Thankful :: Order

Some talents are easy to see or recognize by others.... like being a pianist.  Others are talents of abilities or characteristics.  I'm grateful that I am an organizer.  I like to put things in order.

It makes me feel at peace to have things in order.   From houses to cars to offices to grocery store shelves all the way to daily schedules and spirituality.

I am grateful that I can see order even among messes and that I know how to get to arrangements and systems.

I am grateful for the perfect order in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the perfect organization of His church even though we as humans are not perfect to carry it out.

Thankful :: Food

Oh geez.  I am so grateful for food!

This will be a short one.

I am grateful that I have had food every day of my life and that I have never truly been hungry.

I am grateful that I love to cook and bake.    And that I learned how to from my mother.

I am grateful for my kitchen, pots and pans, freezers, pantry, spices and stove.

I am grateful for grocery stores, gardens, restaurants and a budget to provide for us each day.

I am grateful that I have time each day to cook for our family.

And I am grateful that Hunter helps me with the dishes.  Ha!

Thankful :: Music

I am grateful for music.

Music I can play on the piano that has been my livelihood and my family's for many years.  Music I can play on the piano to bless my friends and family and ward and now my children.  I sat down to play when Henry was a few weeks old and realized my piano talent that has been used so much in my life is actually only beginning to bless the most important people- my children.

Music I have and can teach others.

Music I can dance to, sing along to.

Music in concerts- one of my favorite things EVER.

Friends and music.

Family and music.

Christmas music!

All day long I have songs in the air or in my head.

I am grateful to be a musician, and to have ears to listen to songs that have shaped me as a person and made me happy.  So very happy.  Music is connected to most of my treasured memories in life.  Specific songs bring back lots of happy, fun and tender moments.

Thankful :: Friendship

My second "core memory"- friendship.

I honestly do not think many people are blessed with such wonderful friends as I am.  Since I was young, but especially as I've grown older - through college, married life and now motherhood- every chapter in my life has had true, inspirational best friends.  Many of these friends have spanned decades now.  I tear up thinking of the good people I know who are family to me.   Gratitude fills my life.

A few memories that I am thankful for-

My family is somewhat small.  Hunter's is huge.  And my parents are both converts to the church, so when we got married, the room was filled with Hunter's family, my parents and then my friends.  These people that I know will be with me through my life.  I am so glad and grateful that they were able to be with us that day.   They are my people.

Telling everyone that I was pregnant last year was incredible.  The amount of love and excitement from our friends young and old will be something I remember my whole life.   I wasn't expecting such an outpour from friends.  But I see even more now that we are close like family.

My life is full because of faith-building, supporting, FUN friendships.    And I am forever thankful.

And now a lot of pictures. 

Thankful :: Family

The first "core memory" I've identified is family.

My life is my people.  My family! They are my people.  Hunter and Henry consume most of my thoughts and efforts each and every day.  I pray every day in thanks for my sweet Hunter.  I am grateful that my journey to him showed me how unique and special he is.  Hunter truly is so patient and self-less!  I am grateful for our marriage.  I am grateful for our covenants to each other and the Lord.

I am grateful that our happiness and well-being began with our parents.  Hunter and I are blessed with amazing, righteous, loving parents.  Who themselves made covenants as we did that bind our families forever.  Our parents still nurture and care for us.  They love us and Henry.  I am grateful for the shining examples and supportive friends our parents are to us.

I have such gratitude for our siblings, their spouses and children.  Todd, my only sibling, has taught me so much in life and I am grateful to be his sister.  All of Hunter's siblings and their families are such treasures to me.  I am grateful that I can be numbered among these strong families.

My heart is especially full of gratitude for extended family, grandparents, great-grandparents, cousins, and aunties.  My sweet Auntie Toni will leave this world this week.  She has known me my whole life.  She has shown such love for me and my family.  I will miss her.  I am grateful for her.

And of course, Henry.  I think this whole blog has turned into Henry-Appreciation.  But really, my gratitude for him makes me explode.  Waiting for him has made it deeper and stronger still.  I love him. And I am grateful for Henry.

Family is really where it all should start and end.

I am thankful for my family.

Thankful for Core Memories

Hunter finally got me to sit down at watch a movie this weekend.  

Inside Out was cute and the concept has got me thinking all week! 

What are my Core Memories? 

Mix that with the reflective thankfulness of this time of year 

and I wanted to write some stuff down.

Here's a short list that comes to me quickly:

1. Family

2. Friendship

3. Music

4. Food/ cooking and eating

5. Order

6. Church and the Gospel

I literally just typed those out in about ten seconds.  

It was easy to locate my "core" by what fills me up each week.  

Today I will write about Family.  In the next week or so before Thanksgiving I'll touch on each one.

Beating heart

It amazes me that the little heartbeat we heard at only six weeks is still the heart beat that beats inside Henry every day. And will be the heartbeat that takes him through his life. 

"And then you take that love you made and stick it into someone else's heart pumping someone else's blood."- Regina Spektor

On Being Sick, By Henry

When I am sick I wear pajamas all day.

I do not sleep through the night like I usually do.

I suck my thumb even more.

I do not like my rice cereal.

But I still like eating with mommy.

I take naps with mommy in bed.

I hate getting my nose cleaned out.

I love to snuggle.

And I still smile a lot. 

Luckily I have not had a fever.

And luckily I have my mommy to take care of me all day. 

 I love her. 

Picnic at the Temple

The King and I were shopping last week and he was being honestly such a rockstar.  Like smiling and laughing in his stroller, taking naps in the car, quietly playing with toys as I tried on clothes.  

Thanks, Baby Henry.  

When it was time for Little Man to eat, I thought it would be sweet to take him to the Temple for a picnic instead of going straight home.  So we did.  And by picnic I mean we sat on the steps in a quiet cool spot and Henry nursed under cover.  

Then he came out and let his fuzzy hair wisp in the air.  Arizona is finally throwing some beautiful days at us!  Henry loooooves the wind.  

And cue photo shoot! 

THIS ONE: