Gratitude List #2

April is here and I would like to start it off with being thankful. My friend Ann did a gratitude list yesterday and it reminded me that I should post my own list at least once a month. What better way than being grateful to start the month off.

1. I am very grateful for small answers to my prayers. I try not to ask for anything too big (well other than a baby) but I am so thankful that Heavenly Father consistantly answers my small requests in my prayers. For example, my counselors were sassing me about how early I get up in the morning. Truth be told, I have to have help. The alarm goes off of 5:00 am and it is not like I spring out of bed, joyous and happy. However, every night, when I ask for Heavenly Fathers help to get me out of bed, the next morning when the alarm goes off, I cannot go back to sleep. Please note, I still feel tired, but cannot go back to sleep. So that is when I get up. The other thing I have really noticed is that I pray for patience. Sometimes, my anger can get the best of me and when I pray for patience and understanding I get an extremely calming feeling when I start to get upset. It has been extremely noticable to me lately. I feel like Satan is working hard on making me mad all the time, but if I ask for help, I get it. So I am extremely thankful for some of my small answered prayers.

2. I am so thankful for Brian. You have no idea how much I depend on him emotionally. He is always talking me through my frustrations and is always my biggest supporter in my endeavors. He is the one that gets up with Shaeler in the middle of the night, so I can get a good night rest. He is so very kind and patient and someone I wish I could be like. It is so much deeper than to say that I love him, I feel that words cannot really express how I feel. Thank you Brian for always being there for me, for reaching out a hand when I am at my low points and for always being there for me through the good and the bad.

3. I am thankful for cake mix. I know, this could go bad for me, but I bought 5 boxes of cake mix for our food storage and I am just giddy that they are on my shelf. I don't know why, but after Sunday dinner we always feel like there should be a dessert. I only have twinkies down stairs, (which I hate) so I decided to stock up on the cake mix boxes. It totally beats some of the recipes we try to put together to make something sweet. Now I have something on hand and there are so many things we can do with cake mix. I need to get them downstairs ASAP, but I do enjoy just staring at those boxes. YUMMY!

4. I am thankful for Great Health! The entire family had to get medical reports done for the adoption and we all came out great. Even Brian has been extremely healthy lately. I was looking at his doctor report and his Colitis has been in remission for 2 years!! That is absolutely fantastic! The other great thing is one of his medications that we had to pay over a $100 a month for has now gone to a generic brand and I only have to pay $10. (If you could see me now, I am doing a little happy dance.) Both Shaeler and I are in great health too. I am so thankful that Shaeler does not have any serious problems (knock on wood) or I think that would be the end of me. As I read about Sadie and her family, I have so much admiration for how strong her parents are keeping it together. My weakness where I fall completely apart is children and animals suffering. If anything did happen to us, I hope that we can handle our problems as graciously and courageosly as Sadie has.

5. I am thankful for the Atonement. My previous post was about a book that I had just finished and it really made me take a new look at the Atonement. I am so thankful for the Savior and all that he has done for me. When I use to think of the Atonement, my mind would go immediately to apply it for sin. But it also applies to pain and suffering. Lately, I have had overwhelming feelings of loneliness. Without going into details, I have felt that I just cannot get insync with the world around me. I have found comfort in knowing that when Christ suffered in Gethsemane, he also had to endure through loneliness. I know that no matter how lonely I feel, He is always there beside me, trying to help me get through it. I couldn't ask for any better help than that. I truly am thankful for the testimony I have of the Savior and feel honored that his sacrifice covers me and all of my faults and weaknesses.

Well, I hope you all have a great day and encourage you to make your own gratitude list, it is a very humbling experience!