A Day of Thanks

Our Thanksgiving Day yesterday was so beautiful-- not just in weather (Thanksgiving Day is always gorgeous where I live!), but also in spirit.

My Thanksgiving Day yesterday felt like a living in the middle of a sweet prayer, all day long.

Gratitude and family are good for the soul. And so, today, I want to count my blessings all over again.

One: 

Our Morganne, serving as an LDS Service Missionary, while staying with my parents in Idaho, is a blessing to so many. (Here she is dressed as a Grecian lady for an Institute dance.) She gets to come home for the month of December, before she has a new assignment in January. We are all so excited to have her stay with us again!

Two:

Our sweet Davy boy is a joy! He has grown so much, and while he wants to be one of the big kids, he is also still a snuggly little guy that gives the greatest hugs. We can't believe he is more than a year old now.

Davy loves "outside!"

Three:

Our third child, Lliam, has had a rough month. But he's also had some great experiences, too. 

One of the biggest blessings he has had is the chance to be in the Millenial Choir Organization. He's never done anything like it, but he is the only one in our family singing with them, and it has helped him learn so much! They are truly an amazing group, and we are so thrilled to go see him in concert next week! It will be amazing. (Check out come of their recordings by clicking the audio links under the main slide show on their web page.)

Lliam, in his concert attire

Four: 

MacKenna chose to be baptized as a member of the LDS Church, and asked her big brother to use the Aaronic Priesthood to be the one to baptize her. Then, her daddy, with his Melchizedek Priesthood, performed her confirmation as a new member of the church and gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost. (To learn more about LDS baptism and confirmation here and here.) We're so grateful for her decision and the desire she has to choose the right. And I'm also very grateful that these two men are worthy and righteous Priesthood holders who are able to bless our family!

Brennan, MacKenna, and Daddy

Five:

Eryn is sweet, yet sassy, which is not a surprise for an eleventh child that has to hold her own near the end of a long line of strong personalities! We love her and her "snaggletooth" grin. She is three years old now, but can toss her head and proclaim her opinion as strongly as all her older siblings do. She is a great blessing, and I'm so glad she joined our family!

Six:

As of yesterday, our Dierdre is now twelve years old. Time has passed so quickly! She is a peacemaker, a talented seamstress, and a creative force of nature. She blesses our entire family every single day.

Seven:

Ronan is never far behind his older sister. And he's ALWAYS at the forefront of whatever his four little sisters are doing. (How they idolize him!) He loves anything with an engine, and loves going to play with the boys in the neighborhood. Whether it's football, scooters, airsoft guns, or just going to the park with his buddies, he is ready and willing to GO. He loves having a little BROTHER, and is so helpful and kind to Davy. 

Eight:

Brennan is busy preparing to leave on his mission, and is busy trying to fit in all the good, clean fun he can before he sets off to dedicate these next two years exclusively to the Lord. (Making board games, participating in historical reenactments, creating videos with friends, etc.!) He's also been shopping for suits, ties, shoes, and many other necessities that he'll need as a missionary. He reports on January 1st, 2014. We're excited and anxious! We know the people of Spokane will be good to him, and that he will have one of the best experiences of his entire life. This mama is just trying not to think about how much she will miss him...

Nine:

Grayse Dawn is always busy, and always ready for adventure! She is also very imaginative in her play and speech, and catches me off guard with her winning personality almost daily. She brings joy and laughter wherever she goes!

 Ten:

Our Bonny is becoming so grown up! That's good and bad. Helping at home is not as much fun as it used to be for her, but she's also finding that she make new friends and have fun with lots of different people. She and some of the girls in our homeschool group had a great time together at a historical reenactment event. They toughed it out for two days, one in a constant rainstorm (unusual where we live!) and the other in a perpetual wind (also unusual!). She was a trooper and worked hard, all while looking elegant in her Colonial era finery.

Eleven:

Gavin hates haircuts. And I hate cutting his thick, voluminous hair, because it takes FOREVER! Why not just take him to a salon or a barber? It's just not been in the budget. And so, he and I ventured together into my bathroom, I with clippers and scissors in hand, and he with a prayer in his heart. And it turned out not too badly! He looks much better, and I only got a minimal bit of hair in my mouth. (yuck.) And I'm pretty sure it took less than two hours! (He really does have a TON of hair on his head!)

I am grateful that he let me do it, and that he continues to be such a help with the baby.  He does not let his autism slow him down, and is working hard to do more things that are out of his comfort zone. I'm so proud of him!

Twelve:

Avalon is fun, fun, FUN! (Though there are times that we don't quite understand her brand of fun...) She is smiley, and mischievous, and creative, and wild, and crazy. She is a lively girl that keeps us all busy!

"Cheese!"

Thirteen:

Every day, I feel such overwhelming gratitude and love for the man that chose me as his eternal companion so many years ago. (Though it often feels like yesterday.) How the Lord saw fit to bless me with such a wonderful son of God as my husband and father of my children, I may never know, but I am so very, VERY glad He did.

My true love

Fourteen:

I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for His perfect life and sacrifice for all the world. I'm so excited that the Christmas season is now here, and the feeling it gives me. It seems like all the world is celebrating His birth, and I just want to shout and sing Hallelujah all month long!

Love from your friend,