Because I Have Been Given Much.....

So at the end of this Thanksgiving night as I reflect on all the things I'm grateful for, I realize my blessings outweigh my whines and complaints. Even during hard times I know that I'm truly blessed in many ways. So here are a few of the many things I'm grateful for tonight....

I'm grateful for a wonderful husband who has stayed with me through thick and thin for 15 1/2 years. I'm grateful for 4 wonderful gifts that I have been privileged to be blessed with, their names are Isabel, Oliver, Miles, and Phoebe. In laughter, play, teaching moments, fighting, frustration, hugs and kisses, there is undeniable, unending love. I'm grateful for wonderful siblings and their families. I have always thought that the more the merrier-and even in our differences and how many there are of us(there is 34 of us in all) we stand together. I know that if I never needed anything, my family would be there-it's a comfort. I miss them especially during the holidays. I'm grateful for wonderful parents, who have given me a foundation and examples of which I try to live up to. I'm grateful for friends that even when I don't have blood family around they become my family here. We sat around the Thanksgiving table today with our friends the Howells and it felt like I was sitting with family. (not nearly as lonely as when we are by ourselves.) I'm grateful for the gospel in my life and the hope and strength that my faith gives me. I'm grateful for my Savior who I know eases my burdens willingly and gives me comfort when I need it the most. I could start getting really frivolous about things I'm grateful for (warm fuzzy socks, diet coke, magazines, books, chocolate, banana ice cream with walnuts, yummy smelling lotion,etc..) you get the idea, but I will stay with the things that truly sustain me. The song that says count your blessings name them one by one and you will see what God has done is very true. I truly feel blessed. I hope wherever you are tonight, you had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by friends and loved ones. I hope you are as full as I am(will I ever feel hungry again?).

Now it's onto the beginning of the Christmas season-I'm so excited! Let the Christmas music, the decorating, the Christmas movie watching, lighting of candles, Santa visiting, cookie making, the snow and cold, kids wish lists, begin!!!

Sunday Six

Here's just a few random thoughts:

1. I got my bucket filled this weekend.

I went to Estes Park for an overnight getaway with one of my book clubs. We've been together 6 years and thought we finally deserved it. It was beautiful up in the mountains with great fall weather. We did discuss our book for the month, but we also window shopped, walked, ate, laughed till our sides hurt, relaxed and did it all some more. We ended on Saturday night by going together to the Relief Society broadcast where I always hear things that make my heart swell and my testimony grow. Can you believe I've never been away from all my children overnight? I think it needs to happen with Trent next time (we'll see how long that takes to happen) Anyway, it was a fantastic weekend!

2.Boys, balls, and broken windows.

Friday morning was the boys first track off day, and Oliver came upstairs that morning and tried to tell me that when he and Miles went downstairs that the window was broken in the basement. I knew that wasn't the truth and he admitted that he had been throwing a lacrosse ball around (which by the way is one of the hardest balls) and had broken the window. Now mind you, this is the 3rd broken window in the basement! One time was by a neighbor boy but 2 times it has been by Oliver throwing different balls. How many times have I told the kids not to play with balls in the house? ( I guess they haven't seen the Brady Bunch episode where the lamp is broken) I called Trent to tell him about it and he wasn't as upset as I wanted him to be. He said it's just something that happens with boys (Trent said he's broken about 10 in his life) Ok, do I really have to accept this? All you ladies out there please tell me that this isn't just something that goes with the territory of having boys. I don't know how many more broken windows I can handle.

3.Paul Newman died this weekend.
So sad. I know I didn't know him personally and he was old enough to be my father or grandfather but, he had the "it" factor. He had so much charm and he was so handsome. My favorite movie of his was Cool Hand Luke, if you haven't seen it, see it and if you have, like me I might just have to watch it to remember how good he was....

4. What's next on my reading list. Let's see- REVENGE OF THE WITCH(for one book club), WHISTLING IN THE DARK(for the other book club) Hopefully I won't be reading them the days of the discussion like this month. And for my personal reading RACHEL & LEAH, GOSSIP OF THE STARLINGS, THE VIEW FROM GARDEN CITY, THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, THE SENATOR'S WIFE. I'll let you know what I think of them. I need a cloudy, cool day with nothing to do but snuggle up with a good book (is that really going to happen? I hope)

5. I hope this doesn't sound weird, but have you ever noticed the smell of your children? As I look at the different stages my children are in, it's quite telling about the way they smell (stay with me.)
Phoebe
literally always smells sugary sweet. I was hugging her the other day and her skin smelled so sweet, almost like syrup. Girls really are truly made of sugar and spice.
My boys
smell what I like to call sunshine. It's not a bad smell but like they've been running around letting the sunshine soak in. I know one day it will be gone and I will miss it.
Isabel
smells like a girl on the brink of womanhood, she experiments with different body sprays and girly perfume. She no longer smells like a little girl which is a little bit sad but I'm trying to be ready for her to grow up. When I think of all these it makes me a little bit teary. I just want to bottle the smells up so that when the smells are long gone and the kids have all grown up I can take a sniff and it will transport me back to the days of childhood. Can't they stay little forever?

6.A busy week ahead- Isabel's last track meet, One doctors appt for Miles(we'll see how big he's grown), one dentist appt for Oliver(he's got a big hole in his tooth) One doctor appt for Oliver(finally with the nose doctor to see if we can get him to breathe, please pray for him, it's going to take a miracle I think) one baby shower, one storytime, and lots of trying to keep the boys busy at home so they don't drive me completely nuts.