Easter brought Gratitude

Here's grandma Karen on the porch after church on Easter, so it's not a surprise that everyone is not feeling their best, maybe too much candy and church services that wear kids out. (But grandmas enjoy) You can tell my age when you look at my oldest and first grandchild, Damon. He is 6 and in the first grade. I love to talk to him, he is very attune to what is going on with me. Next is Annaliese, then Kenya , Kalia, Kyla, and Allie. Hey, where are the twins, MIS and CHIEF??





Oh, here they are with the rest of their cousins BEFORE church. Grandma Karen had gone to practice with the choir for the Easter program and she was so hoping that the mothers of these little ones would remember to get pictures before they got messed up. Notice MIS (Malakai) has a new haircut, (much to mother's dismay)

I have so much to be grateful for this year. I had all of my grandkids together for Easter, and 4 days later I learned that my PET scan for this year was COMPLETELY CLEAR of cancer.

What more could I ask for?

This is Kenya, now 9 mos old, in her Easter dress, still a delight to be around :)

This is Kyla, she is almost 2 and she is a spitfire!!! She was so quiet the first year of her life, and now she is making up for it. She lives in Springville. My favorite thing about Kyla is that she will lovingly come to you and immediately put her head down on your shoulder. It touches my heart.

I am so amazingly blessed to have FOUR daughters, and now they are all about the same size. they can all wear each other's clothes and shoes
Tara, then me, Kimmy (now 15),Krystal, and Heather, (yes, Heather and Tara traded hair :)

Two of my son in laws with their little ones, Wayne is Tara's husband with Malakai on his lap just a day after Malakai (age 2 1/2) shaved his own head with electric clippers (Tara had to finish the job) Then next to him is Jeff (Krystal's husband) with Kyla on his lap. The couch is an old one from my front room and we put it on the porch for a while, (nice temperature this Easter Night)

Here's my 4 daughters again, (honestly, I can't get over Heather's hair)

This sweet one we haven't had many pictures of her. Maybe because she was usually crying the first few months of her life. This is Annaliese, Heather's 5 mo. old. Heather had a hard time trying to figure out why she cried so much. After MANY doctor visits to MANY different kind of doctors, many things were ruled out, and after a LOT of prayers, Heather felt that she needed to be on a formula without any corn in it, very hard to find by the way. After a week on Aliemuntum sp? ready to feed, little one started to calm, eat, not have rashes, and get some sleep. Heavenly Father always knows what is wrong, He is just letting us find the answers when we are ready to listen to Him. This is a bubble one of the kids blew her way, what a sweetie!

This last one is Kalia, Heather's 17 mo. old, (yep, she had them close, taking after her momma.) I guess something has made her cry on this easter morn..... (certainly not her naturally curly hair after her dad and her great grandpa Bama.)

Yes, I have MUCH to be grateful for.

This morning, I attended a meditation group for cancer survivors. It has taught me to relax, and not let the stress of the word "cancer" get to me. Each time I am learning more how to control my anxiety. Today we went to a place that we love (in our minds), while calming our bodies with deep breaths. I saw myself with long blonde hair again in the celestial room in the temple. Then we were to focus on gratitude. We would breathe in gratitude and feel it in our hearts, and breathe out and away all negativism. I can't tell you how much this helped me today. I started off the day feeling VERY anxious. I was overwhelmed with love and gratitude for these grandchildren, my own children, and a son that will finish his mission next week and arrive at the St. George airport after 2 yrs of being away. Then the grateful feelings expanded. I am so thankful for a great husband, and the priesthood, and His blessings that he gives me when I ask. I felt so amazed at how much my heart has changed over the past year. While I was in this celestial room, I saw lots of things in white, representing so much peace and purity to me. I could almost see the Savior walking in to the St. George temple in that sacred room, all in white of course. I could almost feel my mom and dad near by.

I felt loved. I felt grateful.

Yes, Easter brought Gratitude this year.