Saying Goodbye

 I'm grateful for the best young women on planet Earth. Because they all have touched my heart in a deep way, saying goodbye wasn't easy. Our last Young Women's activity before I moved, we played games and then they all gave me a gift along with sharing what they love most about me. I was crying the whole time! They were so darn sweet.

I'm so happy we were able to capture on camera the white board full of kind (and funny) thoughts. I will never forget my two nick names from the girls, Sista R and Armadillo, both of which came from girls camp stories. haha

After I returned home, I laid out all the gifts I was given and felt so thankful for these special young women and the leaders I served along side. The most precious gift was from Jenet Erickson, the YW president and my dear friend. She gave me fabric softener sheets to thank me for having a soft heart even when things were challenging in this calling. Through many challenges I faced, I had the opportunity to turn to my Savior, humble my heart, and repent of my weaknesses. I drew on my Savior's strength often and became a stronger woman in the Gospel. These beautiful young women are who helped me do that. And for that, I'll be forever grateful.

What are YOU grateful for?

Moving On

 I'm grateful to be moving on, but hurting at the same time. A few days after we moved to Kaysville, we had one last friends get together at Sugarhouse Park. After a picnic on the grass and playground fun, my kids suggested we play in the "river." It was cute to see them all run in the water and splash around as I chatted with some of my favorite girls. Christine had come down to see everyone, and then there was Jenet, Cori, and Jenica, 4 wonderful friends, who have taught me so much!

Afterwards, the kids and I headed back to the house to do one last cleaning. As I mopped these old wood floors for the final time in this empty house, a part of me felt empty inside, too. I couldn't believe the time had really come to move after an amazing 7 years of learning and growing in this place. Oh, how I'll miss this house and everyone who came into my life while living here. Like Martina McBride sings in one of my favorite songs, I concur, "I am so blessed."

What are YOU grateful for?

Friends of a Feather...or Fur

I'm grateful for Diamond's friend in Sugarhouse.  These two would play chase, nap right by each other, and developed a little bond that we all got a kick out of.  At our new house, the neighborhood cats try to sneak into our garage to eat Diamond's food, so then they get into cat fights so Diamond can protect what's rightfully hers. Cat hissing used to wake us up in the middle of the night until we learned to close our garage window so they can't sneak in.  Sad, but kind of funny. Hopefully when we get a dog, he'll get along with Diamond just like this old grey cat from our old neighborhood. Hey, I can dream, right?

What are YOU grateful for?

Magic Eraser

I'm grateful for my trusty Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pad to clean up messes like this that are created while I was packing boxes in the back.  Permanent marker you ask? How you'd guess! And of course I'm ever grateful for my Love & Logic techniques to give me the patience and effective tools for helping my little one know how sad this makes mommy, without being raging mad. I gave her the Magic Eraser to "scrub, scrub" the mess away herself, and then I helped her finish the job.

What are YOU grateful for?

Reorganized Master Closet

I'm grateful for our reorganized master closet at our old home.  When we first moved there in 2005, immediately we remolded the back bedroom, adding a bathroom with a shower and a bigger closet.  As I mentioned in my last post, most closets in this neighborhood are small, so it was nice to add this walk in closet for storage when this room was first our guest room, and then my preschool classroom, and finally the master bedroom where Wade and I slept.  When the house stager came, she suggested I declutter the clothes a bit and then reorganize it with bins before we put the house on the market to sell. I wish I had a before picture because although it was fairly tidy, it looks so much better like this!

What are YOU grateful for?

Storage Room

I'm grateful for our storage room at our old home that we shared with our downstairs renters.  We felt so blessed to have so much room in here along with extra storage space in the garage when many of our friends in Sugarhouse would tell us they don't have hardly any extra storage room. The homes in this neighborhood are just simple with small rooms and small closets. We didn't have a linen closet or even a coat closet that are typically found in newer homes so with a 1920's home, we were thrilled to have this extra space.

What are YOU grateful for?

Guard For My Pots and Pans

I'm grateful to have a guard for my pots and pans in case anyone wants to steal them. I know, I know, some people have a guard dog to protect their precious possessions. At our house, we have a guard baby instead. Believe me, she can be vicious. Okay, that's a lie. But if you take her out of this drawer so you can steal my pots and pans, she'll probably shout, "No, no!" Of course, it will be because you removed her from her cool hiding spot...not that she cares about the pots and pans. hehe

What are YOU grateful for?