Noticing

This morning I listened to President Uchtdorf's talk from the Women's Broadcast session of General Conference while I walked along the mountain path near my house.  I've never heard a talk quite like it.  The entire thing is a story.

This resonated with me:

God didn’t design us to be sad. He created us to have joy! So if we trust Him, He will help us to notice the good, bright, hopeful things of life. 

I started noticing some of the good, bright, hopeful things in my life.

It's been such a whirlwind of change the last few years.  I hardly recognize my life.  Sometimes I mourn my old life.  I miss homeschooling, our friends and family in Washington, the kids' old high school.

I miss Braeden.

Here's what I noticed this morning though, what I thought about as my feet crunched on the gravel and my lungs filled with the cool morning air:  here's what I like about living in Utah

1- Blue skies.  Nearly every day.  I never get tired of blue blue skies.

2- Seeing my family.  A lot. I never get tired of that either.

3- The temple is very close and when I walk up on the mountain, I can see four temples (well not clearly, but I know the new Provo one is there).

4- I like dry air.

5- I love seeing the mountains every direction.

6- I always know which way is North, South, East or West (see above--the mountains help me).

7- There are many really close, really great places to take a walk.

8- Provo.

9- The high school performing arts.  They're competitive, but my kids love being involved.

10- I get to visit my grandma often.

In the constant shifting and rearranging that is life, I'm grateful for a God that created us to have joy.  I'm grateful for a world that is designed to be a beautiful, varied and ever changing place where we can learn to adapt.  Sometimes I resist change kicking and screaming, but that rarely helps...