My Blessings

I have been doing some deep thinking the last few days and whenever I start thinking "deep" I am reminded of the many, many blessings that I have. Here is a partial list (in no particular order).

* The gospel: I feel so very blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I have been a member of the church all of my life, however it seems that I have only begun to appreciate what a blessing that is since I have gotten older. I feel such gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father who created a world with such amazing beauty and who provided a Savior for me so that I could live with Him again. How grateful I am for Jesus Christ who suffered great pains in my behalf so that I may be made clean from my sins and who understands every trial that I face in a way that no one else can. I'm so grateful for the Plan of Salvation that enables us to live together with our family, friends, and Heavenly Father after we are through with this life.

* My family: We have such fun together! We spend a great deal of time laughing (I'll admit that I am usually the one that everyone is laughing at). We have had our struggles through the years, but have come to love each other even more. I am so proud of Shandra and the decision she made to get out of distructive marriage and face the world as a single parent. She is confident and strong, and a very good mother. She is extremely talented in her craft, and fun to be with. And, of course, her son, Kalel, is the most adorable child on the planet! It is thrilling to watch Tasha as she learns to enjoy learning in college. Tasha has many talents that she shares with us. She is a hard worker, loving, and very friendly. Both of my girls are beautiful and talented. I'm so glad that they are my daughters.

* BJ: From the time of his birth, BJ was on the go! He loved life and never wanted to miss out on anything. He was always ready to give me (or anyone else) a big old bear hug, and he never got to the point where he was embarrassed to tell his mom or dad that he loved us. Sometimes we would get exhausted just watching BJ, but he was always fun! I know this sounds strange, but I am so very grateful that even though I miss BJ very much, I am so glad he is now living in a place where he is happy and safe.

* Kim: There is nothing better than being married to my best friend. Kim and I enjoy many of the same things, so it is easy to spend time together. We both love volleyball and softball, playing cards and boardgames, reading, and watching the same TV shows. We both love Jackson Hole, Wyoming, tickle fights, hanging with friends, and our girls. Kim also supports me in any endeavor I undertake. He is a great cheerleader! There is no better dad or grandpa than Kim. The girls still love to crawl up on "daddy's" lap and cuddle - and he still loves to rock them. Kalel prefers Kim to anyone else, and why wouldn't he? Kim is so fun to be with! "Grandpa Bob" is the first to buy treats or presents for Kalel. He plays ball, provides Popsicles, and opportunities to play in the sprinkler. He is the greatest!

* My church callings: I have been blessed to have some of the greatest church callings! My favorite was Primary chorister. There is nothing better than getting up in front of a bunch of kids and acting like one yourself! Unless, of course, it is working with the amazing Young Women in our ward. I was so scared to work with the youth, I think I was afraid that they would have "attitudes", but I was very pleasantly surprised to find that these young women are incredible. They have great knowledge and testimonies of the gospel, they are respectful, and they are just plain fun! My latest calling is one that I am growing to love more by the minute. Teaching Gospel Essentials is an opportunity for me to spend time every day reflecting on the simple truths of the gospel. I am in awe of the fact that the principles of the gospel are so simple that even young children can understand, yet complex enough to have those who have studied for many years continue to strive to learn. Each week in my class I am challenged by some question, and I am so blessed to be able to feel the Spirit to testify of truth. I am growing to love the students in my class and look forward to seeing them each week.

* Friends: I am very blessed to have so many wonderful friends in my life. There are those who have stood by my side for years and years, and those who are relatively new. I'm going to name names at the risk of leaving some out - but know that even those whose names are not listed are very appreciated. Marilyn, who has not only been my spiritual leader for many years, but someone I just enjoy being with. Tammy, my friend since high school, who still enjoys listening to me ramble on and on and on! I miss our Thursdays together, we used to spend almost every Thursday together just hanging out! Cynthia, my good friend and shoulder no matter what state she lives in, there is no one better to play games with. Jalyn, my brain's other half! Daniel & Rachelle Waters, my "new son" and his lovely wife. Jody, Jodi, Jen, Robyn, Jenny my good friends and running mentors. Mont, Johnny, Dave, Janzen, and all of the rest of the great guys in our ward - we have the greatest ward! Janet, my hero. Karen, Loraine, Deanna, my Women's Conference buddies. Harper and Janis, Darrell and Jolene, Shanne, the list goes on and on. How very blessed I am for my good friends. I never take them for granted, they are my life lines.

* Sisters: How fun it is to have three sisters and one "un-papered" sister. I love having sisters. Roxane, Robin, Ashley, and Julie are the greatest. I love scrapbooking and learning decorating techniques with Roxane. In addition to many fun times spent together, Robin and I have had a post-Thanksgiving shopping day for years that is a tradition that is looked forward to all year long. Whenever we want to laugh we invite Ashley to hang out, she is such fun! And Julie is just Julie! I love them all.

* My job: Not everyone is as fortunate as I to have a job that I actually look forward to going to (most of the time). I love the fact that I have wonderful people to work with, that I have opportunities to learn and grow, and that I am continually challenged at my work. I love working with the patients and getting to know them. And, I get paid for it too! We have taken several great vacations together as an office including a Caribbean cruise and a scuba diving trip to Cayman Brac. Fantastic!

* Summer: I love summer! I love the freedom to go outside without putting on 12 layers of clothing. I love going barefoot or wearing sandals. I love walking in the grass. I love being outside late at night, feeling the cool night air and looking at the stars. I love barbecues and hanging out at the park. I love swimming - and I love letting Kalel play in the wading pool. I love watching Kalel enjoy Popsicles with nothing on but a diaper so the sticky mess runs down his face and tummy but doesn't ruin his clothes.

* My parents: I am so grateful that my mom is dealing well with her illnesses. She has not experienced any depression (up to this point) about her amputation - which is a huge blessing! I'm grateful that dad's health continues to be good.

* My in-laws: My in-laws are the greatest! I married into a fantastic family, and I love them all!

* Laughter: I love to laugh! Can you imagine what an awful world this would be if we had no laughter? I love to laugh and to see other people laugh. I am so grateful for this blessing. "Men (and women) are, that they might have joy".

There are so many other things that I am grateful for, but I'm afraid the list would go on and on forever, so I think that I will quit right now and just savor the feeling I have of being grateful! And the best part about feeling grateful is that it helps me forget all of the things that I don't have!