Today I am so glad that I have just a few minutes to sit here and write down my thoughts. I am going to ramble a little, so if you are not a good ramble reader then save yourself now!

Life right now feels pretty good to me. I have a home to live in, food to eat, cars to drive, clothes to wear, children, a husband, the gospel, a paycheck and good health. There are so many more things, but those are just a few that I feel so fortunate to have right now. I know that times are tough right now for everyone, and they are tough for us too, but I am trying so hard to remember every day what President Packer said in our last Regional Conference. He told us that times were tough, and that they were going to get tougher, but it doesn't mean that we cannot have happy families. It's so easy to sit and stress about the world and the troubles out there, but I just feel like I'm cheating myself and my kids out of life when I do too much of that. So, my new goal is to make more memories with my family, get me and them spiritually ready for what's to come, and have LOT'S more fun!
I do feel and urgency to get myself and my children spiritually ready for what is to come. Family Home Evening, Prayers, Scriptures...... Those are all things that I feel are so important right now in my family. I know that my kids are going to need all the spiritual strength they can get to make it! I am so far from doing even a GOOD job, but we are trying. These were all things that were important in my family growing up, and I feel like that is why I feel it's so important. I remember the good feelings that they brought to me. Is doing these things a guarantee that my kids will always choose the right and never have troubles? Absolutely not. I didn't always choose the right, but I think that it will always be what leads them back to where they need to be, just like it did for me. (I am so thankful to my parents for building that foundation for me.)
Making memories is not that hard if you don't make it too complicated. This is something that I have had to learn. On Spring Break the kids and I were able to go to Pima for a few days and they were able to spend time with their cousins & Grandma & Grandpa. *MEMORIES* I was able to spend time with my sister Misty. We just talked. *MEMORIES* On Saturday we built a fence around our garden together as a family. *MEMORIES* We got a new game called Hyper Dash $11 at Wal Mart. We play it every day now. It's super fun. *MEMORIES* We made pizza together for Family Night. *MEMORIES* Mike, Gavin & I went to Show Low to get a few things and ate a little Quizno's and just chatted about life. *MEMORIES* So cheap, so easy and yet our kids ate up every moment and so did Mike and I. Why have I not done more if this? I know that for my family we just get into the busy, busy of life and forget to be eachothers best friends. Mike, Katlyn, Carter, Gage & Gavin are now and always going to be my best friends.
I have a sweet, wonderful friend that is just getting out of a rehabilitation center today. She spent weeks in the ICU under sedation. She was not able to move the left side of her body, and is still spending every day training it to work again. She has been away from her little girl and husband since February 5th, not being able to spend but a little time with them. I went to see her and she was so happy! Happy to be alive, and happy to be in physical therapy every day because it gets her closer to going home. This sent my mind spinning. Life is such a blessing. Just being here every day is such a blessing and what am I doing with every day that I'm here? Do I even realize how lucky I am? No, I don't. I take it all for granted all the time. I have GOT to do better! I thank my dear sweet friend for reminding me of that and hope that soon she will make a full recovery.
I have become so much closer to my sisters recently. This is such a blessing for me. They drive me crazy sometimes! I know I drive them crazy, but we LOVE eachother very much. They are each there for me anytime I need them. I talk to them at least a couple of times a week. They are the first ones I think of when something funny or special happens to Mike and I. I could not ask for better. Love You Guys!
Right now I am totally in love with my husband. Getting older has been good for us. In many ways we grew up together, and it was not always easy, but here we are almost 9 years later and I still look at him and think I got pretty dang lucky. I remember the moment that Katlyn was born. I looked at him and he was just a boy, so nervous and scared. I remember the moment that Gavin was born. I looked at him and he was a man, overcome by emotion and prepared for what was to come. Never has there been a day that I have questioned whether or not he would or could take care of us. He has worked so hard every day since he was only 17 to provide us with everything that we need. He never got to be a single guy with money and time to kill and no responsibilities. But never once have I EVER heard a complaint about that come out of his mouth. I love him, and I want my children to know that and see it every day.
Life is good. Could it be better? Absolutely, but I am going to try to make the best of each day that comes. These are the days that our family will grow closer. These are the days that we will see what we are made of. These are the days that the gospel and our family will hold us together. These are good days.