Thankful for..... Happy News

Yesterday I spend the day at St. Francis hospital under-going numerous test in preparation for my surgery.  When I got home I received a call from Nancy at the Weight Loss Center, she was calling to tell me my insurance now covers the "Sleeve" procedure.  Yay, now I am going to have the sleeve instead of the by-pass surgery.

Tomorrow my DSIL will have his surgery - Go Nick!  You will do great!!!

Thankful for....... Beautiful Temples

I am so Thankful I was able to go to the Louisville Temple today with my wonderful husband and friend Kristy.  We had a nice sunny day.  I love the feeling I have when I am inside the Temple.  It's a place I long to be.  It's beautiful and peaceful and a part of heaven on earth.  We learn Eternal truths and I love my family so much and want to spend the eternities with them.

I noticed on my countdown calendar I have 25 more days until my surgery.  Each time I eat at a favorite restaurant or eat a favorite item, I think... this may be the last time.  I belive I am going to have a few issues with my love of food.  I am sure it won't be anything I can't work through.

I am so proud of Ang.  She is doing so well after her surgery.  She is where I will go to for strength.  She is being the pace setter for Nick andI and she is doing a great job.

I am looking forward to having my family over on Sunday for our Thanksgiving dinner.  It's always so much fun to have everyone together.

Thankful for..... Modern Medicine and Priesthood Blessings

My daughter, Angela, had surgery yesterday and I am so thankful for a skilled doctor who performed her surgery.  I am also thankful for the Priesthood power that is here on the earth and how it can bless our lives according to our faith. 

Thankful for..... The Beautiful Fall Colors

I love the beautiful colors of the leaves on the trees right now.  On my drive home from work, I was in awe at the beauty of all the colors.  This is my favorite season of all.  It's like Heavenly Father has taken a paint brush and has painted each leaf so perfectly.  The colors are just amazing.  If I was an artist I would only paint fall leaves on trees (and also an old barn or two).  Please enjoy the beauty all around us.

Thankful for..... My Beautiful Christmas Tree

I have such an amazing son and daughter who came over today (along with Chris' amazing girlfriend, Ashley) and put up my Christmas tree and decorated it, along with the rest of the downstairs.  How cool is that?  It is so beautiful (a picture will be posted later).

Had a really nice evening with Angela last night along with some other important people in her life.  The pedicure was awesome and the dinner at Paradise Bakery was delicious (love that place).  Above all, it was so nice to spend the evening with Ang and talk about the upcoming "BIG" day.

Thankful for...... My Bed

I love my bed.  I am always comfortable and cozy and I love to sleep in my nice King Size bed.  Somedays I wish I could stay in it forever!  Happy Friday!!!

Thankful for....... Our Veterans

I am so thankful for all Military personnel.  Being a part of the military life for 10 years helped me to have a deep appreciation for our service members as well as the freedoms we enjoy.  When attending a movie on a post (Army) or base (Air Force) the national anthem was played at the beginning of the movie.  Everyone in the theatre would stand while the Anthem was being played.  I was never able to get through the whole song without tearing up and having a lump in my throat.  Matter-of-fact, I still cannot stand through the entire anthem without having a lump.  I was very proud to be a member of the military family. 

A HS friend posted the following on her website and I thought it was very appropriate for Veterans Day:

A Veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life. That is beyond honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact.

My father is a Veteran of World War II.  There aren't many survivors of World War II left.  I am very proud of him and his service to our country.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY

Thankful for..... My Testimony

I am so thankful to know I have a Heavenly Father who loves me.  He loves me unconditionally and he has blessed my life in so many ways.  I have learned so much the past two years and my testimony has grown stronger as well as my faith and understanding of what it is Heavenly Father wants me to do right now. 

Whenever I start to feel inadequate or I let choices from the past block my vision, I stop and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the atonement of my Savior and ask for the spirit to direct my thoughts.  I know that the Lord qualifies those that he calls, he allows things to come to our minds which we need to do.  I have felt that inspiration many, many times and I am so thankful for this.

I love listening to our Prophet speak, President Thomas S. Monson.  He is the mouthpiece for our Heavenly Father.  He not only speaks to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he speaks to the world.  A lot of people in this world don’t even recognize his voice.  He lives just like the Prophets we read about in the bible.  Why would we think that the Lord wouldn't provide a Prophet for us to receive revelation and to know what we need to do to return to his presence?

I am so thankful to have the spirit of the Holy Ghost testify to me that Heavenly Father lives, Jesus is the Christ, we have a living Prophet on the earth today and Joseph Smith offered a humble prayer and was visited by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and through him, Christ church has been restored back to the earth today.

Thankful for..... My computer

I really am glad we have computers.  I have a computer at work, which is nice, but I really like my computer at home.  It connects me to my friends on facebook, I can read emails from every company in the world that has me on their email list and I can find anything I need to know just by using Google.  I love it!!! 

I can also post messages on my BLOG! 

Thankful for.... Grandchildren

I am combinding yesterday's post with today... I am so thankful for my grandchildren and David's grandchildren (whom I consider to be my grandchildren as well).  Yesterday we celebrated Makayla Marie's 4th birthday and she loves her Ma Bev.  She is always so excited to see me and she loves to spend the night at my house and sleep with me (and Speck).  I had to sit next to her at her birthday party and her parents set it up so I would be the one who got her favorite present for her birthday, making me the hero (thanks Jenny and Jake).

This morning at 7:00 am, I got a call from Makayla asking me to be the guest at her pre-school Thanksgiving luncheon where each child can invite one "special" guest.  She wants ME to be her "special" guest.  I believe we have another chance with our grandchildren  that we missed with our own children.   They are our "second" chance, I do hope I get it all right this time around, if not, I guess I have my great-grandchildren to look forward to.

Thankful for.... My Friends

I have been blessed with wonderful friendships through the years.  They say some friends come into our life for a season and I have been blessed with many of those friends, but I also have friendship, which have lasted through the ages.  My earliest childhood friend I remember is Cindy Durham, we had classed together in elementary school and we lived in the same neighborhood.  After moving from Kokomo, we remained friends and spent a week or two during the summer at each other homes.  As we got older we drifted a part, but she asked me to be her bridesmaid in her wedding during our early 20's.  We lost touch with each other until about a year ago, when we found each other again on "Facebook".  We have spent time reconnecting and I am so thankful for her and her friendship.  She is a "forever" friend.

The next oldest friend I can remember is Lodema.  She was my first friend after moving to Indianapolis and we became instant friends and have remained friends through all seasons of our lives.  We have gone through school, marriages, children, divorces, re-marriages, divorces, and re-marriages again.  Lodema and I have lived together with our children and have eaten nothing but macaroni and cheese because we had no money to buy anything else.  We have worked together and played together and through it all, we can still sit back and laugh until we cry with the memories of "those" times.  She is a "forever" friend.

Lodema and Me

I have many other friends who have shaped my life and who have been such a strong support for me through many stages of my life.  Some friends have drifted away, but some are still around and only a phone call a way.  I have had school friends, church friends, neighborhood friends, college friends, work friends, friends I have met while traveling with a military husband, and I have been so blessed.  They have been there when I was lonely, sad, happy, tired, ready to give up, homesick, or just needed a hug and a positive word of praise.

I hope everyone is as richly blessed....

Thankful for.... Family

Today I have been thinking about my family and how grateful I am for them.  I have a wonderful husband who really cares if I am happy or not, and shows me in BIG and small ways how much he loves me.  I feel at peace when I am around him and my heart still beats faster when he walks into the room.  I honestly believe he is the answer to my prayers and I love him so much.

I have the greatest children (my own and also my husbands) and in-law spouses.  They are all kind, loving and beautiful people and I love being around them.  They teach me how to be a better person and mom.  They are willing to give everything they have for each other, I have truly been blessed!

Thankful for...... My Parents

I have always been so Thankful for my Parents!  My parents are getting older and I am so thankful they are still around and I can talk to them EVERY day.  My parents have been a life-saver to me many times, especially as a young single mother raising two babies.  I honestly don't know what single mothers do without a strong support system.  My parents were there to care for my children and because they were able to do this, they have a strong and loving bond with their grandchildren, many times mom has told me my children seem like her own.  Yes, I feel so lucky and very blessed to have such wonderful parents..... I love you Mom and Dad!

Thankful For....

I am going to join a few of my friends and post each day what I am most Thankful for (please join in on the fun).

Today I am Thankful for my job... I know a lot of people are un-employed or under-employed.  It's not fun worrying about money and feeding your family.  I love the counsel our Prophets through the ages have given to us... that is, to get out of debt (which I am truly working on) and to store food.  It has always made sense to me, to store something back for a rainy day.  If you only buy a few extra items each week, it really doesn't affect your budget that much.

I will continue to pray for my friends and family looking for a job or a better job to meet their financial needs.

Have a great day!

(Oh by the way.... Angela's surgery is just two weeks away)