Blessed

I've been feeling pretty good recently. Todd and I are in a really good stage of life. There are uncertainties, and difficulties, because that is a part of life. However, I think we both feel like we will look back on our past few years in Kansas and know that we were blessed.

I've had a lot of experiences being married to Todd that I wouldn't give back for the world.

We've done a lot of traveling. We've crossed a lot of bridges!

 We've both gone back to get more education. I'm so grateful I got my second degree. It's proven to be essential in this stage of our life, and I enjoy it. Hopefully, Todd can look back on his law school experience and know that it was worth it. 

We've always had a full fridge. We've never wanted for necessities, never not been able to pay our tithing or our bills. We've even been able to buy wants (especially if Ben and Jerry's is a want!)

We've been blessed with good families. We were both blessed to have fabulous upbringings, and we continue to have families that care about us. We both grew up in unique parts of the US, and we hope to visit those places again with our own family someday.

We've been blessed to have families that have taught us how to stay positive in the face of trials. Whether it be physical, spiritual, or financial trials, we have an example to follow.

We've been able to spend a lot of time together. I know I harp on Todd sometimes for having to do that yucky thing called studying, but he's been able to set aside plenty of time for us to have experiences that we will always remember (go Broncos!)

In our travels, we've stepped off the beaten path to see some crazy places. Those places have become a vital part of our earthly experience. God created it, we are exploring it!

(Craters of the Moon National Park)

As a girl, I never thought I'd marry someone who would wisk me off to Central and South America :) But I wouldn't trade going there for anything. I learned to really appreciate America for its indoor plumbing, for the fact that as a child I didn't have to sell items on the street to make money for my family, for the education I was able to have. But, I also learned to see the value in other cultures, and explore equally beautiful places as those in America. Oh, and ziplining in Guatemala is DARN COOL!

I can't predict what will happen in the next month, year, 5 years, etc. But I will be forever grateful for the positive experiences I am having now, and the fact that perspective helps me get through hard times, for they will be "but a moment." I'm grateful for an eternal companion who has helped me see the world, and who is my best friend. These experiences wouldn't be nearly as rich without him.