Thanksgiving 2014

Somewhere between the wedding and Thanksgiving, I did decorate for Thanksgiving.

Using the wedding flowers and a jar Tosha
made for her reception

The dining room table with my "cornucopia", family picture, and
 the picture we received from our neighbors after Valerie's (Gary's sister) death

There was so much to be grateful for this year despite some of the very hard things as well.  Even in the middle of the hard stuff, there were so many blessings and little tender mercies which surrounded us.  I heard a great talk once by our Stake President, Pres. White.  Sharing pieces of his journal he talked about that even during terrible times our Heavenly Father provided compensatory blessings to strengthen us.  The trick is to stop and look around and see those blessings.

2013 will go in the record books as one of the best of times and the worse of times.....although each year probably is the same.  2014 will be amazing but I am sure there will be hard times, too much busyness, and grief, too.  We can do it, all of us, until "our work is done here on the earth!"

Happy Thanksgiving!  I love this sweet time to be grateful and to count my blessings privately.  I hope you did the same.