Count your many blessings.....

I learned on my mission forever ago the difference between being thankful and being grateful. I learned that being grateful is deeper, more intense, more meaningful and longer lasting. Today I'm feeling very grateful.

(NOT MY HOUSE)

I'm so grateful for home. I'm learning thru the experience of others and thru the quarkiness of this home, how important home is. We almost had the house go up in flames a few days ago when we heard pops and 'arcing' with smoke and sparks coming from within the wall next to an outlet in the kitchen. Of course we quickly flipped our breaker and put a small hole in the dry wall to find that there was an old wire, (that didn't really go anywhere,) that looked like a mouse had chewing thru it, and it smelt 'charred'. So Jeff cut the bad part off, taped it off and stuck it back in the hole. We still have our house. We live in a great neighborhood, off of the main highway where we used to live (its much quieter!) and we now pay a mortgage instead of rent. Never thought I'd be so grateful for a mortgage. Its great for the kids to play, make new friendships and hang out with all the neighborhood pets.

I'm so grateful for good health and great kids. Dylans MRI was good, we don't know the results from his blood work yet. Taylor is wonderful and healthy and never misses a beat. Jared is great and is making good progress with speech therapy. He is also making good headway with developmental therapy and always make us laugh. We also have learned the importance of not just good physical health, but also of good mental health. Of course we have our struggles and our bad days, but it only helps us enjoy the good days more.



I'm so grateful for my parents. I think they did a great job with they're one daughter and five sons, but perhaps I'm a little biased. My mother continues to teach me the importance of service to others and not just 'how', but the 'why' to back it up. My father instilled an excellent work ethic in all of us, to be productive in society and importance of education. I love to hear my parents stories of them growing up and the heritage from which we have come from.



I'm exteremely grateful for the knowledge that I have. Academically, with the gospel, what I learn all the time at work, and what I'm learning all the time in so many different repects. I went to Education Week at BYU-I. I learned so much. It was so interesting because I went to classes that I had been to before but learned new things that I don't remember learning last time. There were fantastic presenters and the opportunity to feel the spirit like I did was so needed!!! I tried to take good notes. I remember one morning on of the teachers asked if we had had enough yet, because we were probably overflowing in the knowledge we had taken in. I thought "No way, buddy, I don't think I could ever get enough!!!" I'm grateful for temples, the restoration of the true gospel upon the earth, and the restoration of the priesthood.


I'm grateful for a good job that I love and usually enjoy going to (hey, no one is perfect). I'm so grateful for excellent co-workers. If you can't trust them, your in for a rough ride!!! I'm grateful for the vehicles we have that still run even after the miles that are on them (knock on wood). I'm grateful for a washer and dryer (that's still pulling thru), for a dishwasher (that works now...YEAH!!!), for a stove and microwave, (what did we do before the microwave!?!) for indoor plumbing and electricity (even if it does threaten the house). I'm so grateful for Dr. Pepper and peanut M&M's, for misquito spray and for benadryl, for a heater in the winter and A/C in the summer. I'm grateful for medicines to help us thru life, modern advaces in medicine that puts us in the best place (medically) that we've ever been in time, doctors who treat you like you know what you're talking about and exteremly grateful that we know one of the best pediatric neurosurgeons in the world (NO JOKE!!!)
Our hero

I'm so grateful for good friends, Puffs tissues, and movies that help you cry after you've gone numb. I'm grateful for the time we are alotted, the endless possibilites of what we can accomplish and those who cheer us on along our way.

I have a friend who has a theory, that life is NOT a competition, that we are all trying to get to the same place. It doesen't matter who crosses the line first or second or 50th. All that matters is that we make it. We shouldn't be stepping on one another to get ahead, because in the whole picture, it dosen't matter. It reminds me of a favorite poem, which I will leave you with this evening. I'm grateful for a great deal more, but am limited by time and lack of ability for my brain to adequatley express it all. Till later.....

The Race
"Quit, give up, you're beaten!"They shout at me and plead.
"There's just too much against you now.This time you can't succeed."
And as I start to hang my head in front of failure's face,
my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene,
For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.
A child's race, young boys, young men how I remember well,
Excitement sure! But also fear.It wasn't hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hope each thought to win the race,
Or tie for 1st or if not that at least take 2nd place.
And fathers watched from off the sides each cheering for his son,
And each boy hoped to show his Dad that he would be the one.
The whistle blew and off they went young hearts and hopes afire
to win to be the hero there was each young boys desire.
And one boy in particular whose Dad was in the crowd
was running near the lead and thought,"My Dad will be so proud!"
But as he speeded down the field across a shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself his hands flew out to brace and
mid the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face.
So down he fell and with him hope, he couldn't win it now...
Embarrassed, sad he only wished to disappear somehow.
But as he fell his Dad stood up and showed his anxious face
which to the boy so clearly said:"Get up and win the race!"
He quickly rose, no damage done,Behind a bit, that's all
and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself to catch up and to win.
His mind went faster than his legs he slipped and fell again.
He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace,
"I'm hopeless as a runner now.I shouldn't try to race."
But in the laughing crowd he searched and found his Father's face,
That steady look that said again,"Get up and win the race!"
So up he jumped to try again ten yards behind the last,
"If I'm going to gain those yards," he thought"I've got to move real fast!"
Exerting everything he had he regained eight or ten,
But trying so hard to catch the lead he slipped and fell again!
Defeat! He lay there silently A tear dropped from his eye.
"There's no sense running anymore Three strikes; I'm out; why try!"
The will to rise had disappeared all hope had fled away;
So far behind, so error-prone:A loser all the way.
"I've lost so what's the use?" He thought"I'll live with my disgrace."
But then he thought about his Dad who soon he'd have to face.
"Get up" an echo sounded low "Get up and take your place,
You were not meant for failure here,Get up and win the race!"
"With borrowed will, Get up" It said,"You haven't lost at all,
For winning is no more than this to rise each time you fall."
So up he rose to run once more and with a new commit,
He resolved that win or lose at least he wouldn't quit.
So far behind the others now the most he'd ever been,
Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win.
Three times he'd fallen stumbling three times he rose again,
Too far behind to hope to win he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner as he crossed the line 1st place,
Head high, and proud and happy No falling, no disgrace.
But when the fallen youngster crossed the line last place,
The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud,
You would have thought he'd won the race to listen to the crowd.
And to his Dad he sadly said,"I didn't do so well,"
"To me you won!" his Father said "You rose each time you fell."
And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face,
The memory of that little boy helps me in my race.
For all of life is like that race with ups and downs and all,
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
"Quit, Give up, You're beaten."They still shout in my face,
But another voice within me says,
"Get up and win the race."

By Dee Groberg