a Good Night's Sleep....

It's 12:45 a.m.

I can't sleep.

So, it makes me appreciate all the nights that I can sleep.

I'm very thankful for a good night's rest.

Flowers

I love this time of the year in our yard; it is just so stunning to look out or walk around and see the yard filled with so many incredible, stunning flowers.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the marvelous world you have created.

Our Mission

I look forward every Monday morning to head over to the LDS Employment Center...

it's such a blessing to be there and work with the marvelous missionaries who serve with us.

I am thankful for our 3rd part-time mission.

Hands and Feet

In the recent bombing in Boston, several people lost their legs, including a three year old girl.

So stupid and tragic and horrific.

I am so very grateful to be able to walk.

Sylvia's hands are now almost totally curled up...she can no longer feed herself or even reach for the water on her nightstand.  When I first knew her, she could do indexing, type letters on her computer, feed herself, etc.  She cannot put on her glasses or take them off, so in just a few short years, she has gone from having the use of her hands to not being able to use them much at all.   It is heart-breaking.

I am so grateful for the use of my hands.

Oh yes, I am thankful for hands and feet.

Eyesight

In one day, I learned of two people who had no eyesight; one lost it early in life due to an illness, one lost it because of an illness later in life.

Holy cow, it's a blessing to be able to SEE.

And, I am thankful.

HEALTH!

She was one of my favorite people at the middle school; she and I had so much in common.

She is talented, beautiful, classy, creative, kind, thoughtful, and just plain good.

And, I just learned that she has colon cancer.

She is on the downhill side of her treatments, but she has lost a lot of weight, and has been very very ill.

And, I didn't know.

So, once again, I will say that I am so thankful for good health at this point in our lives.

I am grateful.

Good Teeth

They are not the straightest,
the whitest,
BUT, they are good.

I don't have a lot of issues with my teeth and gums.

My neighbor just spent $7000 getting bone grafts, teeth implants, etc.

Well, so far, I've got healthy gums and teeth.

And, I am very grateful.

the Missionaries We Serve With

They are good.

They are fun.

They are dedicated.

They have led amazing, rich lives.

They have challenges.

They are always inspiring.

And, I'm grateful to serve alongside them.

Cameras

It's so fun to look back.

To remember....

To see that I was once young...

To be reminded of a beautiful flower, a friend, an event, a loved one, some food.

Ah, yes, I'm so thankful that the camera was invented.

Allen's JOB

I probably say this a lot.

But, every day on our mission, I am reminded how incredibly grateful I am for Allen to have had such a marvelous JOB!

Thank you, dear Heavenly Father.

What a great blessing it was and continues to be...

I am so grateful.

Spending Time with Family

They live far away, so I don't see them often.

And, when I do, I am grateful.

(Still sad I forgot to take a picture.)

Thoughtful Children

Jordan just did something very kind for Jenni.

It made my heart sing.

I love it when my children are sensitive to each other.

I am grateful for those moments.
.

the Temple

When we lived in Rexburg, it was a challenge to get to the temple often.

So, I didn't go a lot.

Living in St. George makes it easy to go...just 15 minutes away...I like that.

I have been trying to go every other week to do sealings; it's good and I'm grateful that I can do it.

I'm thankful for the promise that I will see my beloved parents again.

That is a remarkable promise and gift.

And, I am grateful.

for an education

At one point, I wanted to quit college, but Allen said,

No, it's important."

And, for me, it was.

I had a dream job - school librarian.

And, it was only possible because I had an education.

I'm thankful for that college degree.

My Little Corner of the World...

there is so much ugliness in our world, and once again in America.

Two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon.

Who would do such an evil, evil thing....

BUT, I am grateful for where I live...tucked away in a little corner in Southern Utah.

It's fairly remote, distant, and has a safe feeling.

And, I am grateful.

The Testimonies of Others

I really enjoy going to church on Fast Sundays.

I am inspired by the testimonies shared by other Saints.  It takes courage to get up and speak in front of people, so people are brave to do it.

But, their testimonies always help strengthen mine.

And, I'm grateful.

Early Mornings

I get up early.

Sometimes I:

Index,
blog,
read,
do family history,

but, it's peaceful and lovely.

I'm grateful for the promise of a new day!

A Bread Mixer

I am SURE that I would just never make home-made bread if I didn't have a bread mixer.

And, the bread I make is very healthy with freshly ground whole wheat, so I'm

VERY grateful for a bread mixer.

My Father

That was a wonderful day on April 12, 1916 when my father, Merrill Kerr Gee was born.

And, to think of all the billions of girls ever born, I got to be HIS daughter.

It is a blessing that I will be forever grateful for.

My father was a good, honorable man.

He was kind, gentle, talented, dedicated, generous, and did I mention that he was GOOD?

Oh, yes, he was the best of men.  And, I miss him more than it is possible to say.

I will be forever grateful that I got to be his only daughter.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this wonderful man in my life.

TIME!

Sometimes, even though we are retired, our lives are so very busy and our lives get congested with "STUFF."

So, I love getting up and having some time to:

work on family history
send letters
exercise
enjoy the day
be with friends
go to a concert
watch a movie with RAH

I'm very grateful for TIME.

My Three Brothers

The internet tells me it is SIBLINGS DAY,
so, that reminded me what great siblings I have...

No sisters,
but three incredibly thoughtful, wonderful, good brothers.

Preston, Loni, Kaey, Gavin

Man, they are so great; they are honorable, good, thoughtful, fun, happy, Gospel-loving brothers.

And, I am grateful.

Family and Friends

Sometimes, I am reminded of what a great blessings friends are....

like yesterday on my birthday, I had an outporing of love from so many dear friends.

Darn and Dorothy - she gave me some stick on letters for a wall.
Linda and Jerry came over with a bouquet of flowers
Linda Ricks sent a book and lovely note
my Visiting teachers, Kim and Julie came over while I was napping - Kim had baked a pie
Beverly, Val & Judi, Kelli Turner, Travis, TL MCrae, Scarlett Stimpson, sent wishes electronically
my brothers called or wrote
Nathaniel called,
Jeremy's kids all called
my own kids called
Jordan gave me a box of chocolates
Kristi gave me a gorgeous sweater, two lip glosses, a necklace and some chocolate bars
RAH gave me gorgeous perennial plant and planted it.

It was a wonderful day and I am overwhelmed and
GRATEFUL!

LDS General Conference

The speakers choose their own subjects.

How do they know it is just what I need to hear?

How do they always know they speak to my soul?

And, I am grateful.

Repentance

Because I always need it.

And, I'm thankful.

Christmas

To Latter-Day-Saints, today is Christmas.

It may not be to the rest of the world, but we believe it was today...April 6.

And, so, today, I am remembering the birth of the Saviour.

And, I'm enjoying LDS conference remembering that we owe so much to the only perfect person who ever lived.

I'm very very grateful.

GOOGLE

I use it every day.

I don't know how we existed without it.

Oh, yes, I'm a fan..

(Here is something totally weird about the Google logo; no matter how many times I tried to capture it, when I put it in this document, the picture was upside down, backwards, etc.  It would seem Google has insured that their logo not be used anywhere, but on their own website.  But, no matter, I can still use it to search.)

And, I'm grateful.

Mail Delivery

It's absolutely FUN to get a package in the mail.

Or a letter.

Or - on occasion - a sales circular from a store.

It's so fun to mail letters; a birthday card, a thank you, a gift card.

I'm very very grateful for mail service.

HEARING

Last night I heard it for the first time this spring....

the sound of crickets...

such a unique sound and so spring and summery.

I'm grateful to be able to HEAR....

laughter of a child,
music,
laughter of adults,
the ocean,
birds early in the morning,

so many wonderful sounds.

I'm thankful for SOUNDS.

My Wonderful Mother

Happy Birthday, Mother!

How I got to be so blessed with the best mother on earth, I'll never know.

But, I am so very grateful for such a

good,
kind,
gentle,
peace-loving,
virtuous,
hard-working,
talented,
thoughtful,
generous,
unselfish,
beautiful

mother.

The world became a brighter place the day you were born and a dimmer place the day of your death.

Oh, dear Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for my mother!

Cameras

Recently, I saw a picture of me from a bazillion years ago.

Holy cow! I was skinny and young.

That was fun to remember.

Yesterday, posted on Facebook was the most adorable picture of Miles with a chick on his shoulder...oh so darling.

I am so grateful for the invention of cameras.  I love looking back and remembering because I don't have a good rememberer.

Cameras - I'm grateful.