I am glad for many things

In November our family--all five of us--are speaking in church.  Our topic is gratitude. 

We have 40 minutes.  I told Emma she could take 35 and the rest of us would take the balance of the time.  Actually though, have you met my sons?  Talkers.  They'd never go for that.  Emma wouldn't either.

Anyway, gratitude.  It's a topic I like because it's like a tonic that makes me happier.

Here are a few things topping my list lately:

I'm grateful for tiny glimpses that I'll survive the next phase of my life (the phase where my children grow up).

I'm grateful someone found Braeden's wallet (which he'd lost) and turned it in to the school office with nothing missing.

There are so many good people in the world.

(Thank you, good people.)

I'm also grateful my house didn't blow up yesterday.  I had wanted to wait until November to turn on the heat, (we have to have goals, you know) but it was cold yesterday.  It was still 62 degrees in the house at noon so I caved and turned on the heat.  Nothing happened.  I fiddled with the thermostat but couldn't make any headway.  I turned it off then went to the basement to look at the furnace--intimidate it into working? I don't know what my plan was.  In the basement I smelled an overwhelming odor of gas.  I threw the windows open and made sure everything was turned off.  I tried to call Adam, who was out of town for work, but couldn't reach him.  I was contemplating calling the gas company or escaping into the hills with my redhead but I tried to call my dad instead.  I didn't get him.  Ammon was next on the list--Enoch was going to be after him.  Tabor was last choice because he was likely horseback on a mountain somewhere out of cell phone range.  Adam called me while I was on the phone with Ammon and then my dad called too.  Ammon stopped by in the evening to take care of things.   He found a part that was broken on the furnace and we headed off to Home Depot in pursuit of a replacement.  How Ammon knows how to find the broken part on a furnace is beyond me.  There was no replacement at Home Depot.  I told Ammon I'd call a repairman and he insisted they would charge too much and he would find the part somewhere.  I don't know if I've ever mentioned it...

...but that Ammon is a good sort.

So I'm grateful I didn't blow up the house and I'm grateful for the men in my life who Know Things and come to my aid.  I feel like I have this sturdy safety net and it's a good feeling.

Also there's this view from our deck:

The other night, Braeden said, "Every time I see a sunset, I think I should take a picture!  But then I remember, we live here."

I agree.  I feel like we should be documenting this stuff.