Sunday Gratitudes

I woke up to a gorgeous day and my heart is full. I love Sundays! The fact that it truly is a day of rest (just the thought of no laundry is reason to cheer) and I have the day to sing hymns in full voice lifts my spirits. True, I can sing hymns in full voice every day but that does earn me odd looks and double takes in the grocery check out line. Today I am grateful for:

• I was able to plant some of the tulip bulbs I have been adding to my grocery purchases. Nothing says spring quite like daffodils and grape hyacinths. My kids get excited to watch them pop up in the spring. They love to go out with DH and cut a bouquet for me. In honor of my hard work yesterday (and also tomorrow, Tuesday, and possibly Wednesday - I bought A LOT of bulbs!) I have put up a picture of tulips on my gratitude post. I know it is out of season but I could not resist.

• My sweet niece was born this past week. She is healthy and her mom is healthy which is reason enough to be grateful. I think she looks like my brother. Dear Niece was born into a wonderful family. I wish I were closer to see her in person but the pictures in the emails will have to suffice for now.

• DS#3 worked so hard on his handwriting and his spelling list this past week. I have to admit I was worried. He seems to get easily frustrated and it was hard to keep him on his homework at times. Friday, he came home from school and glowing that he got 7/10 on his spelling test. This is a huge success for him. His confidence skyrocketed and his new goal is to keep practicing so he can become the best speller in all of first grade. I am grateful for his teacher for working with him and also for him setting a goal and working hard.

• I have kept my scriptures in the car this past week. I usually have to wait 30 minutes in the car for DS#1 to get out of school. It is quiet with DD asleep in her seat so I have started to use this time for personal scripture study. I have finished Matthew and am nearly halfway into Mark. This time I am trying to really take my time with each chapter and ponder while I study. It is slow-going but it is peaceful. I have come to really look forward to those 30 minutes. So here I want to express my gratitude for a very worn set of scriptures that I bought when I was married because I wanted to have my married name printed on them. The gold leafing on the page edges is worn away where I thumb through them looking up a reference. There are bits of insights written in the margins throughout the years where I have recorded either something from classes or from my own reading. There are so many colors highlighting certain scriptures - not because I am an organized color-coding queen but because I use whatever I have on hand. There is a quote from Bruce R. McConkie written on the inside page called "Finding Answers To Gospel Questions", a quote that I was impressed with and wrote there during my first few month of owning this set. I often look at some of the torn or wrinkled pages, thinking that I really need a new set of scriptures, but I can't bear to part with this set. We've been through too much together.

• As I was sitting on the stand at church today, I took the opportunity to see how many names I knew in the congregation. I still don't know the names of most of the people but I am getting better. I am stating to feel a kinship with these people. My dear Visiting Teaching companion already feels like a kindred spirit. I know more of the choir members by name. I feel more comfortable talking with people in the halls because I can use their names now and not worry about calling them by the wrong one. Before I knew their names, though, I still had a sense of belonging because it is the same church where ever I go. The gospel is the same. the songs are the same. The Spirit is the same. I am so grateful for that continuity.

• Today is my Dear Brother #4's b-day. This guy is a good hardworking dad who thinks about others before himself. He is thoughtful and considerate. More than anyone else, he follows my daddy's motto of "Obedience To Exactness". I am very grateful for him and for my parents for raising such a cool guy.