My Sister

I am so thankful for my sister and her family. As you know now, I'm in Arizona and I wasn't going to be able to go home for Thanksgiving or for Christmas. Now don't get me wrong, I love spending it with family, but I figured it would be better for me to save the money than to try and fly back for a few days. And I also figured, I'm a big girl, I can handle a couple holidays without being home.

And it's true, I can but man was I excited when I found out my sister would be moving to Arizona and would be here for Thanksgiving and Christmas!! I spent both holidays with her last year and I had a fantastic time. So this year I decided that I'd see if we could do it again.. and what do you know, we are!

So tomorrow I will be driving up to Phoenix to spend time with my sister and all of her family and in-laws. It may not be all of my family, but I love and appreciate her letting me have a little getaway to see them. :)

Technology

Ok, here's the deal. I honestly wanted to write everyday about something that I'm thankful for. And then it happened. Out internet was completely out for the entire weekend. It drove me nuts. So that's why I'm thankful for technology. I never realized how much I relied on it.

Of course I have my Facebook that I check everyday, e-mails, blogs, etc. But I never realized how much I use it for everything else. Much of my life revolves on the internet. If I don't need something.. Oh, let me google it. Oh, I want to know what the weather's going to be for the week.. Let me check my weather app on my computer, that runs off the internet. Even contacting my family. I use Skype all the time! But there was none of that either!

So I am SOOOOO thankful for modern technology, specifically the internet, that helps me get through my days. :)

Perspective

Today I'm thankful to be put into situations that give me the opportunity to learn and grow and develop a new perspective on something that you originally had a negative perspective of.

Today Mary took Kaitlin to her school that she goes to on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is usually the time Mary takes to get things like shopping or other activities done. She definitely needs the break, and I'm happy to let her relax and get out of the house for a few hours.

I was a little worried because Joe has been having a super hard time lately with his colic and hadn't had the best week so far. But Mary left and Ben was actually awake. I decided I wanted to get some stuff done around my room so I brought him in while I got ready for the day, (which I NEVER do anymore). He sat on his little mat and watched all the toys light up and was so happy.

He was getting sleepy, so I put him in the bouncer so I could straighten my hair and bounce at the same time. He fell asleep and then Joe woke up soon after. He was such a happy baby! I fed him a bottle and he sat and listened to Christmas music with me while I did all my laundry and picked up my room. He started getting sleepy so I put his bouncer in the kitchen by the fan, (his favorite thing ever) He slept there for almost 3 1/2 hours. It was glorious! I got everything I needed to get done.

He woke up as happy as a clam and I was able to spend some time with just Joe and I. And let me tell you, that little boy absolutely melted my heart today. It's days like these that I can see myself having a baby. Where you just sit and cuddle with them. When all they do is look up at you with their big blue eyes and smile and laugh at you. Yep, it's situations like really allow you to have a different perspective on things. I mean how can you not love this little guy? (I guess these moments make all the screaming and waking up in the middle of the night worth it).

Scriptures

Today (but not just today) I am so thankful for scriptures. It seems that no matter how hard of a time you're having, the moment you start doing the little things, (reading scriptures, saying prayers) everything is ok. It gives you so much comfort, and direction. I have no doubt that the scriptures are true. The testimony that I have of them continues to be strengthened each and every time I read them.

And just to further strengthen my testimony of the scriptures here's a quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that hits me every time I read it.

"In this their greatest—and last—hour of need, I ask you: would these men blaspheme before God by continuing to fix their lives, their honor, and their own search for eternal salvation on a book (and by implication a church and a ministry) they had fictitiously created out of whole cloth?... No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so... I hope I have a few years left in my “last days,” but whether I do or do not, I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true, that it came forth the way Joseph said it came forth and was given to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of the latter days."

It's technically a string of quotes, but I suggest you read the whole talk. It is absolutely amazing.

Here's to the scriptures, I truly am so thankful.

Sleeping Babies

Ok. So technically for me, it's not Tuesday anymore, but it is in California still.. so this will still count!

Today I am SO thankful that the babies slept well today. Mary was out of the house and it was up to myself and Elisa (one of the other nannies) to fend for ourselves with the 3 kids. It's not so bad if you have just the twins, or just Kaitlin. It's the combination of both.

So, where Kaitlin is still more comfortable with Elisa, I was on baby duty. They were waking up alternately for a while, but then there was silence. No baby was crying. Kaitlin wasn't crying. It was a true napping house. the babies slept almost 2.5 hours, as well as Kaitlin. Elisa and I were able to sit and actually have time to ourselves!!! This never happens I tell you. Not during the day at least.

So we had some girl time watching Dear John and enjoying our lunch with no distractions. I can only hope for more days like this!

The Meyers

I'm so thankful for the Meyer family. They have been such an amazing family to live/work with. They have 3 children that I watch. Kaitlin, and the twins, Joseph and Benjamin.

I moved down to Arizona after getting a call from Mary asking if I was interested in nannying. I was so excited. I had always wanted to nanny and I knew it would be perfect! So I packed myself up and drove down to Arizona. I've been here for a little over a month now and other than the whole working 24/5 (I get Saturdays and Sunday "day" off) it's been great. Mary and I are a lot a like, and we get along great.

They have made me feel so welcome here, as if I'm really a part of their family. We always have good conversations, and have actually had multiple conversations about the church. Will it ever turn into something more? Who knows. But.. I have tried to plant a little seed in Kaitlin. At nights, when I put her down, we always sing "Popcorn Popping". She loves it! I've also introduced her to "Once There Was a Snowman", but it's just not as effective when the girl has never seen snow. :)

But here's to the Meyers: Mary, Dan, Kaitlin, Joe and Ben, I love you all and I'm so thankful for everything you have done for me!

(Hopefully I'll get pictures of them soon.)

Thankful

Today I was able to hear from our amazing prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. He spoke at our regional stake conference broadcast. I love listening to him speak. He has such a way of talking that even though it was time to go, I wanted to hear more! His topic was about being thankful and showing gratitude. The whole time he was speaking I was thinking about having an "Attitude of Gratitude". I absolutely love this topic, because although you can feel thankful for things, I know for myself, I definitely don't show/say it as much as I should. So I decided that for the next few weeks, until Thanksgiving, I want to (try) and write everyday about something that I'm grateful for.

1. I'm so thankful for my family. I think that the older I get and the further we get from each other, the more I realize how much I truly am thankful for them. It doesn't matter how much we drive each other crazy when we're all together in one place, I love them. Especially my parents. My parents are the best parents in the world. I'm so thankful for them putting up with me, because Heaven knows that I was definitely a hard teenager. They know my weaknesses and I'm so grateful that they knew those, so that they can help me when hard times come.

I'm grateful that I have such a close family. We love each other, and I could ask for a better one.