I Love Mondays!...

A mission is a "bitter-sweet" event in the life of a mom! There's nothing you want more for your kids, and nothing you dread more than saying good bye for 2 years! You live for the weekly communication, which for us is, "email Mondays" and you sit back and watch week after week, in amazement at the wisdom that comes from the growing pains and experiences in the life of your missionary. My heart is full today as I reflect on some of Gavin's message to us this week. It goes like this..."sometimes we think we are having problems but honestly, after living here, trust me, there is a lot worse! We are soooo blessed and we know it. Just to be a part of our family is such a blessing. We have such a good family and thanks to the spouses that Ash, Cam and Whit have chosen to add and be a part of our family...well, it just gets better and better! I can't tell you how excited I am to raise a family in the Church. We knew before this life that we had to come here and be tested. That's the only way the Plan of Salvation would work. It's how we face our afflictions and overcome them that counts. That's how we show our faith. Heavenly Father is not going to take our afflictions away from us, but He will help us get over them. We have to ask ourselves what can we "do" and not "why" we have challenges. The mission is so hard but so worth it. I LOVE IT! It only really gets hard when I think about myself. If I focus everything I have on the people and their needs, thats when I see the blessings come and doors open up and people change. I can't tell you how much the mission has already blessed my life. I used to think that mission life is where people are happy to have you there and honk their horns and wave. Let's just say that they honk alright here, but that's just to get your attention so they can yell terrible things and swerve at you. Haha, it's much better this way though. Keeps things interesting"!

So, today I am grateful for a good husband that loves and supports me and our kids...for good kids that love and serve the Lord and for the cutest grandkids to start the process all over again! I am thankful for missions and how they mold good lives into great ones! I'm thankful for my membership in a Church that has the Priesthood authority to act in God's name! I'm thankful for a Savior that makes up for my weaknesses.
Life is good!