What I Am Thankful For

This time of year inevitably makes one think about things they are thankful for. The typical things usually come to mind...food, clothing, a house to live in. I would like to share a few of my thoughts on things I am grateful for.

I am soooo thankful for my family. I honestly don't know what I did to deserve Kirk, the girls and the Bertelsen family. I have learned so much from all of them and will be eternally grateful for them. Kirk has taught me how to be more patient and to see all sides of a situation. Dani has taught me that diligence does pay off. Bryn has taught me that it is okay to dance and laugh and dream. The Bertelsen family is the epitome of unconditional, Christ like love. Wow, what great teachers I have.





I am thankful for a great job. There is so much turmoil and uncertainty about jobs anymore. I even feel vulnerable with my job but I am so thankful to have wonderful people to work with and especially a boss that just lets me do my job. Believe me, I have had it both ways and this way is much, much better.

I am thankful for friends. Really, what would life be like without friends? Someone to go to lunch with when you have had a hard day. Someone that listens to your ranting and raving. Someone who values a good shopping trip! Someone who knows your faults and loves you anyway.

I am so thankful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I cannot even express the peace that the Gospel brings to me. Can you imagine me without it? Scary! I am so grateful to know that wherever I go there is a community of other members waiting to invite me in. To uplift and support me.



I am so thankful for the atonement. For the sacrifice that our Savior made for us so that we could repent and return to live with our Heavenly Father. What an amazing gift. One that we didn't even ask for but that is freely given to all. I was reading recently in the Book of Mormon about Laman and Lemuel, Lehi's sons. They were rude, combative, argumentative, unrepenting and unbelieving yet, Heavenly Father kept giving them chance after chance to repent and choose the right way. It gives me so much hope that even after all of the mistakes I can make, Heavenly Father still keeps that door open to me. What a wonderful thing to be thankful for.

I am so thankful for a home to live in. I am especially thankful that it was the home of my grandparents. How blessed I am that I can be here and remember them at almost every turn. I spent most of my youth trying to get here, to be with them. I am finally home.



There are so many more things that I am thankful for. I will try to share them throughout the year from now on.

The flu sucks!

Good Tuesday Morning! I am home with the flu. Not the intestinal kind, thank goodness. The stuffy, headache, achy body, coughing kind. The bad part....I can't go to work. Can't see all of my wonderful peeps. Can't really cook anything, too many germs. Can't seem to stay awake for very long. The good part? I did learn how to make an extra juicy turkey on the cooking channel yesterday. Unfortunately, I still can't cook. Hopefully by Wednesday or Thursday things will be looking up. How long is this supposed to last anyway? Kirk even offered to stay home and take care of me today. How sweet! He was actually hoping and praying I would say he didn't need to (which I did) so he could go on a motorcycle ride with Jake. Not many riding days left in the year so I am glad he could go. Anyhow, I need to go blow my nose ...again....

Insomnia.....

I sincerely hope that I am not sleep blogging. If I am and I write something totally off the wall, please chalk it up to insomnia.
Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night and despite the best medication that science has invented and money can buy, you are unable to go back to sleep? Well, I would like to join your club!
I have been awake since 1:12 AM. That's actually better than waking up at 1:11 AM. Why, you ask? Because It drives me crazy when I wake up, look at the clock and all of the numbers are the same. 1:11, 2:22, 3:33, etc., etc.... I have had many nights when I have woken up every hour at those times. Who does that? Weird people!! Surely there is a disorder called 'Chronolophobia", the fear of waking up at stupid times during the night. If not, let me be the first to acknowledge it. I am sure you will be reading about it in upcoming medical journals on sleep disorders.
So, after laying in bed for more than 2 hours, trying not to disturb Kirk or the two dogs, I finally decided to sneak out of bed. I am a grown woman. Why am I sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night? I slip, ever so carefully, out of the bed wishing it was one of those mattresses that you can bounce a bowling ball on without spilling the precariously perched glass of wine. I quietly fumble around for the clothes I removed last night and the shoes that are by the side of my bed. I open the door and realize that the arm support I wore to bed hoping to help a sore wrist is now attached to the door knob and I can ever so quietly hear the velcro separating. Nevertheless, I make it to the hallway, slowly bringing the door to rest in the closed position. Whew. I made it through the magic portal.
I go to the living room to put on my clothes and find that all is well except for the socks. They don't match each other. I put them on anyway. Who will know?
Here I sit in front of the computer. It is too early to do listings on ebay. Too early to make any of those phone calls. Too early to run the vacuum. This is really the best I can do! I am thinking of going grocery shopping. I have done that before at an odd hour such as this. The only problem with that is that you must be good at maneuvering around the pallets and stockers. The thought of it really makes me tired. Maybe I am tired. I probably should just go back to bed.....before it is 4:44.

p.s. Note the time that I posted this...seriously weird eh?

My Favorite Day of the Week

Sunday is by far my favorite day of the week. I love the quiet peacefulness of the morning. No hustling and bustling around to get ready for work. No stressful moments at all.
It seems as though it has been an incredibly stressful week for me and I was really looking forward to this morning.
As I got up and looked out the front window today, I was not surprised to see the deer munching leaves in the front yard. Usually my dogs are barking like crazy at them, but today they just watched with me.
These deer have stayed in town all year this year. I think we fed them too well during the winter and they figured..."Why hike back up the mountain?"
Watching these beautiful creatures always calms my mind. I have taken a lot of pictures of them and even tried to sneak up on them during the winter to get a close up. Today's pictures are through my front window. (I am afraid when I get back to the stress of next week I better clean that window!)

My Photo Blog

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share some of my favorite pictures that I have taken with you. Check out my other blog at www.inyourlikeness.blogspot.com and let me know what you think!

Fear Not Little Flock......

It has been a wild week with elections, the passing of Proposition 8 which banned gay marriage and the reaction of people to the passing of that amendment.

I wanted to share my thoughts about the reactions that have been reported. At first I was stunned but as I stepped back and thought about it, I realize that just as much I was hoping it would pass, there were many that hoped it would not. So many people donated their time and money for both sides of the issue.

My heart really hurts for those who have chosen a lifestyle that doesn't go hand in hand with the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I say "chosen" because I truly believe it is a choice. I do believe that someone may be born with tendencies of being gay but I believe it is a choice to act upon those tendencies. Our time on earth is to prove ourselves worthy to return to our Father in Heaven. Part of that 'Proving' is how we handle the tests and trials we are given as well as what we do with the gifts that we are blessed with. Being born with tendencies to be gay is a test or trial. What you do with those tendencies is your 'proving'. It is the same with every test and trial.

I was in a meeting this morning with the leadership of our ward and our bishop made reference to what has been happening this week. He spoke of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints being singled out of all of those who were for Prop 8 passing. Why is it that so many other religious organizations, who stood on the same side of this issue, have not been targeted? Could it be that Satan knows who he must stop?

I want to remind everyone, and share with those who may have never read the Proclamation To The World from the LDS church, the second and fourth paragraphs....

"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife."

Please pray for those who are lost. Pray for those who need strength to overcome weaknesses. Pray for families.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:34 reads: "Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail."

Miss Bryn the Dance Teacher

Just wanted to let you all know what Bryn has been up to recently. Not only is she working at Canterbury Assisted Living in Springville, taking care of 8 elderly friends, she is also teaching dance for Orem Recreation.

Bryn teaches every Tuesday and Thursday and has 2 classes of 3-5 year olds, 1 class of 6-9 year olds and 1 class of 10-15 year olds. Each class meets twice a week.





She has come up with some of the cutest dances for each class. They are dancing to Splish Splash I Was Taking A Bath, Bleeding Love, Hide and Seek and a James Brown combination that Bryn put together herself.




The girls adore her! I can totally understand why.



I am so proud of her...she is living her dream!

GO VOTE! GO VOTE! GO VOTE!

The most important thing you can do today is VOTE!!! Don't put it off. Don't worry about how long you may be standing in line! Just do it!

A lot of people think their vote will be wasted if they are not voting for the person that the media and the polls are telling you is going to win. DON'T BELIEVE IT! Every single vote counts. Some votes will help someone win while other votes may help with financing for that organization, even if their candidate did not win.

We are so incredibly blessed to be in a country where we have the right to vote. We seriously take so much for granted. Please let your voice be heard!!!

I will now jump down from my soap box and go vote;)