Mother Nature

It's quite beautiful right now in Val-Des-Lacs, Quebec, Canada.

Finally, the hills have turned green,

The Birds are flitting about,

A few Hummingbirds make a brief appearance,

The snow has melted.

And, I'm grateful for this unique spot on earth and its natural beauty.

AMERICA!

I just read a dear friend's missionary blog.

She and her husband are serving their 4th mission; this one to Macedonia/Albania as service missionaries.

Every time I read her blog, I am humbled by living conditions in other places in the world.

I am inspired by her service.

Cynthia and Steve do wheelchair service; these are a set of steps that the new owner of the wheelchair will have to navigate to be able to use the wheelchair.  Oh, I am SO BLESSED!

But, mostly, I am so grateful for our living situation!

Right now, back home in Utah, our air conditioner isn't working properly.  That was sad news and will be expensive to replace.

But, we HAVE air conditioning.  We have a home with real floors and a real roof.  We have a kitchen with stover, running water.  we have indoor toilets that work.  Food to spare.  Money for the things we need.

We are RICH!

And, I am so very grateful.  Thank you, Heavenly Father!

Our Beautiful Daughter, KRISTI D

Kristi joined us on our grand adventure to Canada,

She is the world's best and most accommodating traveler.

She is the perfect navigator.

The perfect planner.

The perfect personality.

We've decided that we can't go on any trips again without her.

And, I'm so thankful she would be willing to come with us.

Sunny Days

For almost two weeks, the weather has been gloomy and rainy.

So, yesterday, to have the sun shining, was just so great.

I love sunshine.

And, I am grateful.

Chye and Ruth Teh just before starting out on our grand adventure.

Safety!

I'm always grateful when we return from a day trip or overnighter to get home...

SAFE and SOUND.

So, today I'm grateful after our little jaunt into Ottawa!

Parliament Building in Ottawa, Canada; it is so magnificent and very ornate.
It was great to learn a little about the government system of Canada.

The Senate Chambers in Parliament.  The Senators are not elected, but chosen.
Would that be a better system?  Hard to say, but definitely interesting.

The bed and breakfast home where we stayed in Ottawa.  It was so lovely and filled with such interesting antiques.  It's amazing how we all have such different tastes.  The owner had THINGS everywhere.  But, it matched her style and personality.  I was grateful to meet her and spend the night here.

Gratitude is what I feel!

TIME!

When I was in St George, I was always in a hurry.

Hurry to get to the gym, hurry to get the errands run, hurry to get ready for this and that.

Now, we are on a home exchange - pretty much out in the wilderness where there is absolutely

NO HURRY for anything.

It's all very relaxing.

And, I like that.

Depth Perception

It's something that I totally take for granted, but when walking yesterday, I was so grateful that I could notice the differences in the ground levels.

And, it made me appreciate even more my eyesight.

Oh, yes, I am grateful.

Safe Arrival

Whew, what an adventure we have had.

But, we are here in Val-des-Lacs, Quebec, Canada, and I'm grateful to be here.

I'm sure it's very lovely, but it's cold and rainy, with some snow on the ground, so I'm not seeing it at its best yet.

However, I will say this; it's a very lovely setting even in the chill and rain.

The people, Yves and Diane, could not be nicer or more helpful.

And, I am very grateful for safety and warmth and good people.