Gratitude

So I've been reading facebook posts about things people are thankful for. While doing so, I started thinking "I should put that as a post for myself." Well, I'm just so thankful for so many things. I figure this is a better place to put it. This could potentially be a really long post. They won't be in any particular order. Oh, where to start....

1. That my siblings call and ask for my opinion. It makes me feel important.

2. For people in my ward who are just fantastic. There are a few in particular that I want to be like. Whit Larsen, Tammy Black, Sister Bodily, Brother Martin, just to name a few. Others who used to be in my ward...Kiley Yerka and Ashley Griffiths.

3. Facebook-really this is in no particular order-Through facebook I can keep up to date on the happenings of others. For example, 2 good acquaintances/friends I knew from institute just got married. I haven't talked to either in a long time, and didn't know they were engaged.

4. Mormon Channel online

5. Music streaming from the Mormon channel. I'm listening to it right now. It's such a good way to feel the spirit, particularly on Sunday.

6. Primary music program-The things they know. How wonderful to have that knowledge so young.

7. Prayer-Heavenly Father hears me.

8. Revelation- Heavenly Father speaks to me through the Holy Ghost.

9. Caitlyn- my sweet baby girl. She is 8 months old now. She is laughing/giggling/and communicating more- well in her 8 month old way. :)

10. To be a mom. I have learned a lot in the last several months. Even with the challenges...I'm thankful that Heavenly Father has given me this opportunity. It took us a little while to conceive her.

11. Matt- We'll have been married for 3 years this upcoming Tuesday (in 2 days). Being married has it's challenges. I have to remember that I bring challenges to our marriage, too. I love Matt's silliness, his logic, his hard work to provide for us currently while letting me stay home with Caitlyn, his hard work in school to provide better for us. He is one smart cookie! :) He is flying through school. I'm thankful for his computer knowledge, including the Excel spreadsheets he's created for me. The many computer shortcuts that he has shown me have also been a great benefit to me. I use them all the time.

12. Eternal marriage and eternal families. "I Have a Family Here on Earth" is one of my favorite songs.

13. Good uplifting music-from big band to sabbath hymns. Such a positive, powerful influence it can have.

14. Commandments-Everything He commands us to do is for our benefit and happiness. Heavenly Father has given us so much and then commands us to do certain things which makes our lives better. He then blesses us for keeping those commands. Heavenly Father is wonderful!

15. The scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon. To have God's will in written form-We have our own copies. What would it be like not to have such access? I don't want to know, and yet I have much work to do to take full advantage of this gift.

16. Ease of life. I don't think about this as nearly as often as I should and not nearly as deeply as I should. Plumbing, hot water, heat, good food that is so accessible, a bed.....peace, freedom. I have a hard time understanding that most people live in conditions less than this. I might as well be living in a mansion-for to many, my 2 bed basement apartment is one.

17. Opportunity. It kind of goes with the above thought. To be able to excel and thrive in areas of my choosing without hindermint from the government. We complain about what's wrong with the government and much must change. However, if we were to take a snapshot of just today-oh, the freedom that we have!

18. The gospel. Oh, to know that God speaks to man, that the priesthood is restored, that we lived before we came here, and that we can live with our families in His presence! This is not a fantasy. This is true! There is a plan. Heavenly Father loves us. He gave his Son, who willingly lived and died so we could all live again. He was perfect. Christ did no have to do this, but He did, because He loves us.

19. Absolutes. There is right and wrong. There is peace and direction in knowing this. Others perceptions don't change this fact. Saying otherwise is like saying gravity is in force only on Wednesdays. :) Well, that would make life quite interesting. :)

20. Parents. I do have to hand it to them. I wasn't the necessarily the easiest kid. A few sticks of dynamite were needed to get me moving sometimes. I'm thankful for parents who showed me how to obey God. I'm thankful for their continued expressions of love and help.

21. A beautiful earth. Trees, mountains, the sound of water, sunsets, sunbeams, rainbows, birds, squirrels,....Heavenly Father didn't have to create such a beautiful place for us to live, but He did. He definitely loves each of us.

22. Holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love when friends and family gather together. Good food, good company, and a spirit of good will and gratitude. :)

New Look and Some Updates

I love the new template designer on blogger! I'm sure I'll be playing with it a lot, well I guess as often as I update our blog. ;)

Where to start.........I'm having a baby,.......
.........Matt's going to school,.............................anything else?

October is going to be a busy month. We saw Alisa last night. She was up from Jacob Lake going to mission reunions, touring UCMT, and visiting friends. On Sunday, we're attending the morning session of conference, and then visiting Mom's cousin Barbie and her family. Maybe we will even get to see my brother Garrett, who'll only have a few weeks left on his mission. I know he has tickets to the Sunday morning session. I'll get to meet some of Alisa's friends at conference also, since I got a hold of several tickets.

Later in the month we'll get to see my Grandma and Grandpa Doty, and Aunt Karen. They're taking a trip out here. Soon after, Mom and Joseph will come out basically to surprise Garrett, but also to visit people and go site seeing. Mom, Joseph, Matt, and I will travel down to see Alisa and to see the Grand Canyon. Alisa plans to show us some of the best views on the northern rim.

The beginning of November holds no slowing down either. Garrett gets off his mission on the 3rd. He'll have served two full years faithfully in the Salt Lake City mission, or the I-80 mission as some call it. Within the first couple of weeks in November, Matt and I will be able to find out the gender of this little bundle inside of me.

We'll I guess if I don't post for awhile, I'm covered. Right? :-)

Until next time.....

Well It's Been Awhile

It's been almost a year since this blog has seen some work. Much has happened since then; my sister got back from her mission, Matt and I celebrated our 1st year anniversary, Matt's sister got married, we got a different car and now in the process of getting another different one, and we've gone back into the workforce.

Life is good! Christmas is almost here and with that all the celebrations, lights, and memories. The scenery isn't much different from the previous post a year ago-lots of snow. I think we shall have a white Christmas this year. I'm glad I bought a 4ft artifical tree 4 years ago. It has come in handy since that time. It stands about 6ft high this year, beautifully lit and decorated on top of an end-table. (NO it didn't grow.) Did I mention I like lights? :)

Logan has snow!

This is what Logan looks like when a foot of the white stuff falls on Christmas night. My neighbor let me use his snowblower. I hafta get one of those. Check out the thermometer.

Matt's Driving Experience

One of the things on my to-do list was to drive a right-hand drive vehicle. That wish came true when I heard I could rent a car on St. Vincent. I knew the vehicles were RHD because the taxi that took us to the ferry dock was like this. The front office at Young Island made the necessary phone calls and arrangements, and even found us the best deal! The cost to get a temporary 6-month St. Vincent driver's license was US$25 or EC$65. The East Caribbean Dollar is the official currency of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, although many places there accept both US and EC currency. To rent the car, a 2-door Toyota RAV4, was US$146.

We've returned!

We are back from the Caribbean. Staying at Young Island was a truly remarkable experience. We really didn't keep a schedule, except when meals were served, which was a 2- to 3-hour window. We took our time to explore this 35-acre island and the fort directly to the south of it. We also explored the main island of the Grenadines by car, but that's for another post. From what the resort manager told us, they used to do cocktail parties there until a huge chunk of rock fell. The island that the fort sits on has been deemed unsafe by the government of St. Vincent, so we took a pedal boat from the resort to the fort and explored it at our own risk. The access to the fort underwent restoration in April and May 1969. The dates in the pictures are date, then month, the opposite of the way we write them here in the States.

Location, location, location

For those visiting from out of town (or state), here are directions to the temple, family and wedding party luncheon for the family and bridal party, and the reception.