2013--The year of Gratitude

 I read in a book once that each year the mom picked a "theme" for the year.   Something to focus on for her family.  I decided to do that this year.  The theme for our family in 2013 is Gratitude.

We all have problems.  We all have challenges--no matter what our age, income, location, etc.  Everyone does, but we also have so much to be thankful for--so very much to be grateful for.  I think in our world with the news from everywhere that always seems to be negative it is very easy to forget our blessings and be positive.  I so want my family (and me) to remember our blessings and be positive and optimistic about our future.  To help us do this I bought each of us a little composition notebook.  They are 3" x 4.5" with 160 pages.   They were $1 at Wal-Mart.  We decorated them yesterday.  Everybody did their own expect for Ben.  He was going to leave his plain, but Miss E felt sorry for him and said, "Dad, do you want me to decorate yours for you?"  "Sure!"  So, he got an extra special one from Miss E.  Anyway, we read scriptures as a family each night around 8 p.m.  We have now made it the tradition that after we read scriptures together we are going to write in our little blessing books 5 things from that day we are thankful for, 5 things that were blessing to us that day, 5 blessings we have, and then we share one of our 5, have prayers, and everyone heads to bed.  Last night was the first time we did it.  I meant to start on Jan 1st, but didn't get them done.  Jan 2nd works just as well.  The kids were excited about it.  I hope the excitement continues and that as we do it they will think more about what they have to be grateful for and count their blessings, because we really do have a lot.   

 So, join me for 2013 and our year of Gratitude!