Service

I am surrounded by such good, wonderful people. I have great friends who are always so willing to lend a helping hand and have gone out of their way to help me while I was pregnant and now that little Nathan is here.

Mom

My mom and dad and Caleb and Abby came to visit for Thanksgiving with the hopes that our little baby would arrive while they were here. I am grateful that Nathan acquiesced to our plans. My mom stayed an extra week to help us. She was an awesome help, and I just love having her company. I was amazed at how much she could get done in a day. She made us dinner every night and froze a couple meals too. She washed clothes, changed almost every one of Nathan's diapers and took care of his circumcision, shopped for the things I needed, helped me make a million JOY blocks I wanted to give as Christmas presents, serviced and fixed my sewing machine, dressed up Nathan's burp cloths with fabric and ribbon, read a few books, and even knitted a bunch of scarves for her young women for Christmas. I am grateful for her service to my family. I would be a mess without her, and I'm so glad she got to be with me when Nathan was born.

River of Lights
Another "empty-nester" family in our ward took my kids out for a night on the town on Friday. They gathered all but Nathan into their Suburban and first took them out to eat and then to see Albuquerque's River of Lights. When the kids got home they had cotton candy and a couple bags full of magnetic rocks as souvenirs. They had so much fun, and I guarantee if Scott and I had taken them they would not have received such special treatment. Scott and I reflected on this couple's readiness and willingness to serve in all sorts of capacities. We want to be just like them.

McDonalds
On Saturday another lady from our ward called to see if she could take the kids to McDonald's to get a Happy Meal and play on the play place. Aren't I lucky to have such wonderful people around me?

Explora
Another good friend took Jared and Ellie to the children's museum Explora on Monday. She has four kids of her own who are all in school, and used her precious "kid-free" hours to help me out by entertaining Jared and Ellie. They LOVED it! I am so grateful for her friendship and all the things she does for me and my family.

I am incredibly blessed and feel so loved! I am awed by the goodness in people, and am grateful for their example of service and love. I hope I can emulate those qualities as well.