Count your Many Blessings

This past month, I have really tried to focus on gratitude, and cultivating an attitude of gratitude.  I have played gratitude games with my children. I have strived to thank others for things that-- in the past-- may have gone unmentioned. I have studied talks on gratitude, and found some really inspiring thoughts. One of my favorites was by Elder James E Talmage:

"God requires thanksgiving, praise, and worship, NOT for His gratification as the recipient of adulation, but for the good of His children." 

In my efforts and study this past month, I have found this to be very true. Through cultivating a grateful heart, we are more open to the influence of the Holy Ghost, more content with what we have been given, and more trusting of the Lord in our trials.

As November was drawing to a close, I was feeling pretty content with my self-guided month long course on gratitude. Sooooo... you can imagine my surprise when the most meaningful and thought provoking sermon came on the second to the last day of the month, and was taught to me by my 9 year old son (during an FHE lesson he had put together). As part of his lesson, he shared some statistics that he had been given at school:

" If we could shrink the Earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all of the human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like this--
57 Asians
21 Europeans
24 from the Western Hemisphere (both North and South)
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian

6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth, and all 6 would be from the US
80 would be living in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death, 1 would be near birth
1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death-- you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish some place, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealth."

 I was humbled and embarrassed at how ungrateful I have been. This message went straight to my heart, and for the first time in a long time-- I felt sincere, deep, genuine gratitude for how blessed my life is. I am so truly blessed.

Blessings of this Day: Wednesday

Today was a good day. It made me grateful for so many things-- small things. Things like my baby's smile, my husband's laugh, the way the sunlight reflects off the snow. I was grateful for a warm house as my thermometer showed 6 degrees outside. I was thankful I didn't have anywhere I had to go today. Today, I also felt thankful for many "big" things. Things like the gospel, my eternal family, and my health. I am grateful for the blessing of time. Each day is more time spent with my sweet little family. Each day is more time feeling the joy of the gospel. Each day is another opportunity to become more like the Savior. I want to be like Him, but I have a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very (you get the idea) long way to go. I need time. I am grateful for today... and everyday.

Blessings of this Day: Tuesday

School was cancelled again today, and Ryan decided to stay home from work. It was so fun to have him home. Plus, even better-- he watched Creed this morning, so I was able to sleep in until 8:00!


Isn't that just the sweetest little face?

Later, we ventured out in the blizzard to do a little shopping. We had walmart almost entirely to ourselves-- it was wonderful. I felt bad for the workers who had to be there, although I was grateful that they were. I enjoyed spending the morning running errands with my sweetheart.

With a baby, I really value each happy minute to get things done. I appreciated my happy boy, as well as all my helpers, so I could get a few things done for Thanksgiving.

Another blessing of the day was Cameron having a couple friends over to play for a couple hours. They are nice boys. We call Cameron's little brude the "Mormon gang".  They sure enjoy each others company, and I think they are pretty well behaved (at least as well behaved as an 11 year old boy can be). Good friends are a blessing.

This evening we went to Craigo's all-you-can-eat Pizza for dinner, because Kyle had a gift certificate for reaching his reading goal at school. He is such a good boy. At the restaurant each of my children were so well behaved and helpful to one another-- it made me a proud mama. The food was yummers... in fact it was too yummers! Bad idea 2 days before Thanksgiving!

Blessings of this Day: Monday

Today was a wonderful day! It began with a phone call at 6:45 in the morning from the school district announcing that school was closed due to extreme weather. I LOVE when school gets closed. As I lay in my warm bed feeling the pure delight of a fun day ahead, I thought about the parents who were having to scramble to find babysitters for the day. I felt sad for them.  It made me grateful for the blessing of being able to stay at home with my children. The kids spent the day playing out in the snow, sipping hot cocoa, watching movies, and playing together.


My neighbor took this picture of her backyard-- she is a far better photographer than I.

 I had a great conversation on the phone with my sister, Julie. I have been missing my sisters-- and have been feeling left out of the "loop" (they are both living with my parents in Bountiful). I hung up the phone filled with gratitude for the life-long friends that my siblings are to me. I laugh my hardest when I am with them. They "get me" and love me. I sure love them. They bring me tremendous joy. I hope my children forge similar friendships with one another.

My amazing husband came home from work and made dinner. He vacuumed the living room. He later made cookies for FHE. He is so helpful and kind to me. It is a good thing this is for eternity... because I sure love that man!

Lastly, Cameron planned a great Family Home Evening for us today. It was about gratitude and blessings. He told the story of the 10 lepers. Then, we put turkey feathers on a turkey body. The 24 feathers had blessings (like eternal family, food, clothes, health, etc.) written on them. The best part was all of my children seemed to be listening and enjoying themselves. 

I was a great day.

The Story of the DeGraw Family

Cameron had a school project this weekend (oh goodie!). It was to make a totem pole that represents his family. Cameron researched what each animal symbolized and chose each animal very carefully, then I drew them, and he colored them.  He was so proud of his project when it was finally done. This is what he wrote for his paper:

The Story of The DeGraw Family

I chose an Eagle to represent my Dad, because he is a righteous leader and brave. I chose a Bear for my Mom because she teaches and protects me. I chose a Wolf as my symbol because I am the oldest child. I am a guardian to my little brothers and sisters. I also lead , watch, and love my family. I chose an Otter for my brother, Kyle. He is trusting, smart, and my most loyal friend. My sister, Kailani, is represented by a Beaver because she is creative, artistic, and very determined. I chose a Hummingbird for Karen. She is smart, and shows beauty. A hummingbird also represents love, and Karen is very loving. The bottom of the totem pole is my baby brother, Creed. His symbol is a Dragonfly because it means ever-changing, and I think Creed is always growing and changing constantly.

The Darling DeGraws

My fabulous sister, Carol, recently took pictures of my little family. I have always wanted an outdoor autumn-time picture. Here are a couple of my favorites:

I love the individual pictures she took of my children:

 It was such a fun day, and I am really happy with the results.  I plan to make one of the family portraits into a huge print for the wall. I think I have a favorite, but Im having a hard time deciding which one to frame for sure.

Picture #1

Picture #2

Picture #3

Picture #4

Which do you like?

What a Girl Wants...

Today, Karen found some play make-up (that had mysteriously disappeared for a few months-- wink, wink). She proceeded to give herself quite the make-over (the picture doesn't quite capture the full effect). Cameron walked into the room, and in a very kind and protective older brother way said, "Karen, I am a boy-- so believe me when I say that boys don't really like when girls wear a ton of make-up." Karen looked at herself appraisingly in the mirror, smiled at Cameron  and, in a very matter of fact way replied, " Oh, Cameron... of course you do!"