Sunday 5

1- Jer's extended family. I come from an extremely small family with only 4 cousins (whom I love dearly!). Jer, on the other hand, still has cousins being born! Today I am especially grateful for the Orchard side of Jer's family. They typify what I believe a family should be. All of the aunts, uncles, and cousins get together once a month to celebrate birthdays, etc. They support each other. They love each other. They make time for each other. Today we went to Aunt Kandi's annual Christmas open house and enjoyed good food and good company. I love that when I married into this family, I gained true friends. I have leaned on Jer's extended family for many, many things, and I am forever grateful for them.

2- Cheese potatoes (my way awesome version of funeral potatoes), chocolate chip cookies, yummy rolls, fruit salad with snickers bars in it, and pretty much any other food out there.

3- Pregnancy talk. I don't know why, but I love talking about when I was pregnant. Thanks Natalia for being pregnant so I have a reason to reminisce.

4- Relief Society. I feel honored to be a member of the largest woman's organization in the world. I am so grateful for inspired leaders who take the time to get to know me personally and for prayerful teachers who know exactly what I need to hear. Today's lesson was about gratitude!

5- My faith. I am so eternally grateful that I was born in Utah and given the chance to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have had a lot of religious talks with various un-believing friends and family, and the thing I just can't get over is why in the world they wouldn't want to believe! I know that the Church is true, along with all of its principles and teachings, but before I had that knowledge, I just simply wanted the church to be true because, I mean, who wouldn't want the idea of an after-world where almost everyone is sent to a place much, much better than this world. A church that teaches that families should love each other, that women are valuable equals to men, that children are loved by a Heavenly Father who knows them personally, and that we are each important enough to God to receive personal revelation from him. As a parent, I shudder to think what it would be like to raise children, and try to teach them correct principles, without having the answer the all those "why" questions - the Church answers those questions! And for that, I am eternally grateful!