Nov. 9th - # 7 day of gratitude

# 7 - Computers. Well, actually, the internet and all that that entails = email, blogs, facebook, youtube, craigslist, and all things good, and communicative, and time consuming and interactive and virtually real????!!!! (But really, it all, including the computer, is such an amazing invention!!) I am old enough to have lived without them, and I'm telling you, it's all so very good!!! Technology!!! Gotta love it!!

Nov. 8th - # 6 day of Gratitude

#6 Missionaries.
I am a missionary mom. So, of course I love missionaries. It's funny how much I not only love my misisonary son, but all the nephews and friends of my sons, as well as sons of friends serving too!! When each one leaves I feel a tiny bit of my heart goes with them! There really is nothing quite like having a child out. The thrill, excitement, ache, longing and pride that goes with the territory is all there. It's a great "club" to be a member of. One that you are happy to join, and even happier to be kicked out of!!!
Tanner, I love you. Can't wait till you get home in about 5 months. Taylor will be leaving soon (in the next few months) and the mixed emotions will start all over again!!

Nov. 7th - # 5 day of gratitude

Books.
I am grateful for books. More than you will know. Well, some of you know. They have been my hobby, entertainment, counsel, emotional outlet, escape, best friend, and just always there for me. When I don't have time to read I feel as though I have been neglecting a friend. And that I am sorely deprived!!!
I have two signs in my house - on my bookshelves, by the way- one says, "A home without books is like a body without a soul". I truly feel this way.
The other one says, "Books fall open, and you fall in". I was given this one, by someone who knows me all too well!! Don't even come looking or try to find me once I've fallen in!! I'll come out when I'm done and dang well ready!!

Nov. 6th - # 4

Fathers.
In honor of my father's 85th birthday, today, I have to say how grateful I am for him. In his quiet way he taught me by example the importance of gospel, family, responsibility and love.
Also, I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father. Especially for the knowledge that I have that he lives and that He knows me personally, is aware of me and cares and loves me very much.
So grateful for the father of my children, too.
Where would we be without fathers???

Nov. 5th - # 3

#3 - Sam. The love of my life! Happy 50th birthday, studmuffin!!

Day #2 of Gratitude

#2-

I am grateful for all things sweet. Cookies, cake, candy, brownies, chocolate, of course!!! Anything that fills my sweet tooth. Unfortunately, they love me too!!! I have always admired people who can eat one cookie and then walk away, thinking, "that was a delicious cookie, now I think I'll go make a phone call or get to work on cleaning or audit that account or whatever happens to be something other than reaching for another cookie or sweet!! I can eat one plate of dinner-even food I enjoy, but put a macademia nut, white chocolate cookie in front of me, or sugar cookie with butter cream frosting under my nose, and I will follow you anywhere!!! To hell and back, even!!

But I digress from the point of this post!

Just think what life would be like without sweets! Skinnier, yes, but so very unjoyful! The interesting thing about sweets are that they are so very hard to quit, and yet oh so easy to start up again!! Why is that? Is sugar an addictive substance? What do you think?

I go back and forth. On the one hand, I catch myself sometimes eating a half dozen delictables before it's registered in my brain what I've just done, and then my stomach then, "ahems" to my mouth and taste buds that it's feeling rather sick and it might be good to stop at that point. And yet on the other hand, I just can't imagine living a life totally and completely sugar free. I mean for every day of my life for the rest of my life!!! Even if I was diabetic, I would eat sugar free stuff for that sweet flavor!! Ok, maybe that's another "for" sugar being addictive!

Whatever is the honest truth about it, sweets add sweetness, pleasure, and joy to my life!! And that's what man is for!! That we might have joy!!!

While I'm quoting others, "moderation in all things" is good one too!!!

Month 'O Gratitude

Ok, so I am so way past behind that I am in front of behind!!! (follow me???). It's been, what, like a month and a half or two since I last posted? It's not for a lack of material. On the contrary. I've got gads of pictures on my camera, and events have come and gone that I planned to post. But lo and behold, they come, they go. So a summary of the Reader's Digest version:

1) my birthday, on the 20th

2) Halloween - costumes - Sammy the Bull, and Rhea the matador

3) Lake trip with the kiddos and hubby

4) ASHLEY IS PREGNANT!!!!

So, on to my true post.

I will admit right up front and center. I am copying another's blog idea. But so what? I liked the idea and as the saying goes, copying is the highest form of flattery, right????

So, I decided to do the "Gratitude a day" thingy!! It is, after all, the month of Thanksgiving. So what better thing to write about. So I will try and not be too sappy or even predictable, but I make no promises!!!

(Oh, and yes I realize I missed the first 3 days of November!!! So sue me!!)

1) I am grateful for running. I can't even believe I said that!! If you would've told me a year ago that I would've said I am grateful for running, let alone that I do it, I would've pretty much laughed in your face. I have never been a runner in my life!! I have always hated running!! Not just thought poorly of it, mind you, HATED it!!! I am short. Yes, 5' 2 and 3/4" is considered short. And my legs are even shorter. (g0 figure!). So my stride compared to the average person is a fifth maybe!!! Well, half anyway! So one of my excuses has been, that it takes so much more energy for me!!! Also, it takes my breath away!! And it hurts! Why would I do something so dangerous to my health??

Well, Sam and I somehow started. How? Why? Well, it started with walking. To get in shape for the trek back in May. After that was over, I figured it would all fizzle out, like all my work out programs. But something clicked! I don't know what. Or why, or how! It just did. Maybe the planets all aligned, or the running gods smiled down upon us, but somehow, Sam and I continued on with our walking (through the summer no less!!). Well, one thing led to another, and I got pregnant. (gotcha!! Just seeing if you stayed with me!!). NOT. But one thing did lead to another, and we decided to try running a bit. Just a bit. A bit turned into a length, which turned into a half mile. Then, from there it was all uphill!! (Not really on these AZ roads, but you get the drift!). We are now up to 3 miles!!! I can't even believe it myself!!

But just so you know--It does take more energy for me and my short legs. And it still takes my breath away. And it hurts!!!!

But can I just say? When we take that last running step of the 3 miles, it feels soooo good!!! (Not physically,a t that point anyway. Give me a couple of minutes to catch my breath and cool down) There's nothing like doing something that you thought you never would do!!!

And maybe, just maybe, I'll someday be able to run 4 miles!!

At what point can you claim to be "a runner"?????