Gratitude

Chatting with a sister is a sweet privilege...eventhough Kevin was annoyed the phone was tied up for 2 and 1/2 hours...and my cell phone was on silent...

I worked my first "12-hour shift" that I will receive pay for. Getting hired by a manager who recognized my address because she had picked up her "Wondermill" at our house because it was purchased through Kevin's Coop. Laughing with her about the regular emails she receives from my husband...(emails from the Airdrie Provident Lifestyle Co-operative)about products available in the future i.e. chickens, oats, cornmeal, buckets...

Realizing our journey through life is a web built with a divine and benevolent hand to bring us joy and connect with others...

Heavenly Father knew I needed energetic live-wire little boys who did not nap or sleep so that I would get sunshine and vitamin D going for walks to the park four or five times a day to get the essential chemicals needed to battle sleeplessness and post partum depression...

Heavenly Father knew that my little boys needed a Dad during seasons of unemployment who would play with them daily, take them to the zoo, fish creek park, camping and hikes in winter and summer.

Heavenly Father knew that I needed a husband who loves food and will spend every energy and effort to ensure that other families have what they need when they also face seasons of unemployment and distress.

Heavenly Father knew that a house fire would bless our family to build a reservoir of lifelong friends and associates. He also knew that we would develop greater faith, knowledge and gratitude for the most important mortal possessions - the gospel of Jesus Christ and eternal families. He knew that a house fire would give us gifts and a reservoir of resilience that would help us weather every storm.

Heavenly Father knew that little boys praying and fasting for their Dad to get a job would build their faith and their relationship with him to desire to serve missions and give a tiny portion back for all that He has given us.

Heavenly Father knew that little boys prayers of gratitude for a roof overhead, food on our table and clothes on our backs would open their eyes to see past the materialism of this world and have gratitude for the small things.

Heavenly Father knew that family prayers for grandparents to lose desire for cigarettes would build the faith of children and grandchildren, bring purpose to fasting and result in extensions of the lives of those we hold so dear.

Heavenly Father knew that we needed opportunities to grow and develop our faith to overcome fear, let go of pride and be recipients of the generosity of ward members, friends and neighbors.

Heavenly Father knew we needed an Aunt, Uncle and cousins to give our sons opportunities we could not give them and many friends with similar interests and values to prepare them to serve missions in distant lands - focused on the task at hand.

G R A T I T U D E