As we celebrated Thanksgiving, I took the time to think about that which I’m grateful for. There are so aspects of life for which I am grateful: my family, my health, the health of family, our home, our relationships, and of course the gospel.

But Thanksgiving began as a feast, to celebrate the harvest of a new and promised land, and the budding friendships between the Natives and the Pilgrims. It grew into a national holiday as a time to be thankful for the work put for by our progenitors to settle this Great Nation.

In light of this, and the political movements that have taken place this year, I have mostly reflected on my gratitude for this nation in which I live. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak, for my opinion to be counted, and held at the very same weight as all other citizens of this great land. I am grateful for the bounty which continues today in our country. I am grateful for the friendships I have and can have with people who are different than me. 

I am grateful for the faith of my fathers that has led this nation to grow and prosper.

My birthday was the BEST this year!

Wyatt made me breakfast – some mo’ yummy pancakes. Then he got the kids ready for church. We went to church, and when I got home I was greeted by 2 dozen red roses. Leslee and Carrie came over and made me yummy cheese ravioli for dinner. After dinner we opened gifts. Then we hung out for a while, and then at 7:00 everyone (Sorensens, Enghs, Kirkhams, & Smiths) came over for cake. We had another rousing game of “jump off the chest.” After that we watched “Emma Smith, My Story” which Leslee & Carrie had given me for my birthday. It made me cry. She was one amazing woman.

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful birthday!

Every once in a while something will happen that just makes my heart ache. It’s the sort of thing that once it settles into my conscious as being a reality, makes me wish with everything that I could go back to the moment before, when it wasn’t a reality. It makes my prayers a little more fervent as I pray for God to fix it . . . somehow.

Such a thing happened this past weekend. Wyatt and I were at dinner when we received a text message – Heather Miller had her baby – 14 weeks early. Oh, as a mamma, how that news made me hurt. Little Leo Miller came quickly and unexpectedly. He’s now in the NICU and has a long, and . . . unlikely . . . battle ahead of him. He’s already experienced some severe complications. Everyone’s holding their breath as each day goes by.

Bryan and Heather were sealed just two short weeks ago. What a blessing for them. As Bryan put it – “it also allows us to be free from second guessing ourselves and asking why we haven’t gotten around to that yet.” Their faith is strong, and I know that will help them.

As for my faith? Like I said, it’s one of those things where I have faith, like a child, knowing that Heavenly Father can fix it. What I don’t know is if He will. The question then becomes, what am I (and more importantly, those more closely involved) going to do if He doesn’t? I’ll be honest, I’d rather that He did – it would be simpler all the way around.