A Special Thanksgiving

It's no secret to most of you who have kept up on my blog, that from about February 2010 to oh about August 2011--it felt like I was in crisis mode constantly. From a VERY difficult pregnancy, to packing up our apartment(packing pregnant and with a toddler, by myself as Bryant was so busy with school still), to my parents leaving on a mission to Mongolia, to moving from Washington to Oregon 35 weeks pregnant and just PRAYING I could get insurance in Oregon, to my parents leaving Mongolia because my Dad was critically ill, to having my second child, to moving from Oregon to Idaho, to potty training Gracie, to getting through one rather difficult internship, to job searching, to moving yet again from Idaho to Texas, to having some anxiety/depression issues (which I've never had to deal with before), the list just goes on and on and on. As I look back now, I don't know that I realized what a trial that year and a half was for me until it was all over. I see the incredible growth that has come from everything.

I can also see that I could not have made it through that time without the love, help and support of some very special people.
When we got to Oregon, we "house sat" for a wonderful couple who were taking a trip back to England (where he was from) for a month. Once they got home, they allowed us to stay in one of their apartments free of charge for the next 6 weeks. I can't tell you how much that helped both financially, and not having to worry about an apartment contract for the short 12 weeks we were there.
I made some amazing friends there. I practically lived at my friend Danae's house. She let me give Kate and Gracie baths at her house since it didn't really work at the apartment we were staying. She had us for dinner A LOT. She came to the hospital when I had Kate. She watched Gracie for me. My sister Kristin came a few days before I had Kate, but it was so comforting to know I had someone that would help with my 2 year old if the baby decided to come early.
The beginning of November (Kate was 2 weeks old) a group of ladies invited me to go to Time Out for Women in Portland with them. They all treated me like an old friend. It was a nice weekend. One I will never forget.

When my Dad was so so sick, I KNOW there were people literally all over the world fasting and praying for him. November 17, a code blue was called on him. The pain patch that he had dumped too much medication into his system. I am absolutely convinced the only reason he survived that is because that particular day, the Elders Quorum in our ward in Yucca Valley were fasting for him that day.

My sister spent 2 weeks with me after I had Kate. She kept Gracie for me, she changed A LOT of diapers, she cleaned up, she let me sleep, she helped me adjust to being a mom of 2 children.

My Mom---oh what can I say about my Mom---she is wonderful. I can ALWAYS count on her. In April, the company Bryant works for flew both Bryant and I down to check things out. My Mom, bless her heart, dropped everything, bought a very expensive plane ticket and came to Idaho to watch my girls so we could come alone. She has been so generous with my girls. She is the greatest grandma any kid could ever ask for. I just love and admire and respect what an amazing person my mother is, and how much she helped during my time of need.

When we got to Texas, a bunch of guys from the ELder's Quorum were here to help unload the truck--and they brought everything up 4 flights of stairs for us. I had a playdate the first week I was here. The ladies in this ward took me under their wing, and I can truly say, after just 5 short months in Texas I have some of my best friends here in Texas.
We've been invited for dinner several times. I've always had someone willing to watch my kids while I go to my Dr appointments. In fact a few weeks ago, I had to drop my kids off at 6am and I was gone ALL DAY at a specialist in Houston. I didn't get home until about 7:30 that night. I had two great friends watch my kids all day for me.

"The Lord does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other...So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds!" Spencer W. Kimball


I'm feeling especially full of gratitude this Thanksgiving season.