Gratitude

Some of you might be thinking this post should have been done in November, but I am doing it now because I feel so much gratitude for so many things. Last night as I was up with Dean (who is TEETHING, by the way, that's why he's been so hard), I was reading on a friend's blog. She does a "favorite things" series during December and I was so overwhelmed by the story of someone she was featuring. The guest blogger and her husband have dug themselves out of $125,000 worth of debt! WHAT!!... I cannot even fathom that much debt, but I know it happens and is much more common than I might realize. (If you'd like to read her story, here's the link: http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/08/live-like-no-one-else.html).

As a teenager when I had a job, my parents had a rule that my sisters and I had to put half of everything we made into our savings account, and then we were free to spend the other half on whatever we wanted. I hated this rule, but it was among one of the best things my parents have ever taught me. I learned the importance of saving and that when you don't have any more cash, you had to do chores or wait until your next paycheck to get it (these were the days before debit cards were everywhere). As I read this woman's story, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my parents and their instillation of sound financial principles as well as the Prophets for teaching us to avoid unnecessary debt. Life is hard enough, and it is so much better not having credit card or student loan debt hanging over our heads. I understand when student loans are absolutely necessary, but I am so grateful for John who works so hard to work full-time and go to school at night so we can avoid student loans. He only has 35.5 more credits to go and we hope and pray every day that we will be able to maintain his full-time job so we can remain debt free. There really is so much to be grateful for, but last night this was one thing that came to me that I thought I should share.

We are also grateful for our little Dean. I finally took him into the doctor on Wednesday because he was acting almost like he had an ear infection. The doctor was floored when he looked into Dean's mouth and saw that he is working on his two bottom front teeth. He's only 3.5 months old, so I never would have guessed that teething would be the reason he has been so difficult. As G.I. Joe taught us, knowledge is half the battle. And now we know and can keep him medicated with Tylenol to help him stay comfortable and to help us stay more comfortable as well.

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and are filled with gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his miraculous birth and life. It has been especially wonderful this year since we have now experienced childbirth and raising a baby.