An attitude of Gratitude,

Don't assume this means I'm feeling grateful. (Except for it's plausible that I'm starting to.) 

I've got a confession:  a statement: 

Here's what it is.

I've been feeling grumpy and frustrated and empty. And that's why I'm posting this video- I came back from the adult session of Stake Conference feeling great, and it's hard to keep up feelings of that greatness. Especially when there's bass blasting from the clubhouse next to your apartment, and you've got tons of cleaning to do, and a stack of boxes in your room because there's only two weeks left of school. 

So I decided to check out www.lds.org, and that's where I found this video. 

It reminded me of a million little things I've been secretly grateful for the past few days. 

Especially Friday and today, being outside so much. I got to help my family haul cows and  their calves to Hatch. Friday night my dad and I drove over Cedar mountain, and there was just enough light that the horizon and trees were silky silhouettes, the snow was glowy, and the melted run off reflected the pink sunset. Doesn't that sound incredible? That's because it was! It made me grateful to live where I do, surrounded by so much beauty.

Today, we walked through one of the pastures, moving the cattle into some corrals. I swear, you could smell the sunshine mixed in with the sagebrush. It looked pretty outside, it felt pretty outside, it even smelled pretty! I'm grateful for our bodies that allow us to experience all of those senses, aren't you? I never really thought about it that way before today. 

Watching the cute baby animals running around made me grateful for creation, and our ability to become parents (someday). :) Birth and life is so insanely miraculous, and it never ceases to totally baffle my mind when I think about it. God is a genius! Scientifically (not that I actually am, or know, or understand anything scientific...) it's so intricate, and it's so... astounding! (I just ramble lots when I talk about my marvels of birth so I'll just spare you. Just know I know it's a gift from our Heavenly Father, and I think it's absolutely wonderful!)

I'm grateful for spring, and green and flowers! I noticed on my drive back to Ephraim that the fields were like patchwork quilts again! So many different shades, most were green, but my favorites were the ones covered in little purple flowers. (Probably weeds. I've always loved pretty weeds. :p) (It's funny how even weeds can be beautiful if you want them to be.)

And tonight I'm grateful for Saturday sessions, and early mornings. I swear that's when the spiritual overloads happen. (Especially when you sit alone and feel awkward because you don't really have anyone to go with.) There were so many insights and words of advice that seemed personalized to me, down to the songs chosen to sing. (Blessings, blessings, blessings!)

So. The moral of my spiel is that even though I feel mean and grumpy and glass half empty-ish, I am grateful for lots of good things. (Maybe even some of the 'bad things'. Maybe I'll be better at being grateful for them in hindsight.)