Thankful Me

I know it's only been a few days since I linked up with the previous Ten Things of Thankful blog hop, but since I've titled this post "End of August Edition," I'm pretty much committed to publishing it today. 🙂 Besides, being thankful isn't limited to once a week.  1. I'm thankful for unexpected surprises--specifically, my discovery that the dishwasher has a third rack. It would have been one thing if this dishwasher came with the house and I just happened to discover the rack now, but we actually purchased the dishwasher and had it installed months ago. I vaguely remember reading that it came with a third rack, and I guess I just figured the little fold-down piece on (what I thought was) the top rack counted as a third rack. I'm still laughing, and wondering if any of my previous dishwashers had features I didn't ever find out about! Photo: My dishwasher, with all three racks extended. The top rack is the perfect depth for lids and long ut

Brigham Young University hosts Education Week every year, and thousands of people come from all over the world to participate in classes. As often as I can attend, I do, and I always come away with new thoughts and ideas, and motivation to act upon what I've learned. One thing that I love about Education Week is the emergence of themes on an individualized basis.  I try to take a variety of classes each year--some doctrinal, some practical, some just for fun--and yet it seems that regardless of the diversity of topics, I pick up on the same concepts that are woven throughout the presentations. Not only that, but as I talk to other Education Week participants, I realize that what they have picked up on in their classes is different that what I've learned, even when we've attended some of the same classes.  The basic thought that I had come to me over and over again last week was that our Heavenly Father encourages strong relationships, and Satan wants us to feel isol

If you have seen the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you will remember the father, who frequently challenges someone to " Give me a word, any word, and I show you that the root of that word is Greek." Sometimes I feel like when Denise gives us the prompt for the Six Sentence Story , I might as well be saying, "Give me a word, any word, and I will tell you a story from my family that has to do with that word." This week's prompt: "Mailbox." The mailbox looms above his small stature. He reaches up, tugging hard to open the stubborn door.  Moving had sounded like so much fun; the anticipation of being able to sneak down to the creek and play for hours had distracted him from the reality that his best friend now lived hours away. The U-Haul moving van was returned on Saturday, Mommy said the mailman doesn't come on Sundays, but today is Monday, and surely a letter will come. His small hand plunges inside the mailbox, but his fingers feel only

The Ten Things of Thankful blog hop has been going for over 5 years now! It started with Lizzi , who had the wisdom to recognize the importance of gratitude in her own life, and who invited everyone to join her in giving thanks each week. A community was born, friendships were formed, and everyone benefited from writing posts, and reading and commenting on the posts of others. Lizzi encouraged nine other bloggers to join her in co-hosting duties (10 hosts for the Ten Things of Thankful). The hosting responsibilities have changed hands several times over the years. Co-hosts came and went, Lizzi turned the responsibility over to Josie Two Shoes , then I offered to help when Josie needed a break.  Through the years, I have appreciated the bloggers who have taken time to join us. This month, I want to invite anyone who has ever participated in the TToT to join us for a reunion. Of course, as always, this blog hop is one of no pressure, so don't worry if you can't make it. Also kn

I'm joining in again with Kristi and Kenya for a Finish the Sentence Friday post. (Fortunately for me, the link is open for longer than just Friday!) This time, we were to write for 5 minutes on the prompt "grandparents." Say "grandparents" and my first inclination is to think of my own grandparents, even though I'm a grandma now myself. Photo: Grandpa and Grandma sit on the sofa (we always called it a sofa back then, although I think I remember Grandma occasionally saying "davenport") and Grandma holds me  My mom's dad was the first to depart this earth; my mom's mom will be the last of my grandparents to depart. There probably aren't too many grandmas who still have a living grandma, so I realize I'm fortunate in that regard. The woman my grandma is, is hidden in the shell of Alzheimer's, but I remember her as a vibrant, hard-working, surprisingly strong person. When I was very young, I didn't recognize all of

Denise at Girlie on the Edge faithfully comes up with a cue word each week for the Six Sentence Story link-up. This week's prompt is "fear," and though I don't think I live a fear-filled life, I must admit, I had several different incidents to choose from. I settled on the following. If you'd like to read a more extended version of the situation, you can find it  here . (Spoiler alert: he survived, healed, and is OK.) The revving of an engine interrupts their conversation, and she turns to the right to see what idiot would be traveling at such speeds. Her heart stops, and then beats quickly, as she sees the rider-less motorcycle sliding parallel to their vehicle. In the rear-view mirror, a figure lies on the pavement. Her husband stops the car and runs back to check on the man, as her shaking fingers grab her phone and punch in the numbers.  "This is 911. What's your emergency?"

It has been too long since I have participated in a Finish the Sentence Friday prompt, and here it is Sunday evening and I'm not sure I'll even get a post written before the link-up closes.  1. I worry I will post something that doesn't really matter. 2. I worry I won't post anything because I'll run out of time. 3. I worry that I am not a real worrier; am I even allowed to participate? 4. I worry that I should be a worrier but am not. 5. I worry that what I am claiming are worries are not big enough. And so it goes.  Even though I am not a worrier, I can occasionally worry (usually when I'm tired but not sleeping, which fortunately doesn't happen often) and I've learned that what I really worry about falls into a big category called, "I CAN'T CONTROL THIS." Now, since there are billions of things outside my control, how can I not be a worrier?  I recognize my limitations, but don't allow them to become excuses to do

Today is my mom's birthday. I couldn't have asked for a more patient, kind, dedicated, understanding, hard-working, devoted, loving mother. This post that I wrote 5 years ago is still appropriate today, so I'm going to re-run it: Ten Things of Thankful: Lessons Learned from Mom Edition Today is my mom's birthday, so today's Ten Things of Thankful is written in her honor.   Ten Lessons I'm Thankful Mom Taught Me: 1.   It's important to think of others.  One of Mom's favorite questions to me was, "How would you feel?", meaning, "Try to put yourself in that person's shoes and be compassionate, patient, and kind." 2.  It's important to do your best, and if you've given your best effort, that's enough.  I distinctly remember being devastated with the first "B" on my report card, and Mom (and Dad) telling me that as long as I did my best, it was OK.  (I was a bit slow in figuring out that "best&quo

We're a week into August already, and I'm still surprised that July is over. I just seem to be running behind in more ways than one, but fortunately: (1) this blog hop is open until tonight, and (2) this is a no-guilt zone, and writing this post is not merely something to cross off my to-do list, but rather a welcome chance to reflect back on beautiful moments of the past week. "Doesn’t it seem foolish to spoil sweet and joyful experiences because we are constantly anticipating the moment when they will end?"--Dieter F. Uchtdorf Now, with that attitude adjustment, I'm going to share with you a few things I've noticed recently: 1. I'm thankful for wildlife. We had our first deer sighting last week. John and I were sitting at the dinner table and saw a deer bounding across the mountain. I thought perhaps she was being chased by another creature, but I didn't see a predator. 2. I'm thankful for a nice run last Saturday. John is training for hi

Each week, Denise over at Girlie on the Edge graciously hosts the Six Sentence Story link-up. Each week, she posts the cue word, and each week, I intend to write my six sentences. Occasionally, I succeed. This week's cue: transform. The thoughts come unbidden in the still of the dark night, waking her up, making her pay attention to her shortcomings, while demanding she do something about them (right now!) , though even the tabloids at the check-out counter graciously allow at least a month to see the promised ten pound weight loss. While crickets chirp outside the open window, she thinks not only of the stubborn pounds, but also of out-of-control areas of her house--the moving boxes still unpacked, and the unsolved puzzle of where everything should go once the boxes are empty. Of course, the unpacking is just the tip of the iceberg, because once her office/sewing room is put together, she needs to start in on projects: a blessing dress for the soon-to-be-born granddaughter; a q