Most recently, I am grateful for helpers. I am grateful for guidance and patience of friends - even that gracious patience that we all need when we have a tendency to put our foot in our mouth.
I am grateful for all of the people who have held my head above the ocean of my life in the last six months - some not even wondering why I need it, but just doing it.
I am grateful for prayers, and answered prayers. For learning about faith, for making mistakes and learning from them. I am grateful for learning the value of the little things - and learning that the little things are the roots of that vital tree. I am grateful for my freedom to pray, and read my scriptures.
I am grateful for my freedom to parent my children as I wish. I am grateful to have two amazing children who are gentle and kind. I am grateful for friends who remind me that my kids are doing ok - when I am feeling especially frustrated over something minuscule, and realize I am a perfectionist in everything. I am grateful for my talents, even if I feel a jack of all trades and a master of none. I am so grateful for a supportive family.
I am grateful for a friend who died this past April, teaching me when I was angry, and then sad - that life is too short. That now is the time, and that everything should be appreciated. He was 23. Every choice matters!
And - before my post gets too long - I am so, so grateful for conference earlier this month. A specific talk by Larry R. Lawrence of the Seventy gave me the courage to talk to a friend about an issue they were battling, in a way I never would have approached it before - because the words that were spoken rang true, and rattled my bones. I think that his talk titled "Courageous Parenting" could easily be translated into many titles - "Courageous Friendship", "Courageous Sisterhood", I think we should all be Courageous Women.
