Quick note

Things are going pretty well right now. We have some promising opportunities for Steve's company and we are very hopeful and optimistic that things will be back to normal by end of June. Here's hoping! And thank you for all the prayers and thoughts.

I have learned SOOO much these last almost 8 months since the company Steve worked for lost its funding. I have learned to trust my husband. I have learned to have a lot more faith. I have learned I can't control it all and to let go. I have learned to cut back and to say no to buying things. I have learned to be more creative on my meal planning. I have actually cooked a few new things (to those of you who know me well, you know this is big ... we were a meat and sides or eat out family, but I've actually cooked full meals). I've learned to look inward for strength. I've learned to appreciate the little things and to keep my focus on the more important things. I've learned to take a little time for me no matter what. I hope I've learned to judge others and their decisions less. You really don't know why people do what they do ... and sometimes although a decision may look frivolous or wrong, you really DON'T know the whole picture so you really can't judge. And I've learned several areas I need to work on and ways I can better myself. One of the biggest areas I want to work on, is being more aware of the needs of those around me and being more in tune with what I can do to help others ... what little things can I do to help ease their trials. It has been AMAZING to me how the LITTLEST things that others do for us can make such a BIG difference.

I am truly grateful to all of you who have reached out and done something for us (no matter how small). The Halloween candy, the box of go-gurts, the surprise Christmas check, a big bag of hand-me-down clothes, a shopping trip to the store, an article that has given me strength, yummy desserts for a casual movie night, words to a song that still sound in my head and keep me climbing, a soda and popcorn at the movie, the offer to pay for my GNO project, the emails and calls letting us know we are in your prayers... thank you! And I hope that I can return the favor to others when they faces challenges.

My two favorite church hymns are side by side in our hymn book. "Because I have been given much" and "Lord, I would follow thee" Both remind me to give, to share, to serve, to not judge, to love ... to be like my Savior. But I've gained a new, deeper perspective. I've realized it doesn't take "much" to be able to give to others. And it doesn't have to be the poor and destitute or a BIG project. Like I said, its the little things ...

And that's just the things I've learned that I can think of and list off the top of my head! I'm grateful for trials, I'm grateful for prayers, I'm grateful for friends, I'm grateful for my family and most of all I'm grateful for the peace and comfort I feel from my Heavenly Father and Savior ... even when it doesn't show on the outside!