Over-Time

Okay, actually I'm not such a fan of the overtime.  And I feel bad for my sweet husband who has been working it a lot lately.  I know he is exhausted.

But in the interest of trying to be grateful, even when things aren't ideal, I will look on the bright side of the over time...

It's helping us rebuild that savings we just spent on the van transmission...

So, though I think it's lame my husband is never home lately...  And though I think it's lame he's missing out on watching the munchkin become a pro at the whole walking thing (she loves that she can travel with her birthday lamb ;))...

At least there is a silver lining.  So I'm going to go ahead and see it that way :).

What are you grateful for today?

(Semi) Local Honey

Ever since 2011, I've had allergies around this time every year.  Since that's the year I started dating my husband, I like to say it's his fault ;)....  Because I'd never had them before :).  Even in Alabama where the pollen is thick enough to turn a white car yellow in a matter of days.  (True story). 

I'd heard once that eating local honey could help with allergies.  I'm pretty sure I heard that when I lived in Alabama.  But, as I'd never had issues with such miseries, I dismissed the information.  Fortunately it stayed tucked away somewhere in the recesses of my brain.  Because I've had reason to summon it forth.

And this year, I'm trying out the theory.  With semi-local honey.  See, back in October at a family gathering for my husband's side of the family, one of my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law gave everyone honey from their bees.  Which is really quite awesome, if you ask me.  I thought it was cool back then.  Now that I remembered the allergy possibility, it's even more awesome.  The reason it's semi-local is because they live on the other side of the State.  But I'm willing to try anything.  And surely some of the bloomin' vegetation is the same in both parts, right :)? 

So every day, I get a nice taste of yummy fresh honey.  That doesn't come from the store.  (Not that there's anything wrong with that kind -- we have some -- but it probably has less chance of helping my allergies, since it could come from Alabama ;)).  And so far, so good on the allergy front. 

And if this continues and I make it through July with no flare-ups...  Well, I'll be investing in some local honey every year.  Unless we get brave and start keeping bees ;).  Because, though it can be pricey...  It's totally worth it if I don't spend two weeks sneezing my head off and having a dripping nose and burning eyes :).

So I'm really grateful I have this stuff to give it a go with.  Grateful for an awesome brother and sister-in-law who shared their bounty with us :). 

What are you grateful for today?

Karen D

Just the other night, I was telling my husband how much I admire my friend Karen D.  She is a strong woman in ways I can only wish I was.

For example:  she has given birth at home... twice. 

I am in awe of women who can do that.  Yes, I know there was once a time when it was the only option.  But I'm a modern-day city girl.  And I'm also a bit wimpy.  So women with this kind of strength amaze me.

But there are many other reasons I admire Karen. 

I know Karen from church.  I remember when they first moved into our Ward, because she speaks Spanish and was an interpreter.  Which I thought was totally cool.  I didn't really get to know her until a couple years later, though.  She was the fourth member of our awesome Primary Presidency.  The one where we all became friends.  The one made up of Christina, Karen, Tawni, and myself. 

One of the best things about Karen is her sense of humor.  She says some of the most hilarious things.  I will never forget how she was talking about her husband wanting to have chickens, but their house was in the middle of downtown on a lot that wasn't really large enough for chickens and on a busy street.  She said, "I could just imagine someone coming by and stealing a chicken and running down the street with it."  And okay, maybe that's not funny as I write it here.  But when she said it, I laughed so hard.  Because I pictured it too. 

Karen is willing to help out.  Like all the time.  Even with a million things on her plate.  She helped do the Appreciation Brunch for our friend Christina a couple weeks back, even though she and her husband have been in the middle of packing and selling their house, and even though she has to work, and even though she has two little ones... 

And she's a great teacher.  She has been teaching the young women in our congregation on Sundays.  And I always love getting to be present for her lessons.  I really can't put my finger on what it is, exactly, but there is something in the way she teaches and talks to the girls that I find really admirable.  And she gives great talks in church.  She applies things to every day life -- and does it in a way that is both humorous as well as thought-provoking and inspiring. 

And she is one of the most beautiful women I know.  Both inside and out.  I am always amazed at how pretty she looks -- like all the time. 

Anyway, I am grateful for Karen.  I am grateful to know her and call her a friend.  Grateful for the laughter we've shared and the memories we've made as we served together.  Grateful for the example of strength she is to me -- and to the young women in our congregation. 

What are you grateful for today?

That My Husband is GREAT with Kids

The past couple mornings, we have been helping some friends by watching their kiddos.  Well, today it was just one kiddo.

And my husband, though he is on swing shift and getting home late at night (and getting to bed even later), has gotten up and helped me both days.

I think I'm pretty decent at watching kids.  You know...  making sure they don't kill themselves or each other...  But my sweetheart is great at playing with them.  Yesterday he got the laundry basket down and was giving rides to them.  Both days he built towers with them (including our munchkin, of course, though she isn't quite ready for the clothes basket rides...), made cardboard box mazes with them, cardboard tunnels, etc.

I'm in charge of getting them snacks and lunch.  He makes time at our house fun and exciting.  And I somehow manage to do things like make a double batch of bagels or healthy oatmeal applesauce muffins (toddler snacks).  And not feel exhausted like I just finished a marathon (after having 3 kids under the age of 4 for a few hours).  All because he is so wonderful with the kids.

In fact, yesterday, when we had both of the kids, and their mom came to pick them up, the little girl told my husband she needed a hug before they left.  So he gave her one.  We learned today, when their dad came to get the little boy (she had pre-school today), that getting a hug from her -- with her initiating said hug -- is a huge deal.  Apparently it's a rarity.  So obviously I'm not the only one who is impressed with my hubby's ability to be awesome with kids.

And I'm so grateful :).

What are you grateful for today?

Opportunities to be a Part of Bringing Joy to Another

I had a hard time figuring out what to title this, because it's hard to put it in words simply and have it make sense.

Tonight was a young women's activity.  And the older girls (16 through 18) wanted to take dessert to one of the elderly women in the congregation.  So we set it up, the girls made dessert, and we went by for a dessert visit. 

And it was amazing.  4 different generations of women sat in a room and chatted about dances -- then and now; first dates; family...  Things that span all generations.  The youngest "lady" in the room was 1 (my munchkin accompanied me today, since Daddy is back on swing shift).  The eldest in the room was 88.  And the rest of us were sprinkled in between.  And as we talked about dances now (everyone dancing in a circle, nobody really pairing off) versus dances then (real dancing -- like the Fox Trot), I couldn't help but wonder if the girls could envision this sweet woman at 16.  Did it become real to them, that she was once their age, dancing with the sailors in Seattle? 

I don't know if it did or not.  But I do know that these girls touched the life of a lovely woman tonight.  They made her feel important and special.  She invited us all back any time.  And we plan to take a whole dinner to her -- hopefully in a few months -- and eat with her. 

These wonderful young women served someone wonderful today.  Let her know she is not forgotten.  Let her know she is not too old for them.  It was a joy to watch.  A joy to be a part of it.  A joy to see the girls visit and chat and talk about their own lives with someone who lived through wars these girls only read about in History books. 

And I had the benefit of witnessing it.  And realizing, too, how correct Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley was when she said, "We are all in this together.  We need each other.  Oh, how we need each other.  Those of us who are old need you who are young, and hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old... We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other."  What a beautiful thing.

What are you grateful for today?

Having Savings

So remember when our van's check engine light came on?  Yeah, definitely not one of the happiest days of my life.

But the van's been continuing to work.  And I've continued to drive it.  Knowing that it was only a matter of time before we'd need to get it fixed.  Whatever it was.

So the hubs bought one of those code readers to find out what the check engine light came on for.  The result of that wasn't super-conclusive.  And it ended up resetting itself and the check engine light went off.  Until I got back on the freeway at high speeds again.

So we knew we needed to take it in and get it looked at.  Meanwhile, the transmission started slipping.  And we knew it was going to be a transmission issue for sure then.  And we knew it was going to be a costly fix.  And after calling around for estimates...  We found out we were right.

And I'm not really thrilled about that.  We weren't exactly planning to spend this much money on a vehicle we bought less than 2 years ago.  But, life happens.  And tomorrow the van goes in for some overhauling.

And I am grateful we have savings to to be an umbrella on the rainy days.  Like this one.  It is a blessing.  Because though it may be discouraging to see a lot of money going out, it'd be even more discouraging to have to go into debt.


And here's to hoping this means the van will last us 10 years!!! :).  With a "new" transmission.

What are you grateful for today?

Opportunities to Honor Those Who Gave All

Once upon a few years ago, I worked at a local funeral home/cemetery.  My mom still works there.  It was easily one of the best jobs I've had.  And many days I still miss it.

Memorial Day weekend is a big weekend for the funeral home.  They present a program to honor and commemorate those who served in the Armed Forces and gave their all:  those who died while serving.  Every year, each veteran's grave is marked with an American flag.  But for those 18 men who gave their lives, whose final resting place is this memorial park, the funeral home also does an additional honor.  This year their graves were specially marked with placards.  And tonight, at their annual Memorial Day program, their names were read, along with the war in which they served and died and their death date; and a bell was rung for each.  This was the first year I saw this part (it may have been in last year's program, but we didn't attend with our 2-day old), and I have to say it was a sacred experience. 

Those men died, that I might enjoy the freedoms I have.  It is humbling.

The program is beautiful, and I am grateful for such events, which allow me to honor, even in the small way of simply attending the program, those men (and women) who have served this country and died for the cause.  It is a humbling reminder that freedom isn't free.

What are you grateful for today?