateful for happy and productive days and little helpers along the way. 

-I'm grateful for yummy smelling pies in my kitchen right now. 

Gratitude post

I've had a hard time being grateful the last few days. Lexie has been sick and trying my patience. 

Day 22: I am thankful for my Grandma Perry. She is 90 years old now. My grandpa has been gone now for 12 years. Part of me hopes that her body will let go so she can be with him again. Part of me wants her to stay here because of how much she means to all of us. 

Day 23: I'm thankful for naps and Netflix. 

Day 24: I'm thankful for leftovers. 

Gratitude catch up

The last few days have been a little busy for me... *excuses excuses*

Day 19: I am grateful for inspired leaders on the ward, stake, and general level. We are all trying to do our best and the Lord recognizes and blesses our efforts. 

Day 20: I am so so so grateful I get to be a stay at home mom. I am a much better mom this way.

Day 21: To go along with the previous, I'm grateful that my kids enjoy being home, with me, with each other. Of course there are times when we don't get along, but for the most part our home is a happy and loving one. 

Gratitude post day 18

Today I feel grateful for making new goals and challenging myself a little bit out of my comfort zone. It makes you grow. :)

Gratitude post day 17

Today I feel quite grateful that I can provide food for my family. It's not just any food either. I try really hard (some days it's only semi-hard, I'll be honest) to feed my family really good-for-you food. Our financial priorities have put the health of our family in the forefront and I'm grateful we can do that. 

Tonight I made Minestrone Soup for dinner with my little helper/destroyer. 

I'm also trying out this Mason Jar Salad thing with my homemade Honey Mustard dressing. 

We are very, very blessed. 

Gratitude post day ....what??

I'm doing HORRIBLE at my gratitude posts this year. I think about it, but then come bedtime I've forgotten and just go to sleep.

Here are 8 things I'm thankful for and I'm recommitting to a daily gratitude post.

1. My little buddy Nathan. Look how handsome he is!! Oh, my heart. He is kind, sweet, thoughtful, helpful, smart, and determined. He loves the piano, reading, math, sports, friends, Dad, camping, chapping wood, coloring, and doing anything creative. I think his mind has to create something everyday.

He has been going through a bit of a 'scared' phase for the last couple of months. I will admit, it's a little annoying and definitely trying my patience. He won't go anywhere in the house by himself. He has to stay by me. He won't go in his room to get his jammies or make his bed or do his homework unless someone is with him. Or the garage. Or take the garbage out. Or play in the backyard. He's been introduced to 'scary things' from friends at school which have made his imagination go wild. We've talked a lot about it, prayed a lot, diffused and applied essential oils, Dad gave him a blessing, prayed some more. Today, he went in his room alone and did his reading. I didn't say anything or bring it up because I didn't want to jinx it. And then tonight he was actually ok with kneeling right next to his bed (which he was scared of) to say prayers. And he was totally fine with it.

2. I'm grateful for scriptures. My scripture reading has improved so much over the last year and I can really feel a difference. It's easier to listen to the spirit and it's easier to pray more often when I read the scriptures daily. Here is a picture of our 'Ponderizing' wall in the kitchen where as a family we have picked a scripture each week to talk about, read over, and mostly memorize. The kids included. Even Nora has memorized almost all of these scriptures. We added a new one tonight, but I took this picture a couple of days ago.

3. I'm grateful for the country we live it. It's a little scary right now. I feel like our leaders are faltering and losing direction. But it's still a great land that I love dearly. And it's this way because of people in the past who have sacrificed so much, even their lives, to protect it and uphold it's standards. I feel great pride in my heart for the military. 

4. I'm grateful for temples. I'm grateful for a place that is so close to heaven and peaceful. I try to have my home feel like that and I do think that a lot of the time it does. But there are days that the spirit is driven out. Like tonight when I yelled at Nathan. And Nora. And Lexie, all at different times and all for different reasons. I really really try not to yell. Yelling for me is raising my voice to loudly, but today I did. 

5. So, I'm grateful for repentance. I take my job and calling as a mother very seriously. I'm not saying that others don't, I'm just saying that this is really important to me. I really try to be my best. My best is not someone else's best, it's just my best. And while I know that I am a better mom now than I was 3 years ago, there are many things that I am working to improve. And always will be. I'm not perfect in anything I do.

6. I am grateful for the new friends we have made in our new area. They are great people. Very loving and giving and generous. I'm excited to continue to get to know them better.

7. I'm grateful for homemade yummy food. I love cooking. Most of the time.

8. I'm grateful everyday for essential oils. They are a great tool that I use in my family on a daily basis. They have given us the power to take control of our health in a very natural and safe way. 

Here's a couple of pictures from the last few days...

I went to wake up Lexie from her nap and her room looked like THIS (when I put her down, there wasn't anything on the floor), and she's asleep in the middle of the room. It was funny to me.

Here is the 1 year anniversary picture of Lexie's hand. This has been the most traumatic and heart wrenching experience I have gone through. I have struggled with guilt, anger, sadness, discouragement, and finally acceptance. In the end, I learned that I had a CHOICE. Faith or despair. I decided to let light back into my heart.

Gratitude post day 8

Today I feel grateful for my calling. I love the Primary. I love these children. I have a desire to help them know how much they are loved by our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I want them to be able to recognize what the Spirit feels like. I want them to know that no matter what they see or hear from others, They Are Loved. Also, I love Sundays.

My parents and Grandma Perry came over for birthday tonight. Parker is in Arizona for the weekend so we FaceTimed him. Both of the girls were so excited about the new Frozen books and Lexie loves clothes and shoes. She pulled them out and said "Ee pants! Ee shirt!" With a grin and her eyebrows raised. She blew out the candles tonight like a boss. She didn't want to wait until the song was over! I'm so grateful that my parents have always supported me in all that I do.

I didn't get any pictures of Grandma Perry. :( She played with Lexie and her new doll a little. I love that woman. I'm grateful for the selfless service she has taught me.

Gratitude post day 7

I feel so grateful for a few things today. So much that I just really need to get a few things off my chest...

1. I love my in-laws. They are so good to me. I don't really know how else better to say it.
2. I had a really great music teacher in high school. When you end up spending most of your day with the same teacher, he ends up meaning a lot to you. I looked up to him a lot. He was such a great teacher, a great musician, and a really really great person. Unfortunately, at just 42, a 6 year battle with cancer took him from this earth too early. I just plain feel really sad about it; sad for the family he left behind, sad the students who will never get to be taught by him, sad that I don't think I ever really told him thank you. I tear up each time I really think about it. This had made me feel very nostalgic the last few days, mostly about high school. Last night, we went to a memorial service for him at Murray High. I'm so glad I could go. So I suppose I feel grateful for Mr. Wilson. He had a strong impact on me in high school and a strong impact on my music playing. He really shaped me into a pretty good player. I've realized how much I miss playing in a concert band or a full orchestra. I really did love it. I want to pick it up again.
3. The above experience has made me feel really grateful for my knowledge of the gospel. I'm grateful that I have made eternal covenants and that I strive to keep them.
4. Between the stress and anxiety of yesterday and today, in classic life of Mindi as of late, I should have a raging migraine tonight. I don't. I attribute this to receiving free therapy from my therapist (a.k.a. hubby), my use of essential oils, and being stronger spiritually right now then I have been in recent years. I feel grateful for all of those things.

Lexie's little birthday get-together tonight was fun. Simple, cuz I'm not a crazy person. I can't handle it!

The kids helped me blow up some balloons. They just were on the floor. Lexie loved it.

 Nathan can't help himself. He's always creating something! Really, I think everyday he creates something. A drawing, a Lego masterpiece, a book, etc. I love that about him.

The kids found things around the house and wrapped them in boxes all by themselves. They both made her a card and gave her some Legos and a book. Lexie was so excited to open it up and it had one of her favorite board book in there. LOL!

(Corey had drill this weekend. He was totally late. He got rear-ended on the way home. It did nothing to his truck. They ran into his trailer hitch. So it got them pretty good. Corey just got a little bit of whiplash. Add 2 more things to my gratitude list for today!)

Lexie was super excited about the gift bag. She thought that was part of the present as well. She picked it up and said "Bye!"

And we were like "No, look! There's something inside of here for you to see!"

Mom and Dad got her a stroller and a baby doll. Not that we needed more dolls, we already have 3 I think. But, oh well, how could we pass up a new doll when he get her a stroller!

Nora-the helpful big sister. ;)

 So cute!

 Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!

She figured it out!

She pushed her baby around all night. With the bag hanging on the stroller with all her stuff in it. So funny.

It's been a great day. Which, really, I can't believe I don't have a headache tonight.