Gratitude

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation

is not to utter words, but to live by them.

~ John F. Kennedy

Top: 2008 Thankful List

(ooops, I forgot to take a picture last year)

Bottom: 2006 Thankful List

Two years ago, we were living in San Diego. Some days it feels just like yesterday; other times it feels like a lifetime ago. Jaxon & Ashlin were in this wonderful Daycare during the Dissertation Phase and one of the activities they had was to decorate a "Thankful Poster". They displayed each family's poster around the halls of the center. We loved the idea so much, we made it a family tradition. It's been fun to see the differences in our list each year as well as the things that stay the same. This year, we invited 2 new families from our ward to join us in our tradition. We really enjoyed their company and sharing in the things they were thankful for. It was a great opportunity to build friendships.

Our family is incredibly blessed. I am so grateful that we have the Holiday Season to share the gratitude that is held so quietly in our hearts the other 10 months of the year.

Family and the Gospel are the two things I treasure and am most thankful for.

These two things make life worth living. I am so thankful that Shawn didn't give up on my stubborn heart and had the patience for me to be able to see the eternity we could share together. He puts up with me through the good and the bad. He is such a wonderful father. One of the best moments of the day is when he plays with the kids and gets them belly laughing.

My kids are so very precious to me. At one time, I was unsure I would ever be able to have kids....look at me now. I am thankful for the medical care that made that possible. Each day they add a little more love, a little more happiness, and a lot of laughter to our lives. We have a great extended family that supports us daily. They make the hard moments of life bearable and the good moments of life even better. (Shawn likes to paraphrase Homer Simpson and say, "kids, the cause, and solution, to all life's problems.")

I am so thankful for the Gospel in our lives. It makes life worth living, it brings the color into life. I am thankful for the love that our Heavenly Father has for us. He knows us and knows the experiences that each one of us needs to be able to learn and grow and return to live with him.

I am thankful for old and new friends. Life is more fun, and easier to take when the going gets tough, when you have a friend by your side.

“Gratitude is deeper than thanks. Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.

Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words.

Gratitude is shown in acts.”

President David O. McKay