Sunday, November 9
Today I am thankful for Primary. Mostly I am thankful that the strength of this program doesn't lie in the strength of those that are asked to lead it, but that it is the kids and the Lord that make this a truly amazing place for children to go to learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Monday, November 10
I am thankful for fall and fall leavesTuesday, November 11
At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 the war to end all wars ended. Though I wish that it really did end all wars, I am thankful for the men and women and their families who give so much so that my family and I can enjoy a life of security and freedom.
Wednesday, November 12
I am thankful for my washer and drier. When I was on my mission in the Philippines we had to wash our underclothes by hand. All the way by hand. First we pumped the water. We had running water inside, but outside where we washed there was only a "pumba." You had to pour a little water down it to get it started and then pump. The harder and faster you pumped, the more water came out at once. (I must admit though, this picture we did have running water outside. It was not the norm though!) As soon as you had filled up two big round tubs, you put your clothes in to get wet. Then you used a bar of laundry detergent. It looked like a bar of regular shower soap, but grittier. You rub it all over one thing and then rub it and do some sort of twist and rub. Next you rinse that item out in the first tub then the second tub, then hang to dry. Then you start all over again with the next item. We only had 14 items to do a week, and it still took around 2 hours a week to do laundry. We paid someone from the branch to do our dresses and linens. I was thinking about this today when I went to do the mountain of laundry that has piled up. I would never do anything but laundry if I had to do it all by hand. According to WikiAnswers, I have James King to thank for his 1797 invention of the washing machine. Thank You Mr King!
Thursday, November 13
I am thankful for the new play room. After everyone left and I had it pretty much empty, waiting to be filled, I had a hard time putting the toys and food storage down there that I had made the room for. It looked so nice, so new, so pretty that it was hard for me to think of how ugly open shelves of food storage would look, or how I it would get messed up as a play room. I went back and forth with this for the entire week up until today. Then I just decided that the room IS beautiful, but I really did want it to be a play room. It's a guest room when we have guests, but the other 355 days of the year no one would notice what a nice shade the walls turned out to be, or how un-basement like it is. But those 355 days that we don't have guest, almost every one of them would find my kids enjoying their own little spot in the house. One that is dedicated to bringing them closer together as siblings, one that they want to invite their friends to and one that still feels like they are at the heart of our home. I don't think that I will have it quite how I like it for a year or so, that seems to be about how long it takes for me to figure it out, but Thursday was the first play date and the kids didn't get bored!
I am thankful for the new play room. After everyone left and I had it pretty much empty, waiting to be filled, I had a hard time putting the toys and food storage down there that I had made the room for. It looked so nice, so new, so pretty that it was hard for me to think of how ugly open shelves of food storage would look, or how I it would get messed up as a play room. I went back and forth with this for the entire week up until today. Then I just decided that the room IS beautiful, but I really did want it to be a play room. It's a guest room when we have guests, but the other 355 days of the year no one would notice what a nice shade the walls turned out to be, or how un-basement like it is. But those 355 days that we don't have guest, almost every one of them would find my kids enjoying their own little spot in the house. One that is dedicated to bringing them closer together as siblings, one that they want to invite their friends to and one that still feels like they are at the heart of our home. I don't think that I will have it quite how I like it for a year or so, that seems to be about how long it takes for me to figure it out, but Thursday was the first play date and the kids didn't get bored!Friday, November 14
I am thankful for the rain. I actually wasn't that thankful today for the rain, but I am trying to convince myself that I am. It has been drizzly for the past few days. Overcast skies, and misty moisty rain. It doesn't get fully light until noon. (At least it seems like it to me.) I have to turn on every light in the house so I don't feel like it's the middle of the night. But, then there are the really beautiful things about the rain, aside from the obvious. Like driving the kids to school and them being in total awe at how blue the sky is in one little patch that has broken through the clouds.
Saturday, November 15
I am thankful for those few minutes of quiet after the kids go to bed that I get to sit and talk to Jonathon. Don't get me wrong, we talk constantly through the day, but there is something really nice about those few minutes of calm before the rest of the things that need to be done for the rest of the night are thought about and before the TV or computer grabs our attention.
Sunday, November 16
I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father.
1 comment:
Heavenly Father knows me because I would have struggled without running water. I do not know how to rough it. I had a washer and dryer in all my mission apartments and all but one apartment had air conditioning. I know, so spoiled!
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