5.07.10

So I've been transferring files to Devin's new graduation present from very generous parents... 

A new i-mac (yeah I cried) Our parents (both sets) are so very generous it makes me feel guilty.  But more than anything it makes me hopeful I can be generous with others too.

Being a student has taught us some invaluable lessons that I feel blessed to have:  ( I will just go ahead and bullet point them for ya  mmmkay ;)

• How to be crazy frugal (and what happens when your not. eeks!) 
•  How much you really CAN do without and sometimes and still be happy.
• If WE can stay out of credit card debt with no income... we will never have an excuse EVER to fall into that trap.  I will  die knowing I've never paid a penny in interest to any credit card company.  So Thankful.
•  If you are truly grateful for your blessings, you can be really happy and never envy others that seem to have much more than you do presently, because we feel equally as blessed.  You can have genuine joy for others.  
• Sometimes lack of money can bring your closer to your spouse, because every decision has to be a JOINT decision. 
• Gifts given with sacrifice increases your love for that person. In our present situation, if one person gets something they really want, that means the other is sacrificing something that they want at the moment...  Whether it's me passing up those purses every time I go to the mall so that I can hopefully buy Devin a ____ for his graduation present ;)   Or us as parents giving up spending money on any dates for several months so we can buy the kids Easter candy and a few Easter presents.  Gifts are so fun and meaningful.
• How to work as a team with your husband to  be able to afford things that you really need or want. (We even had to save and adjust our budget to see Avatar :)  
• The law of tithing works.     
• I love being American. We feel INCREDIBLY blessed and lucky everyday.   And along with being American comes hope. We know that the harder we work  we can continue to better our situation and know that it will.  We are only filled with determination and excitement at the thought of our future.  I love America.
• And more than anything the generosity of parents, grandparents and others has taught me so much. I am so grateful for each gift that I can't WAIT to be able to do that for others.  When Devin and I DREAM and plan our future goals the first thing we plan for after paying all our expenses is hopefully being able to pay for other people's houses or college.  And yes we have a list of who's house we would pay off and in what order... Chances are we  won't be able to  get to that point financially.  But shoot for the stars right?

So before I went on THAT tangent (sorry) I was transferring pics and found a bunch from this spring...

Looking through pictures is One thing that makes me realize my blessing when I'm having a less than thankful day. 

Do you want to see pictures of my blessings? 

Okay sure.  Here there are.  

Good neighbors gathering in our yard most warm afternoons, is a blessing.

Having a daughter. 

a beautiful Blessing.

Living with Captain Moroni, Batman, Superman, and Indiana Jones. Is a blessing.

Warm sunny weather...

My lovely friend April and McKay.  We were at BYU together and now Logan together, were
baby less together,  prayed and hoped together,  HAD baby's together.
 (well, with our husbands but you know,)
 We like each other so much we will be moving to Boise together!  

Friends are blessings. I think you would all agree.

Knowing baby girls like this one. ;)
Addie is just a blessing to see. 

It will make your day just to see her little run.

Plus she is one of the rare one year olds that sports
(and keeps on)

sunglasses!

She belongs to Jer and Ashley :)

Sunday mornings this year... Church starts and ends BEFORE naptime.  Sweet mama, Blessing!

Wednesday Walks with friends is a definite blessing.

Children that are learning to like one another...even

 if it is only during times that they are working

 together behind my back to go against the rules. 

(Sneek Naomi out of Nap time by piling couch cushions in the crib so she can crawl out.)

warm Spring evening with outside with 

friends...blessing!

First swimming party of the season

(equipped with giant bowl of watermelon)and that 

Naomi LOVES wearing her sun hat. 

YA. 

Blessing.

The fact that I have a 

dumpster diving daughter......

NOT a blessing.

 BUT having a camera to take pics like these....

Blessing!

The End.


Okay honestly that was just my weird attempt to try and relate all the pictures I haven't posted yet, but don't want to forget about this spring.