Turning 32

Turning 32 is WONDERFUL! As I posted on facebook:



"Thank you, thank you, thank you kindly for all of the birthday LOVE and wishes! I truly feel that life ONLY gets better with age. I honestly LOVE getting older. I am so grateful to be in my 30's; I feel wiser, more put together, more comfortable in my own skin, and more beautiful some how (and THEY told me aging had the opposite effect, "pshhhh")! How grateful I am for a mother who brought me into this world 32 years ago; a mother who sacrificed so much that I might live the life I have lived. How grateful I am for all of my success and failures, for they have made me into the woman I am today. How grateful I am for the Lord, who steered me on paths unknown where I found happiness I could have never found had he let me walk the path of MY intentions. How grateful I am to be alive, to be healthy, to live in this beautiful, free, and blessed land—America. How grateful I am for new tomorrows—for the opportunity to improve one day at a time . . . Happy Birthday indeed, "my cup runneth over."

This morning I woke up with so much gratitude in my heart for all of my blessings.  I have been keeping a gratitude journal and these are the things that were on my mind this morning:

• I am grateful I chose to come to earth 32 years ago
• Grateful for my patriarchal blessing and all of the rich blessing the Lord has seen fit to bestow upon me.  No worldly gifts could ever compare.
• Grateful for the priesthood on the earth
• Grateful for the atonement and my Savior
• Grateful for a desire to do better, to serve, to be more Christ-like and less worldly 
• Grateful for my talents
• Grateful for my health and to be alive
• Grateful for a new year to start again and be better; to improve. 
• Grateful Mike took the day off to spend with me
• Grateful for Mike's positivity
• Grateful for Mike's service
• Grateful to have the opportunity to be sealed as a family
• Grateful for my creativeness
• Grateful for my freedoms and to live in America
• Grateful for seconds chances in life
• Grateful for the Lord's guidance and knowing what is best for my life
• Grateful for my mother who had me as her last child and sacrificed so much for our family
• Grateful for my dad being a provider of seven children
• Grateful for a sense of peace, true contentment, and happiness.  

I was so spoiled to have Mike take the day off to spend time with me and make me feel special and loved.  We had breakfast at the beach, which was short lived because Beck's wasn't havin it this morning :).  

Then I was shipped off to get a massage and a pedicure at the nicest, best salon I have been too.  I felt so relaxed and rejuvenated the rest of the day.  

We took Beck's to play mini golf, and although it was atrociously hot, it was fun to be outside and have some good old fashioned family time.  Beck's actually liked it; he would pick up the ball and put it in the hole, AND he loved the misters—he got drenched trying to hold onto one and drink water from it.  

We had dinner at "Lob Dog", aka Red Lobster (what can I say, seafood is my fav), and Mike got me my favorite cake: Carrot Cake—yum!

After singing "Happy Birthday", and opening gifts, Mike and I finished the evening at a movie: Snow White.  It has been a long time since we have gotten out to see a movie, so we throughly enjoyed ourselves.  

Thank you to all for the gifts, I felt so spoiled.  Lauri and Bob got me a pedicure, Mom got me some cool silver bracelets, a beachy/classy silver and blue necklace, and some buttons, and Jenn got me the coolest monogram stamps!  Mike and Beck's got me a massage, and $100.  WOW, what a day! I feel so loved and appreciated! 

Here are some pics from our day :).  

I love all of this sleeping positions I find him in during nap time