Thankful Heart

As Thanksgiving was getting closer and I realized that it would just be the 5 of us here in California for dinner, my heart started to ache. It was saddened that this Thanksgiving was going to be very different than any of the Thanksgivings we had had in a long time. I started (as I do when I get weepy) to think of all the many blessings that I have and it started to make me feel somewhat better. Here is where my mind went and you can come along if you like: I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ! With it all the other blessings I have fall into place and make all the sense in the world. I am so grateful for my family! They are everything to me! As a young mother many years ago I felt over whelmed with all that a mother had to do and never getting to half of it. I now appreciate all that I can do now that I wasn't able to do then. ( there is a time for all things) I am grateful for my daughters/ in law daughters for their great examples of being and preparing to be great moms. I love their patience,love,patience, energy, patience, diligence in doing good things and more endless patience! They are great teachers to my precious grandchildren and I know they are going to be a great new generation. There are many gifts we are given but I love the one my daughters are giving and that is the gift of being great moms. I love my sons/ sons in laws for their devotion to their wives. They give so much to make sure their families are taken care of. I am so grateful for their hard work and devotion that they give freely, another gift that I am so grateful for!Of course it is all the little ones that make me smile the most!!! (sorry but its true). I have 13 amazing grandkids(Evelyn Rose is due in Feb) that would make any nana smile, and I do every time I think of them. I love the noise they make cause its what life is all about. They are busy talking, playing, screaming, crying but its all life and it's great! I love my kids all of them. They all bring a different element into our family and without one of them it isn't complete! I love them all for who they are and who they are becoming! They never cease to amaze me!!! I love family! I love my husband!! I love the hard work he does everyday and in serving those of our ward. He works long days and still has time to serve for more after his work day is done. He has always been that way and even though at times I am sure he would rather stay at home he does it cause thats just who he is and after 34 years he keeps getting better and better. I am thankful for my Mom! I am grateful for the time I got to really know her after all these years! I am so grateful that she moved up to Utah 8 months before I moved to California. She helped me  so much while Ben was in California. We went shopping at second hand stores, hung pictures, found bargains and just had a great time. I love her very much and am so glad for the time we had! I am thankful for my brothers and sisters. All of them have their trials and struggles and I love that they are there for me when I need them and I love them very much. I love Ben's parents and siblings too! They are all apart of what makes us a family and makes us feel whole. I am grateful for health, safety, security, and for being in a country that allows us freedom. I am grateful for trials, what doesn't kill us( which at times seems better) makes us stronger. I know at times I feel sad but when I get done with my pity party I realize that I have SO much compared to so many others. I am grateful this time of year that we pay attention to those things that are precious to us. We have been given so much and have so much to give back! I am thankful for all that I have been given !!