Thankful Day 18 - Cell Phone

While there is a lot negative that could be said about cell phones, I am grateful for the amazing things I can do on my phone, the apps that I can play in seminary, the connection to my family and friends, and the safety. I love also that I have a camera handy.

Thankful Day 17 - Flights That Aren't Delayed

It seemed as though Chris had a run of flights this summer where he was delayed every week on his flight home. One delay even required him to stay an extra night. My parent's flight was delayed this summer as they came for a visit. They circled the airport for quite some time, were diverted to Colorado Springs, and then finally bused back to the Denver airport. It was a long and frustrating night for all of us. I am grateful when flights leave on time.

Carrying on the Pretzel Tradition

The tradition started with Chris and his family. They made pretzels on Sunday afternoons. As Chris and I began dating, I was impressed that this guy of mine could bake. He made me "Soft Sunday Pretzels" one Sunday afternoon. As our girls have grown, they have enjoyed those pretzels, and developed their own talents in making them as well.

Misha made pretzels at college and is carrying on this family tradition.

Thankful Day 16 - Faith

I was preparing for my seminary lesson on John 7 the other day and came across this short video clip of Michael McLean speaking about when he went through a "faith crisis." We all have them. Some peoples' crises last a whole lot longer.

The video clip is called Faith Crisis: What Do We Do When We Feel Nothing?

I watched this and then sent it along with this text to my family:

"What is your anchor in this life? What do you know? Dad and I are anchored by the thought, “Hold fast to what you do know.” Why Amy are you applying to BYU again—for the third time? Why Misha are you at BYU and struggling? Why Kristen do you get up each morning to go to seminary even though you don’t like it and feel you don’t get anything out of it? Faith. Because you know that even though it takes time--years sometimes--God hears and answers prayers. He is never as far away as we sometimes think He is. And in that waiting and enduring, we are being refined."

I am thankful for seminary and for inspirational people who share their testimonies and struggles, and I am thankful for faith.

Thankful Day 15 - Facetime

I am grateful for the modern technology. I used to watch the Jetsons as a little girl—a futuristic cartoon—where they would chat by phone much the same as Facetime. I am grateful how it keeps me connected with my extended family, Chris, and my girls at school. Seeing a face and a voice makes all of the difference to me.

Thankful Day 14 - Repotting

I am thankful for the spiritual "repottings" that I receive. They are not always comfortable, sometimes they stretch me more than I thought possible, and sometimes I just get cozy in the same old same old of my life and need a change. Heavenly Father knows when I need to change my circumstances, bring new people into my life, have opportunities to serve others, or simply shake up my routines. Being "repotted" allows me to blossom and grow more abundantly.

Thankful Day 13 - Keyboarding

Keyboarding is a dying art since schools no longer teach "typing" classes. I remember taking those classes in high school. Our class had about five fancy electric typewriters when I started taking classes in the 9th grade and the rest were manual. I was always grateful when it was my turn to use the electric typewriters. I never learned to type without looking at the keys and wished that I had learned to type correctly. So, when I attended Ricks College, I took a typing class (on computers then) and learned to type all over again so that I didn't have to look at the keys. I am grateful for my keyboarding skills. I keep encouraging my girls to take a class and they roll their eyes at me. Sadly, the classes aren't offered much at the university level either.

Permissions

In writing my book, I have used some quotes by apostles and prophets as well as quotes from books. The church requires that you get permission to use the quotes and provides a web site where you put in each quote one by one. It was a tedious job and took my all day long. But it means I am one step closer to being done.

Thankful Day 12 - Ibuprofen

Sad to say, I have had to take a lot of ibuprofen over the past ten months. I am grateful for the pain relief it provides. I am grateful for brilliant minds that think of and create medicines. I am grateful for the blessing of having ibuprofen readily available.

Thankful Day 11 - Cursive Writing

I am so grateful that I was taught cursive writing in elementary school. It is a dying art and skill.

MRI

A lot of the pain that I thought was cleared up in my neck and back from my accident returned once my time between therapy visits began to be extended. Because we have a lawyer with the accident, I have to document my treatment quite regularly. My primary care doctor recommended that I get an MRI just to make sure that the reappearance of the pain wasn't related to anything muscular.

The results showed that I had some bulging around the discs in my neck, but not enough to be concerning. Her opinion was that the pain was more muscular than skeletal. So, I guess that is good news. The bad news is that I am back to more regular visits to the chiropractor and massage therapist. I have an appointment with a regenerative orthopedist in a week or so to look at my feet to see if there is anything he can do.

An MRI is not the best idea for anyone with tendencies toward claustrophobia. The moment she said stay still for 15 minutes and put a cover over my head and face to keep it still, I immediately had to jump in to some deep breathing and visualization exercises. Fortunately there was a fan blowing cool air on my face, and I tried to imagine I was in France.

Thankful Day 10 - The Job of Motherhood

I am grateful to be a mom. Today, Amy asked me to answer questions related to the "job description" of being a stay-at-home mom for her Career Exploration class:

1. When and how did you get involved at your work?
I was 31 yrs old and pregnant. When my oldest daughter was born, I chose to leave my career and become a stay-at-home mom

2.What was your training and background previous to the job?
There is not a lot of training to be a mom. I had 3 younger brothers, I babysat a lot as a teenager, and I was like a second mom to my sister’s children.

3. What was a typical day like for you, or someone in a similar position?
Each day varied especially as my girls grew older and became more independent. If my children were sleeping through the night, I got to sleep through the night. If they were sick, I was up with them. As they woke up in the morning, breakfast was usually first on the list. Scripture study, prayers, cleaning up from breakfast, getting kids dressed, brushing teeth, doing hair, getting kids off to school, doing my own chores-laundry, vacuuming, making beds, etc were on the agenda for the day. As my girls got older, we had “mommy school” together to help them learn numbers, colors, and letters.

Lunch time meant coming up with something my girls would eat, cleaning up, feeding little babies, and NAP TIME and quiet time in the afternoon while babies slept. My girls loved to do crafts, watch tv, play with friends, participate in play group, and play outside.

Dinner time required more creativity in deciding what to cook, followed by cleaning up and getting help with that. Maybe there was homework as girls got older with other activities such as, piano lessons, gymnastics, and swim lessons

Bed time was dubbed the best time of the day. We had FHE, family time, and homework. Girls brushed teeth, had baths, said nighttime prayers, and Dad and I happily tucked you into bed.

4.What do you like most about your job?
My daughters. They turned out to be pretty awesome girls.

5.What do you like least? (if anything)
Dusting

6.What attitudes or values are important in your career?
Cheerfulness, Family values, Sacrifice, Persistence, Motivation

7.What would you recommend for someone trying to figure out what career choice is best for them? This “career” is either chosen for you or you choose it. It is forever. Just remember that.

8.Knowing what you know now, would you approach this career the same way?
Looking back, one could always find ways to be a better mom. Be flexible, creative, kind, loving. Always keep a journal.

9.What talents or skills do you think are most crucial to having a good career?
Motivation, kindness, selflessness, cooking, baking, cleaning, organizing, sewing, crafting skills, punctuality...

10.What are some challenges you face within the workplace?
Sass, arguments, disappointment, discouragement, all-nighters, things not going as planned, no sick days and burned food

11.Does having this career make it challenging to maintain good family relations?
Being a mom is really an important key to maintaining good family relations.

Any other advice? Enjoy the ride. Being a mom is awesome. I am grateful to be a mom.

Thankful Day 9 - Exploring with Chris

Chris and I have had a blast exploring the world together. Granted "the world" is mostly the European continent because I love it so much. I am grateful for the opportunity of traveling with him. He is a seasoned traveler and makes the experience easy for me. He can photobomb my pictures anytime (Within reason. Not every time. Ok, every once in awhile).

Thankful Day 8 - The Beach

I love the beach. I love taking pictures at the beach. I love the sound of the waves crashing on the sand. I love watching my girls play in the ocean. I am thankful God made beaches.

Thankful Day 7 - Colorado Water

I could bottle Colorado water from my tap and it would taste just as good as or better than some of the bottled water available in stores. I have traveled to a few places in this world and with the exception of Evian-les-bains in France, Colorado water tops them all. I am grateful to have great-tasting water to drink each day.

Magnet on Wall

Before Misha left for school, she got tired of the dryer door always swinging shut when transferring clothes from the washer to the dryer. She and I glued a magnet to the wall and ta-da, problem solved.

Kristen was doing laundry a couple of nights ago and commented, "This magnet is kind of genius." Kudos to Misha Kline.

Thankful Day 6 - Seminary

I didn't know how much I would love teaching seminary until I was given the opportunity to do so. I am grateful for the intense time in the scriptures and gospel literature that it allows me. I am grateful to teach Kristen. I am grateful for all of the youth who get out of bed early each and every day to attend. I am grateful to have a team teacher. I am grateful for the inspiration that guides my lessons. I am grateful to teach.

Misha and Hip-waders

Misha sent me this picture as she began her day of work with the text, "I get to wear hip-waders!" I'm glad that she enjoys her job.

Thankful Day 5 - Being a Stay-at-Home Mom

I have been blessed to be a stay-at-home mom. I stopped working about five days before Amy was born and haven't had a formal job since. It has been a blessing that Chris has been supportive of me and has worked so hard to make it possible. I have been a part of my girls' lives, and I am so grateful.

Not Enough Sleep

Most weeks, Chris travels to the East Coast for work. When he comes home, he tries to stay on the schedule, which means early morning and early bedtimes. With the football game on Saturday evening, Chris was up wayyyyy past his bedtime. He feel asleep Sunday evening around 6:30 pm while listening to something on his iPad. I let him sleep on the floor for a couple of hours and when I realized he wasn't waking up anytime soon, I gave him a nudge and walked him upstairs to bed. He commented as I got him settled, "You're tucking me in?" Yep. He slept until 5:45 the next morning.  You know you're tired when...

Thankful Day 4 - Believing

I was listening to the audiobook, "The Heavens Are Open" by Wendy Watson Nelson. She begins the introduction with, "I am a believer. I do not remember ever not believing in God our Heavenly Father and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. I believe in the ministering of angels, dreams that bring messengers and messages, words from hymns that float into our minds unexpectedly and yet exactly when we need them. And scriptures that open to answer the questions we most need to have answered on any given day. I believe in miracles. Actually, I count on them, and at this point in my life I believe that the Lord brings us the precise miracles that will help us grow into our true selves and miracles that will help us do His work. I believe that in the temples of God we can receive His power through ordinances that enlighten our minds, invigorate our spirits, heal our hearts and bodies, and provide the eternal perspective that helps things make sense. I believe in the power of priesthood blessings to heal."

When I was just a young girl, I remember a Family Home Evening lesson taught by my father about having a testimony and learning to ask Heavenly Father if He is real. My dad challenged my older sister and brother and me to ask in prayer, and promised that if we did, God would answer. I could not have been more than four or five, but that night after Family Home Evening, I knelt in prayer and asked. I felt the warmth of the Holy Ghost witnessing to me, and I knew. I excitedly ran upstairs to tell my dad saying, "He answered me!"

Since that moment, I have been a believer. I believe as Sister Nelson does. While I don't remember much of my days of faith prior to the first time I asked if God was real, I do know that my believing in Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost has guided my life since that time. I am thankful to have a believing heart and mind.

Thankful Day 3 - LKAS

I am thankful for the LKAS—Lane Keep Assist System—and Braking System on my 2019 Honda Pilot. The LKAS keeps my car from drifting out of my lane while I am driving. If I veer over the line on to the shoulder or over the center line, not only does my steering wheel shake to remind me that I am out of the lane but there is also a graphic on my dashboard that reminds me to stay within the lines. My car is actually designed to align itself between the center and shoulder lines. And if I veer too far onto the shoulder (sometimes I do this to avoid a pothole or bumpy railroad tracks), the brakes are suddenly applied to slow me down. If I forget or am not paying attention, these measures can be unnerving, but they are meant to keep me safe.

At times, with the curve of the road, it appears as though oncoming traffic is coming directly toward me. Or, if I get too close to the car in front of me, the word "BRAKE" blinks on my dashboard screen—all to keep me safe while driving. I know that if my car detects a crash, the brakes WILL actually be applied as this same system was functioning in my 2018 Honda Pilot when I was rear-ended on the freeway last February. Even though I was hit at a high speed, I did not hit the car in front of me.

Perhaps you can already begin to draw analogies for yourself between the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the LKAS and Braking System. We are often given reminders: scriptures that pop out at us as an answer to prayer; a friend who calls when we most need it; a still, small voice that whispers in our minds; or a larger, not-so-still voice that warns. I have had moments in my life when a thought, caution, or warning pops in to my head, as though the word "BRAKE" is blinking at me.

Thankful Day 2 - Memories of a Teasing Brother

You might think it weird that I took a picture of two closed doors, but they hold memories for me.  One night, especially, my older brother, Brad, was teasing my sister, Susan, and me. Susan and I shared a room, and Brad came into our room and began jumping from bed to bed while we were trying to go to sleep. He was always a big tease. Susan and I both yelled at the ceiling, "Mom!" hoping that Brad would leave us alone. Without my parents knowing what was wrong, we heard a responding yell from upstairs, "Brad!"

Brad finally returned to his room. Susan and I were wide awake now and decided to teach him a lesson. We quietly found some bungee cords and rope to try and tie Brad's door shut. Unfortunately, his door jiggled a bit as we were trying to tie him in, and he hopped out of bed as quick as could be and began yanking on his door.

It wasn't the last time that Brad tried to torment his sisters. My girls have missed out on having brother who tease them. Chris does his best to fill that role. I am grateful for all of my brothers and my sister.

These doors, by the way, were salvaged from the old Stirling church building. When the old church was torn down to make room for a new building, my dad was able to collect as many of the doors as he wished. They were solid wood and sturdy.

The door knobs alone are pretty amazing—each just a little different and unique.

BYU vs USU

Misha hopped on the Frontrunner train Friday evening to meet up with Patrick and Julie in Layton. From there, they all drove to Logan. Misha was happy to be dropped off at Amy's and Patrick and Julie stayed at Patrick's parent's house.

While Amy still had to work most of the afternoon on Saturday, Misha spent the day doing homework. They were just happy to be together.

Despite the freezing temperatures, Patrick, Julie, Amy, and Misha bundled up for the Cougar and Aggie matchup at Maverick Stadium. It was kind of a blowout in favor of BYU: 42-14. Misha and Amy left sometime after half-time to go home and get warm. Gotta love Misha's earmuffs.

Thankful Day 1 - Hugging My Mom

I remember hugging my mom as a young teenager. She was taller than me and always willing to enfold me in a hug. I missed that when I went away to school. There is something about hugging her that can't be duplicated by anyone else.

Chris, Kristen and I visited my parents in October, and as we prepared to leave, we had a family prayer with my parents. I stood with bowed head in the front hall as my dad prayed over all of us. Suddenly, I felt my mom's shoulder gently nudge mine as she moved to stand close to me. I simply turned as my father prayed and enfolded my mom in a hug. She's a little shorter now, and as I wrapped my arms around her, she softly cried on my shoulder. That was a moment I will remember forever.

There is simply nothing in this world that replaces my mom's hug. I am so grateful for her.