Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. They tend to brighten all around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, more likable.
You might be surprised to know that gratitude is a commandment of the Father. “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things” (D&C 59:7), the Lord has commanded in these latter days. Even further, He has admonished that “in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments” (D&C 59:21).
In the Book of Mormon we learn that we should “live in thanksgiving daily” (Alma 34:38). Isn’t that a wonderful thought to live in thanksgiving daily? Can you imagine how your life would improve if you lived in thanksgiving daily? Can you imagine how your life would improve if others did the same? Do you think the world would be a happier place? less stressful? less angry? more spiritual?
President Joseph F. Smith proclaimed: “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life. Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 263).
I believe that many people are unhappy because they have not learned to be grateful. Some carry the burden of bitterness and resentfulness for many years. Some pass their days as though suffering a deep sadness they cannot name. Others are unhappy because life didn’t turn out the way they thought it would.
If we only look around us, there are a thousand reasons for us not to be happy, and it is simplicity itself to blame our unhappiness on the things we lack in life. It doesn’t take any talent at all to find them. The problem is, the more we focus on the things we don’t have, the more unhappy and more resentful we become.
Those who live in thanksgiving daily, however, are usually among the world’s happiest people. And they make others happy as well.
Gratitude turns a meal into a feast and drudgery into delight. It softens our grief and heightens our pleasure. It turns the simple and common into the memorable and transcendent. It forges bonds of love and fosters loyalty and admiration.

My son Calvin :)

Lost

I've had several things that I have wanted to post but haven't taken the time to do it. I don't like being on the computer if I don't have to be, sorry. But there is one story I wanted to share.
When we where moving to TX I was with the kids in the car and Jake was behind me following in the truck. We had our walk-y-talkies to communicate to each other. Two amazing things happened on our trip. The first happened the very first night out. We had been driving all day and decided to stop in Durango, CO but when we found that the cheapest hotel was $129+ tax/night we decided to drive a little farther in hopes for something less expensive. We stopped in Aztec, NM a little old lady at the "step back inn" tried to find me the cheapest price (she even called other hotels, no one does that). We stayed in her inn and paid about $87 out the door. I figured we just saved about $50 so I was good. later after we got our stuff in the inn I went to find ice. I asked the little old lady where the ice was and before I could ask her she said, "guess what! there was a man that saw your family and truck and over heard our conversation about moving and stuff and he came down and paid for your room." I just stood there for a moment in shock. I asked her if she was serious. Then I told her that that was to much and that I couldn't except it. She said that he already paid and she already credited the fee back to our card. Jake came to find me and I told him the news. We were both standing there for a moment in shock. How cool is that!? :) I can't wait for the day I can return the favor to someone else. The most ironic part was that just a week before this happened I was listening to talk radio and they were talking about "random acts of kindness" that they had heard about and I thought to myself, "That stuff never happens to me."
The 2nd. We where in west TX with two days to go. Jake and I pulled off the HWY for a pit stop. Occasionally, I would follow Jake but usually he followed me so that he could see me. This time I followed Jake to get back on the FWY but got a red light. Jake went ahead. . .no big deal we had our walkie-talkies. The light was long but jake said he was driving super slow. When the light turned green I went to go catch up with Jake, so I drove fast. There apparently was two entrances to the FWY I got on the very first one and started to book it. Jake had taken an entrance that was further, as he missed the first one. The walkie-talkies where out of range, so I thought that I had a big distance to catchup on. I was going like 90 on the FWY yelling into the Walkie-talkie, "Jake! can you hear me!" No answer I just kept yelling and listening and yelling so more. Several minutes went by and I started to get scared. I thought that I should've caught up to him by now so I slowed to the speed limit. I knew I hadn't passed him as all three of us were looking for him. The kids were getting scared. At one point Zion started crying and said, " I want daddy!" More time had passed and there was still no response on the walkie-talkie or sign of Jake anywhere. By this this time all three of us couldn't hold it together and were crying. I didn't know what to do and felt lost. I didn't want to have to drive for two days without Jake. I felt like I should get off the HWY. I got off on an exit called Cherry and pulled into the first parking lot I saw (it was a gas station and a dairy queen-DQ's are every where). I just sat there, all three of us crying. I calmed us down to say a prayer, we prayed and prayed. All of us prayed together and individually. I started calling for Jake again and still no answer. I thought maybe I could find a cop and he could locate him. No. . . that wouldn't work. We just sat there all scared and sad for a while. I figured that I might as well get back on the HWY and go back over my foot steps, so to speak, thinking that if I stopped Jake might have too. I went under the HWY pass and came to a stop. . .The last stop before entering the other way to the HWY. Then I heard, "Cori!" My heart exploded. I got on the walkie-talkie and said, "yes, where are you!" Jake told me that he never saw me was going like 45 on the HWY and that he was getting worried. He said I wasn't going to get off the HWY but all of a sudden he felt like he should get off right away. I asked him what exit and where was he. He told me he got off on Cherry and was at a gas station by a DQ. I looked over the HWY and saw his truck. I went back to where he was and we all jumped out with tears in our eyes to give daddy a hug. I haven't felt so much emotion flood into my heart ever. Jake hugged us and smiled then decided that we should go to DQ and take a break. After talking we realized that I got on the HWY 1st and had passed Jake before he was even on the HWY and because he was going so slow and I so fast the distance between us grew.
I know that God loves us and answered our prayers. Because the odds of Jake getting off at the same exact exit as us are so slim. I am so grateful to have a husband who listens to the spirit.

So we have been trying to get our lawn mowed for the past month but because of the freaky weather we have been having and our crappy old D.I. lawnmower dying on us, we haven't been able to mow at all. Our front yard didn't look too bad but our back yard looked like a rain forest. I'm totally serious: the grass went past my kids knees; it almost reached my knees. In fact, just today Enoch was hiding in it and all you could see was his little head poking up out of the top of the grass. We got desperate so we asked a neighborhood boy--Justin--if he wanted to earn $20 to mow our lawn. He said, "sure." (After all what 12 year old wouldn't mind earning 20 bucks?) I figured it would take him about 1 to 1 1/2 hours; that's almost 20 bucks an hour; not many grownups earn that much, so I figured it was fair. Anyway, it rained over the weekend, so we had to wait even longer for him to be able to mow it. Of course, the grass got longer, too. We haven't had the time to buy a new mower, either, so this evening, about 7:30 (a little late, but it was still light out, so I figured it would be okay), Justin came over with his dad's old mower and said, "okay, I'm ready." The front yard took him just minutes; he was done lickety-split and he did a good job. Then came the real test: could he do the back yard?
Well, lets just say it took A LOT longer.
He had to empty the bag like 7 or 8 times and his mower stalled several times (15 or 20 times, but who's counting?). The old mower even shot off a few sparks here and there. Jake had to go out and help him repeatedly--emptying the bag that was too big for the kid, and starting the mower when it got too difficult; Jake even took over mowing for a while so Justin could use the bathroom. Jake went in and out so often that, after a while, he just stayed out there, just in case. At one point, Justin came into the house all covered in dirt and grass to wait for the mower to un-flood itself; when Jake went out to check it, I said, "you might want to go out there if he gets it started." Then Justin smiled and said, "let him mow it; I'll split the 20 bucks with him."
It eventually took Justin about an hour-and-a-half just to do the back yard! It was really dark by the time he was finished, and he asked if we had a light in the back to help him see (as if he couldn't see the REALLY tall grass he hadn't gotten to yet!). It was so late when he was finished, Jake had to walk him home to make sure he got home safely!
I have to admit, I thought the whole thing was quite hilarious; I think it was the best entertainment that $20 has ever bought me. :)
Maybe I'll do it again next month, although I'm not so sure Justin will be quite so eager to do it next time. :)

The cutest thing happened. . .
Sooo, you know how every year the fire department does fund raisers and calls for donations, well it's that time of year again.
:)
So the phone rings and Enoch runs and answers it. All I hear is, "hello, who's calling?" (we are working on phone etiquette mind you) Then there is this pause. After which Enoch says, "who?" pause "why are you calling us?" pause "but we don't need you." pause "we don't even have a FIRE, why are you calling us!?" pause "Call someone else who needs you cause we don't have a fire!" pause "besides there is no one named Diane here." then, as I am running to the phone he hangs up, and looks at me with this confused yet silly grin and says, "I don't don't know why the fireman called us, we don't even have a fire?" He was very pleased with himself on how he handled it and thought the whole thing was just hilarious. Hopefully the fireman did too.
aaaaah kids, got-a-love-um. :)