Today Sarah talks about creating a sacred space where you can 

"celebrate, concentrate, and consecrate" your work. 

She tells us of a little bench she has in her room that she has filled with things that are meaningful and that evoke love and gratitude. She sits comfortably against her bed and meditates while looking at it. 

She quoted Joan Borysenko who said it doesn't have to be a large space, it can be "the top of a bureau, a corner of the kitchen, a nook in the hall."

But I thought, why leave it there? Why not make your entire home a place where you can be and live, celebrate, concentrate and consecrate? 

"In order to stay easily and happily creative, we need to stay spiritually centered."

-Julia Cameron  

This made me think of turning our tents towards the temple, 

and how being spiritually minded is life eternal.  

Life seems to just be better and easier this way.

Here are a few of my sacred spots in my home. Most of them I don't feel are complete, but I am happy and grateful for what I have.

My living room is a sacred space. With the windows open the sunlight hits everything just right. I love that when you walk into my home the first thing you see is a picture of Christ and the second is the temple. I'd like to have two smaller frames and pictures of our family on either side of the temple picture, but that has yet to happen. 

And then you turn around and see our family and the piano. A lot of amazing things happen at that piano, and I love how my photo collage celebrates our family. The entire living room celebrates our family. We do a lot of celebrating and creating in there.

This is where I rock my babies and look at the sky, loving and cherishing them. Definitely sacred.

But this is also my dream sacred space. I dream of shelves floor to ceiling filled with books, and a window bench under the window with pillows so you can lay out comfortably, bathing in the sunlight and reading a book...

Kind of like this

With a little bit of this

And this is some of the view

I want to constantly have my home be someplace I want to be, that I want to create in, that I can create in...Where I feel love and everyone who walks in the door feels that love too. 

Where is your sacred space?

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Productivity. Every single minute of today I was freaking productive. Bam. Take that.

2) My piano students. I got the nicest compliments from their mom today. She told me how much she appreciated all the work I put into lessons and trying to motivate them and inspire them, and that she had to ask her girls to get off the piano instead of telling them to get on. How cool is that?!

3) Pork Verde Tacos. I'll have to take a picture tomorrow when I make myself a plate for dinner...and I'll be grateful for them tomorrow night too. The most amazing and delicious things ever! This is the second year in a row I've made these for my birthday, and I probably won't be able to wait until next year to do them again.

4) Good friends who have kids the same age so we can go on playdates and hang out. How did I get so lucky?

5) Nice people. A lady and her daughter brought a styrofoam airplane to the park today and all of the kids were mesmerized. Each of them stopped what they were doing to run over to see the airplane. She was so nice, she let each of them have a turn. The smiles on their faces, even though the airplane didn't go very far with their little hands and arms and lack of coordination and skill, were from ear to ear. When Robbie got home it was the first thing Jacob told him about, how he flew an airplane at the park. She didn't have to share, that was super nice and it made my kid's day.

February 27th - Spiritual Awakening

Sarah said "by this time it's no secret that the Simple Abundance path 
is spiritual as well as creative and practical.

But Simple Abundance will work for you even if you're 
ambivalent about whether God exists. 

If you consciously work to bring more gratitude, simplicity, order, harmony, beauty, and joy into your daily life, your world will be transformed whether you believe a Higher Power is guiding you or not. 

BUT

IF you commit to your spiritual awakening as the most important part of the process, something marvelous will happen.

Life will not feel as fraught, as frazzled, or as fragmented as before because you'll realize that the spiritual, the creative, and the practical can't be separated. 

They each count.

They each mean something.

They're all connected."

She then quoted Christina Baldwin

If we "ready ourselves with spiritual openness", eventually we will come to the awareness that "Spirituality is the sacred center of which all life comes, including Mondays and Tuesdays and rainy Saturday afternoons in all their mundane and glorious details."

I hope that there are many different people with many different opinions and beliefs reading my thoughts. I hope that no matter what you believe, you can at least try the idea of a spiritual awakening and being spiritually open. 



Maybe something marvelous will happen.

What do you have to lose?





***
Gratitude Journal
***

1) Today was my birthday! Not everyone makes it to 27, and what a wonderful 27 years it has been. 

2) My mom. She's pretty amazing. She made me a cake. I could not get enough of her red velvet, so she made me my own personal cake...with extra frosting. And 27 candles. And great birthday presents. But honestly, the cake and my mom's presence was the best gift. 

3) My mom and my kids and Robbie. We picked up the kids so they could help put the candles in, Jacob did okay and Chase tried to put it in horizontally...Riley held onto the candle so tight that there was no candle, the bottom of her little pudgy hand got covered in frosting. Then Robbie took the time to try and teach them how to sing me happy birthday.

4) This simple abundance journey. I had a good day, but a rough day. I thought about my sister a lot, and how much I wanted her here. I wanted to get all dressed up, and showered, and wanted today to shine...but I didn't get dressed...I stayed in my pjs...and then I took a nap with the kids...and I changed seriously 10 poopy diapers. And stopped Chase from choking himself with his belt. And read to them and played with them...I wanted to make a roasted chicken and cheesy scalloped potatoes, but when it came to it I just couldn't get up to do it. My mom couldn't stay for dinner, which was beans and rice. 

But my day was filled with my children. I got to take a nap. Having a pajama day isn't that bad. The kids ate so much beans and rice. There were candles and cake. There was singing and playing and laughing...and a little crying and yelling. The sun was out. I got cards in the mail. Did I mention there was cake? And my mom came to see me, and I have the best husband in the world...And I miss my sister, which means I had something amazing for 19 years, so amazing that I miss it. 

It could have been a lot worse. Not a bad day for a birthday.

5) Robbie surprised me with Five Guys. Best burger ever. He knows the way to my heart. All that food and cake though, I'm really going to have to work my butt of the next couple weeks exercising...

February 26th - Reverence

Sarah defines reverence as: 

"The altered state of consciousness when you feel awe and wonder because you know you are in the presence of Spirit. 

Reverence enwraps you in perfect peace...

and you are one with Heaven and earth. 

There is no distinction between body and soul. 

Meditation can sometimes spiritually induce this 

special moment of Wholeness, as does creating something beautiful...

Concentrating on one task at a time with care and attentiveness 

can invoke reverence as well. 

...Gratitude is the gateway to experiencing more reverence in our daily lives.

...Real Life - the real life of joy we are meant to be living - begins when we restore a sense of reverence to our daily affairs. 

Today, search for the Sacred in the ordinary with gratitude in your heart and you will surely find it."

"Reverence is profound respect and love." -LDS 

Go read the rest of the article!

Sundays are the perfect day to reflect on reverence. It's really hard to be reverent when we don't prepare, and when we take an external locus of control attitude. 

We have to plan in order for reverence to happen, otherwise chaos ensues. 

We also need an to have an internal locus of control attitude, 

that we are in charge of how we feel. 

Anyone who has ever gone to church with young children knows how hard it is to try and have that reverent spirit about you. Just for example today in Sacrament meeting: Chase was farting for a good 10 minutes before he finally pooped, Jacob peed all over himself when he tried to go to the bathroom and Robbie didn't have the diaper bag on him, later Jacob was climbing all over the father of the family we sit next too (literally climbing on him, it took me and their 19 year old son to pull him off), I went up to sing in the choir and Robbie was off changing a diaper so Jacob and Riley stayed with the family we sit next to and Jacob yelled for everyone to hear "That's my mom! She's the best singer ever.".....Never have I ever said those words in that order in my life, I have no idea where he got that, and I'm grateful that he thinks that I'm the best singer in the world, and that everyone else in the chapel thought it was cute. 

That is just a small taste of what happened...

in one hour...

when we are trying to be reverent...

It's hard, and it can be easy to make excuses. My children are too wild, there is too much noise, I don't want to turn off the tv or the music, there is too much to do, I can't make quiet time for myself or my family...

But you can have a feeling of reverence. No matter what is going on around you you can still be grateful, find the sacred in the ordinary, and foster a sense of love and respect...and that's all you, no matter what is going on on the outside. 

Sure my kids were going crazy during Sacrament meeting, sure I didn't hear every word or all the talks, but I felt the peace that trying to be reverent brought. I felt the spirit as I asked Riley to fold her arms for the prayer and watched her as she did so (praying has never looked so good). I watched her as she copied me, I try to read the sacrament hymn again and so I had the book open and so she had to have her book open too, looking at hers as I was looking at mine, and being reminded that they watch everything and that I have to be a good example and that I'm doing better than I think I am.  And remembering my covenants to try and try again, and thinking about my Savior and how I can be more like him. 

Reverence begins with me.

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Golden hour and golden dresses. We had ward conference today, and afterwards a ward linner. The kids didn't eat much, they just wanted to play. Who can blame them? 

 Would you look at this kid? This is what he gave me when I asked him to smile.

They sure do love their daddy. 

Isn't she the most precious creature you've ever laid eyes on? 

She was wearing a gold dress in the golden hour, I couldn't help myself.

2) I learned a lot today during second hour. They spoke on Teaching in the Savior's Way. I all of a sudden realized that this wasn't just for teaching lessons in church, it's for me to be a better parent. I'm so grateful for my Savior. 

3) Cousins. I am so blessed. Here is my arrangement that I did of I am a Child of God for my sister. I arranged it in a week, my cousins learned it in 2 days, and we performed it at my sister's funeral. We're much better now, the sound quality is awful and the florescent light makes me look like an alien, but it's enough for you to get the gist of it. Aren't my cousins beautiful? And all of us sitting together isn't it crazy how much we look alike? I love it. 

4) Artichoke jalepeno dip from costco, the office, and Robbie sleep talking. He's awake, but he's not awake, and he's talking to me, but he's completely irrational....it's freaking hilarious. He's funny even when he's not trying. I'm getting text messages, and because my phone is down stairs and not on silent we can hear it...he just said to me "who is sending you booty calls"...you're welcome.

5) Choir. Jacob has been coming to choir with me for a couple weeks now because it's right during the time that the twins are sleeping and so Robbie wants to take a nap too. I would love to sleep, and I would love it if Jacob would sleep...but he refuses, and I have choir, so together we go so the other three can sleep. Grumpy twins and a grumpy husband do not make for a very fun Sunday. He plays with his toys, is pretty darn quiet for a 3 year old, and sometimes will sing with us a little. I am kind of loving taking him with me, it's been a cool bonding time with him.

February 25th - Priorities

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself 

and know that everything in this life has a purpose."

-Elisabeth Kubler-Ross 

Again, today Sarah is right on point.

Start Quote

Most women I know have only one conscious priority: 

making it through the day. 

This is a direct result of having been torn in a thousand different directions in any one twenty-four hour period for decades. 

Writer, pilot, wife, and mother Anne Morrow Lindbergh calls it 

'the centrifugal forces of today' that pull at women.

But acknowledging, recognizing, and reordering our priorities so that they can give purpose to our days is a deeply personal task that we all need to do if we are to learn how to live by our own lights. 

A priority is anything that is important to you...

Priorities are not written in granite. 

They need to be flexible and change as we do...

It takes peace of mind and clarity to recognize and reorder 

meaningful, personal priorities. 

Maybe that is why so many of us procrastinate.

But the more our lives and attention spans are segmented...the more we need to identify what is truly important in our lives.  

Many of us assume that we can continue to get along just by 

'winging it' indefinitely. 

We can't. 

We need an antidote for the hurried and harried lives that 

threaten to tear us apart. 

End Quote

"Quiet time alone, contemplation, prayer, music, a centering line of thought or reading, of study or work. It can be physical or intellectual or artistic, any creative life proceeding from oneself. It need not be an enormous project or a great work. But it should be something of one's own...

What matters is that one be for a time inwardly attentive."

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

A couple years ago I definitely needed to get my priorities in order. 

I think it's a continual process, even though I'm better now, I still have a ways to go.

 One of the things that has helped me is creating a schedule, and in my schedule I make quiet time a personal priority. It's either in the morning before everyone gets up, or during nap time where I either read, or clean, or think, or make something, and then the quiet hour of typing as I write my blog with only the sound of the keys and Robbie and I breathing (and occasionally a deep sigh from the dog). 

I wish I could shout it to the world.

I'm calmly telling myself (who likes anyone shouting at them) that I need to take another look at my schedule and re order my priorities.  

Get your priorities in order, stop making excuses about it, and just start doing what you want to do. 

What are some of your priorities?

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Birthdays. The birthday celebrations are ongoing. Not only did I celebrate last week, now I've got something to celebrate every day this next week. I'm so happy I was born. There is so much to celebrate!

2) Shelby. I always loved hearing about her birth story. How when they found out that she had spina bifida  that they were sent to someone to talk about their "options". Not only were my parents thoroughly briefed on what her chances were at a healthy life, they highly recommended abortion. Now any of you that have ever met my beautiful sister, can you ever imagine life without her? I can't. From the beginning she defied all the odds; she wasn't a vegetable, she wasn't retarded, she learned to walk and after a few surgeries was mostly independent. She was amazing, is amazing. I wonder if they celebrate birthdays in heaven. 

3) It would have been my Grandpa Veater's birthday tomorrow. He passed away in July last year. I always loved how I almost came on his birthday, and how he always said it would have been the best birthday present ever. Almost. Just a little belated. 

4) Time. It's amazing how as time goes on life changes. We used to have great February birthday parties for the Veater family, but as death and time and other things have split our family apart a little, the birthday parties aren't so grand. But that's okay. Little parties mean just as much, and the memories that are a little hazy are still bright and always will be. I try and tell my kids when they are freaking out because we have to stop doing something they love doing like leave the park, "Didn't we have fun? Let's remember how much fun we had, and not spoil it. We'll come back, we'll do this again soon."

5) The Plan of Salvation.  I'd love to say I can't wait to see those that have passed on, but I can. It's hard to wait patiently, missing them hurts and aches the heart like nothing else can. But the hope in Christ, and the faith that I have that God is a loving Heavenly Father who did not just put us on this earth to torture us but to give us a chance to come back to him and experience joy unmeasurable...it makes waiting easier. It makes the waiting worth it. It makes trying to be the best I can be, even when I don't want to, worth it. It makes trying again and again worth it. 

February 24th - Tomorrow

When you hear the word tomorrow, who doesn't start singing at the top of their lungs

"Tomorrow! Tomorrow! 

I'll love ya', tomorrow! 

You'll only a day away!" 

It can't just be me.

Sarah starts off today with 

"Now that I've gotten your attention..."

Today is a great day. It really motivated me so I want to share it in its entirety with you.

Start Quote

For nearly two months we have contemplated the journey within to authenticity. 

Perhaps you've started to let gratitude till the soil of your soul, preparing it for the seeds of Simple Abundance: 

finding the Sacred in the ordinary, 

realizing that all you have is all you need, 

welcoming creative choices, 

and savoring life's small moments. 

Maybe you've set aside time to begin a daily dialogue in search of your authentic self, indulge in the pleasure of dreaming with the illustrated discovery journal, or embarked on the golden mirror meditation to meet the woman within.

Then again, maybe you haven't...

If you wonder why I suspect this, it's because I've been where you are now. 

I know. 

I know how days, weeks, months, even years can escape your grasp. 

I know what it's like to put everyone else's needs before your own so that you can't find a half-hour for yourself. 

I know how easy it is to find heartfelt excuses for why you can't begin something new even if you yearn to, desperately. 

I know how easily the word 'tomorrow' slips out unconsciously. 

Tomorrow you'll begin. 

Tomorrow...

But what I know most of all is that reading about a journey is not the same thing as taking one. 

Now that I've gotten your attention, let me tell you about the rest of the year. 

Each day from now on we're going to use the daily grist of our real lives as a cause for celebration. 

That's right, celebration. 

I have learned many lessons on the Simple Abundance path. Chief among them is that the details of our days do make a difference in our lives, that no experience is ever just for drill, and that everything can be a springboard for inspiration if we are willing to be open to the goodness of life. 

How many times in the past have we chosen not to change our lives for the better simply by not choosing? 

Today, make a choice. 

Choose to continue on the Simple Abundance path or close this book now. If you choose to close the book, my blessings accompany you...

If you are still with me, you know what you need to do 

today, not tomorrow. 

Take another look at your life. Give thanks. Accept your circumstances. Give thanks. Count your blessings. Give thanks. Show up for each day's meditation. Be willing to give the basic tools a fair chance. They can help you find your way. 

[Did I mention give thanks?]

Above all, have faith in yourself and Divine Change...

Set the sails. Pull anchor. Cast away. Feel the wind at your back. Keep your eyes on the horizon.

Or stay on the shore.

But choose.

End Quote

I know that life is good, now and forever.

I want to choose to see it, to live it, to find the joy that life is offering freely...

How about you?

If you are interested in the book, it's this one. A little dated, but I still love it. 

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Good friends. She helped me get out of my funk that has been trailing me all week. She made me go to her house and walk to the park and back and bake cookies while our kids tried to maim each other. Thanks friend.

2) Birthdays. Birthdays come but once a year. I love celebrating mine. And I also love celebrating everyone else's. Celebrating is fun, and having your birthday kind of just last all week is pretty awesome. Is it a coincidence that we are getting into celebrating in the book? I think not.

3) Bodies. Our bodies are amazing things. And to see my little babies with their little baby hands and feet and cheeks and noses and booties and thighs and knees that are so fat they have double creases!??! I love watching them and cuddling with them. Watching them explore how their bodies work. Letting them "help me" get ready and comb my hair and pick out clothes for me and then pick out clothes for themselves. When they're not trying to kill each other they are really cute.

4) Parks. How lucky are we that we have so many cool parks around?

5) Dinner. That I didn't have to cook. That tasted amazing. And a movie. And ice cream. Yum. 

February 23 - It's In The Details

I don't think I've ever heard

"God is in the details"

...

I think I've only heard 

"The devil is in the details"

...

Interesting that today Sarah starts with 

"God is in the details" 

She talks about filling up your discovery journal today with details. If you had an empty house, empty closet, empty kitchen, and money was no object, what would you do? Start from scratch? Use some existing things? Fill your closet with comfortable or fashionable? 

"Where did you first encounter them? How long have you been dreaming about having them? ...These details are your authentic preferences."

She quotes Charlotte Moss

"The soap in the bathroom, the flowers in the garden, the book on the bedside table are all strong symbols of a life in progress. You look at these details and a world unfolds."

Sarah said

"Each day you create yourself anew through choice. By paying attention to the details - your authentic gestures - you give expression to the most personal of all the arts: making your own imprint on life."

I don't really have to tell you about my authentic details, because I've done a pretty good job about bringing them into reality. In our old house, Robbie and I had this funny thing where we just didn't quite make it a home. But now, probably because this house fits me more authentically and we have had 7 years to find and fill our home, all you have to do is come over and you can see me in the details. 

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) The Sun. I love sunshine. I love it coming through the windows streaming light and shadow all over the room. I love my dog sunbathing in the backyard and then coming in and getting warm doggie kisses and hugging her warm fur. I love seeing plants perk up and the dew evaporate into the air. I love stepping out my my front door, and my front step is always bathed in sunlight. In the summer it's a bit like walking out into a furnace, but in the spring its like getting kissed.

Not the best picture, but it's the best I could do with the time that I had. Did you see the pink sky?! And blossoms.

2) Blossoms. Even though they cause major allergies for my loved ones, they are beautiful. My poor piano student yesterday spent his entire lessons sneezing. Literally, once a minute. Used a good 20 tissues. It was hilarious. I had to tell him to stop saying sorry...we didn't get very far in our lesson, he couldn't concentrate! Thanks blossoms. And my tree is going to bloom. Yay!

3) Service night. We made blankets for project linus and starfish for the hospital. It was a great time doing something crafty and talking to a bunch of women, and to top it off actually making something that is needed.

4) The kids were pretty darn good today! Not so much hitting and yelling as the last couple of days. When I ask Jacob a question now he answers, "yeah sure"..............just like me......and when I get really frustrated I say "crap, children"....and Chase said something along those lines today..........crap.

5) Robbie took the kids down this morning, changed diapers and get them fed before going to work so I could get a little more sleep. Angel.

February 22nd - Minor Things

"Minor things can become moments of great revelation 

when encountered for the first time"

-Margot Fonteyn 

Sarah took an entire second day on excavating the real you. 

She gave us some help, gave us tons of questions and memories to go over. Your childhood home, how did you keep your room, what was your mom's cooking like, what did you do when you were sick, think about your vacations, high school, special occasions, your first home, early decorating choices...

"We tend to think it is the major events that mark our lives, when really it is the minor moments that resonate in memory. 

Lovingly pick one pleasant recollection and think about it today."

My memory was of my sister. I loved playing with her hair, braiding it, plucking her eyebrows, doing her nails...trying to take care of her. Getting her all dolled up for her graduation pictures, she's never been so beautiful. One of those times when you just look at someone and go, wow.

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) My mom. She was in the neighborhood and just dropped by to say hi. I love my mom.

2) Laundry. Something about getting laundry done. I got everyone a bath, and went to get Jacob some underwear and what do you know, he's hidden all of them. He has like 20 pairs. All missing. I just went through the hampers, and I only found like 6 pairs. Laundry. Better to have clothes that are missing than none at all.

3) Memories. 

4) Everyone seems to be healthy. Riley must have had a 24 hour thing or something.

5) Clean rooms. I organized all the toys today, I know that tomorrow they will be unorganized, but for today they were organized. 

February 21st - Choices

"Maybe being oneself is always an acquired taste."

-Patricia Hampl 

Well isn't that true. It's taken me years to be comfortable in my own skin and to truly love and be myself. It isn't easy.

Sarah continues with the archaeological analogy and today she introduces excavating. 

It "is not glamorous work...[and] no matter how impatient everyone on the dig is, the excavation process cannot be rushed.

But there wouldn't be the thrill of discovery if time weren't invested in slowly digging in the dirt." 

That sounds a little like gardening to me. 

"As long as one keeps searching, the answers come."

-Joan Baez 

"For centuries women have displayed their innate sense of style to the world through choice: 

in their personal appearance, 

in the way they decorated their homes, 

in how they entertained, 

in their work, 

and in the pursuit of their personal passions. 

The more we learn about ourselves and our preferences, the easier it is to make these choices. 

And creative choice is at the heart of authenticity.

Choice confers freedom - 

the freedom to embrace the new because 

it speaks to your soul and you are listening.

...

The delay of our dreams does not mean that they have been denied. 

Perhaps now you have the wisdom to make alterations in your dream so that it can come true. 

Perhaps now you have the wisdom 

to choose differently."

The freedom to choose is a gift, and in making choices we also can become free.

Like happiness. 

Happiness is a choice. 

I wish I had tried a little harder to choose to be a little better today.

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Bad days. I think I had an entire week of good days, and it was about time to have a bad one. The kids screamed, and cried, and hit, and hurt each other all day.... accept for the few rare moments that made me remember how wonderful it is to have this day, even if it wasn't the best of days... 

 Picnics in the sun

Getting both boys to sleep...literally the only two times Chase wasn't crying or whining or screaming were in these two pictures.

2) This blog, and Sarah. Here are some of the ones I thought of today. I needed to clean up a little, I needed a little bit of self care,  and I needed to stop acting like today was just a rehearsal, and how I'm just feeling a little divine discontent. Ask me if I prayed or read my scriptures today...go ahead, ask. The answer is no. Did I get dressed for the day? No. Second pajama day in a row. Did I eat well? No. I got hangry and yelled at the kids a few times.... I got my act a little more together before piano lessons, but my goodness. What a day. And the sad thing is I know I did most of it to myself. I know I would have been able to handle my circus a lot better if I had done all those things in the morning that I'm supposed to, that I know help me through the day. 

3) Tomorrow. I'm so glad that I have tomorrow to try again, to make it a better day. 

4) Robbie. He took the kids and put them to bed so I could get some alone time. I got some good work done on my cook book. 

5) Surprises. Thank you, to whoever you are. I really needed some extra loving today. And the cookies were delicious. I'm going to leave these on my door as long as possible. 

February 20th - Memory Mosaics

Today Sarah talks about how we are digging through our memories, and finding a bunch of broken pieces. 

"Always bear in mind that memory is fickle...

Sometimes she surprises us with her generosity, and we recall moments with astonishing clarity. 

Most of the time, however, our memories are fragmented, like small colored chips. 

When this happens, we need to be patient as we brush away the sediment of the past."

Sarah talks about when you dig, you should use the proper tools. 

"Old photographs, letters, mementos...music"

"Linger only on the happy times. What you are searching for is a pattern of personal, authentic pleasures and preferences. 

These are the chips in your mosaic."

"The events in our lives happen in a sequence in time, but in their significance to ourselves they find their own order."

-Eudora Welty

I love mosaics. I also love the idea that you have to pick and chose the pieces that you put in it, and the order they go in. You have the control over how you see your past.

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Sick babies. Having sickness in your home sucks, not knowing why my little baby is sick sucks even more, and waking up at 3 and up until 4 and then feeling nauseous the rest of the morning sucks still more...but now we get the week "off". I can't go anywhere, because I can't risk getting anyone else sick. While that sucks, at the same time it's nice. I hope she feels better soon, this little cuddle bug is very grumpy.

2) Robbie's jokes. I looked up mosaics on lds.org, do you know what I got? The handbook. 21.2.1., no mosaics allowed. I asked Robbie if he maybe knew why, and he said "it's too Catholic". He smiles, laughs his head off. He was Catholic, so it's okay for him to make jokes like that? He said I could share. We laugh a lot. We want to do a stand up comedy skit, we are currently writing it.

3) Robbie brought home Mcdonalds because we are "sick" and had a rough day....yes, so rough sitting and laying on the couch watching movies all day...Jacob did push Chase when we tried to play outside, hit his head really hard on the concrete, he went to his room till Robbie got home...but I didn't yell! Yay me! And boo for hurt heads and sad little toddlers who don't quite know how to control their angry impulses yet.

4) I didn't throw up. I've gotten pretty good at throwing up over the years, I used to have panic attacks. But I didn't throw up. The kids were playing with my throw up bowl that I had out just in case, which made me even more nauseous thinking that if I had to the bowl was not going to be right next to me. 

5) Marriage. It's almost been 7 years. Every year it gets better. Marriage is hard, but it's also the best thing that's ever happened to me. And Robbie, Robbie's first, then marriage...well I guess Christ is first, then Robbie...wait, God is first etc etc. There are a lot of good things going in this life aren't there.