Things I am Grateful for

I just finished my list of 100 things I am grateful for and though I will spare you all my entire list, I wanted to share the experience and the process I have come through. It's obvious what the first few things would be... Family, friends, and the gospel. those were the easy ones, but they only covered about 15, and my goal was to list 100! I began to think about the material things in my life that I believe I couldn't live without and then I realized that most of those things are things we take for granted so often. It is the washing machine, the car, the blender I use to make my smoothies, the table we sit down to Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at, and the chairs we are able to sit in. It is then that I realized that though they seem silly and small, and some may say they aren't even that great, there are those who don't have them, and would give anything to get them. They allow my family to be comfortable.

I then proceeded to my past and became a bit teary-eyed as I thought of the experiences both good and bad. I remembered what a therapist once told about replacing bad memories with good ones (which is partially the purpose of this in the first place), and what I have read about marking our own path by the things we attract into our lives. I know that every one of my experiences have shaped me and for that I am thankful, so I specifically named a few of them. I also expressed my gratitude to the ex-boyfriends, because without them I would not have found Todd.

I am grateful for my job, even though I am unable to be home with the kids like I had hoped, I am able to provide for them. It made me think of the other jobs out there, and I thought of the garbage man, the mail carrier, policemen (and women), and so many of which i am grateful I am NOT, but even more grateful that somebody out there choose to do that job. Imagine if we had no one to pick up our garbage, no one to protect us and uphold the law, no one to bring us our mail. Life would cease to function with such ease.

When we learn to be grateful for the simplest of things, we learn to embrace all that we have; and we are blessed beyond compare. This process has spanned over this whole week, and I have had such a grateful heart that I have been able to appreciate all that my husband tries to do for me, and the progress that Kenny has made. And in turn they have been more willing and eager to do things.

As a family we challenged each other to make a gratitude list and to carry a gratitude rock with us so that we can be reminded of the great things in our life all the time. Kenny has a list of 60 things which really impressed me that he did so much. I challenged him to do only 20, then when he was done with it, I said "Do you think you can get 20 more?" "oh yeah!"he siad. He came back to me and said that he had done it but wanted to do more. now every chance he gets he is adding to it! We found really interesting rocks that we carry in our pockets, and in the morning and at night we are reminded to be grateful. The point is to think of ten things each time. And every time you put your hand in your pocket, you are reminded as well. When I am focused on all the things that I am grateful for I have no time to feel sorry for myself, or to get frustrated with anyone else, so I am learning... I still may be a work in progress, but I am learning.

Michigan trip

Last week I took the kids to Michigan to see my sisters, my mom, and my "Mystic Family"which is the group of people that I lived and worked with for several summers at camp. Here are the boys anxiously waiting to board the plane- eating some of the fruit leather I made for the trip.

I first had a dinner for my sister Leslie, whom I felt could use a little lift and some reconnecting with a few good friends.
This is my oldest (not that SHE is old, but I have know her the longest), and dearest friend Jen. I really enjoyed seeing her, and getting to chat a little- miss ya Jen!

And these are my sisters. Christina is on the far left and Leslie is sitting next to me. I treasure the time I was able to spend with them. It has been way too many years since we had all three gotten together.

I worked at Mystic Lake Camp for many many years on and off, and love the peace it brings to me. I learned so much there, and built friendships that are unbreakable. These people were the first to accept me as I am, and the first to help me see what I had to offer. We had an alumni reunion on the weekend, and people came from all over the country to be there!
My friends Moira, Diane, and Jamie. It was cold, but we campers know how to layer it up!
Justin was determined to play the giant checkers game, but he had a hard time moving in all his gear. He fell off that chair 2 or 3 times!

And this is the wonderful Dinning hall- we pulled out the camp photo albums and reminisced about camp, the changes we have seen and the various hair-dos(or don'ts) I had (I was first a camper when I was 12, then comtinued to go until I was a counselor at 16, 17,18, 22, and 23).

I forgot my camera most of the time trying to gather up the little ones and keep track of the gloves they kept shedding, so I was unable to get some great pictures of the fall colors out there! Some of the girls are going to send those on to me and I will post more later.

Kenny spent the weekend with his dad Tim(whom I met at camp so he was visiting as well), and really enjoyed seeing it through his eyes. He got to climb the climbing wall, shoot some arrows in archery, paddle a canoe, and roast marshmallows at campfire. It's fun now that I have a child who is singing the songs I used to annoy my parents with- only it doesn't annoy me- I chime in!

Thank you to all of my friends who helped out with Audrey and Justin and made sure we had a great time! WE love you guys, and hopefully Todd will be able to come to the next one!