Blessings

• Another sunny Sunday afternoon.
  
• Cori who diligently shovels our long driveway and sidewalks. I've done it a couple of times, and its a tall order. Even when it doesn't snow, the wind blows at night and we always have an inch or two across the drive in the morning. Everyone up here has a snow blower. Sadly, our budget currently allows for a shovel, and Cori has been a real champ about it.
  
• The Internet. I did almost all our Christmas shopping online this year, and it was sooooo nice. 20 minutes here, 20 minutes there, whenever I had a chance. It freed up a lot of time for us to focus on some other Christmas service things that we wanted to do. Not to mention being relieved of the adventure that is shopping with small kids.
  
• Our branch family, again. I had so much help again today. As I was struggling out of the chapel with both kids after the sacrament today to feed Grant, a friend hurried to my side to take Grace back with her. I taught in Relief Society today, and Grant was getting really fussy. Another friend took him (to the other side of the building) to rock him. Then, a brother from the branch came by after church to help Cori with the 4Runner. We got new tires on it yesterday, and when Cori went to drive it this morning, one of the tires was flat. We had just gotten it into the garage to see about the spare and decide what we were going to do about tomorrow when Brother G* showed up with an air compressor and some tools. They were able to repair what we think was the problem, and we were spared a lot of time and trouble.

Blessings

• Having a night out with Cori this week. We went to a Christmas party for the Northern Michigan Regional Manufacturer's Society (or something like that). Cori was profited an invite courtesy of the Honeywell site at which he works. It was at a beautiful country club in Charleviox. Dinner was delish--we got our first taste of the famed Michigonian white fish--, we met some neat people, and we even won one of the door prizes.


• Our branch family. Friday night, a couple escorted us to the annual Christmas celebration in downtown Petoskey (post about this to follow). We had a lot of fun with them. And I always have help on Sundays with Grace and Grant. During Sacrament meeting, Gracie has her favorite people to sit with, and I'm free to take care of Grant. This Sunday, I taught during the third hour and my Relief Society pals insisted on taking Grant with them. So very nice. We really feel that we are part of a family out here.


• Being in Young Women's again (if only for a little while). Our young women's organization is staffed by 1 (only one) superwoman. She was out of town this weekend, and asked me to sub. I loved being in with the girls and getting to know them better.


• The sunshine this afternoon. It has been weeks since we have had blue sky and sunshine. But this afternoon we opened all our blinds and took a lavish nap in the brilliant light! It was made all the brighter by the blanket of snow outside.

Blessings

• My mom. This Monday was an awful, no-good, very bad day kind of day. When I'm having days like these, I can pick up the phone and my mom still knows how to make everything better.



• My Grandma Bettie and Mama Jo are safely in Nevada. For about a year now, plans have been in the works to move these two precious ladies to Gardnerville to be closer to my parents. Attempt #1 had to be aborted, but attempt #2 was a success.



• Sharing my testimony in Church today. Usually sacrament meeting is a little interesting because of Grant's feeding schedule and because Cori sits on the stand- leaving me with a hungry baby and a busy toddler. But Grant slept in this morning changing his schedule up a little, and Gracie was happy to run up onto the stand with me to be with her dad. It was strengthening for me to share what was in my heart.



• An afternoon in a quiet house. Right now all my babies (Cori included) are sleeping. I should probably be sleeping too. What a waste of free time when there are dishes to do, food to cook for or Branch activity tonight, scriptures to read, and Christmas music to listen to.



• The First Presidency's Christmas devotional tonight. I love this broadcast. Its the best way to bring in the Christmas season.

Blessings

* Seeing the first snowfall before leaving for our Thanksgiving holiday.

* Being able to travel across the country to visit with family. It isn't cheap. It isn't easy. But we are grateful that we can do it. Why does Michigan have to be so far away?

* 3 1/2 wonderful days at home in Gardnerville where we were able to witness and participate in Jared's ordination to the Melchizedek priesthood. This was so important to me, and I will always be thankful that I could be there.

* Seeing Grandma Bettie (my grandmother) and Mama Jo (my great-grandmother) in UT. Due to some last minute changes in Thanksgiving plans, we got to drive out to UT for the second half of our trip. My mom's sister and her family were there (minus only one cousin--we missed you Daniel). Its the first time in at least 15 years that we have all been together like that.

* Getting both of our families together for Grant's blessing. All of my immediate family, including those just mentioned, and all of Cori's- except for Damien and his fam- got together at the hotel we were staying at. One of Cori's uncles was in town with his family and they were able to make it as well. My dad rented the conference room for the evening and we ate dinner together and had a wonderful time catching up with everyone. It was amazingly special to be together like that to officially welcome Grant to the world and the Church.

* Being back home again. The kids are getting back onto their schedules. Grant is almost sleeping through the night. We've got a lot of work to do. Its good to be home.