gratefuls...

I am seriously exploding with gratitude lately. I just keep poking myself to see if this is really my life. There is literally nothing I would change.

Kenny is crazy busy in school, and working his booty off. How he is managing good grades in a statistics major is beyond me. Somehow I can't help but thank my Heavenly Father in almost every prayer for the opportunity we have to both be in school. Ghana is a constant reminder to me of the blessing it is to gain an education. This semester is already a lot more work than last semester because of my pharmacy and neurochemistry classes, but I honestly can say I love learning about what a drug does to the neurochemistry of your brain. I love learning about the synapse and the influx of dopamine and the inhibited uptake pumps from the certain drug...I always knew I was a nerd, but I think I'm becoming more so in these classes. I look up odd videos about the brain all the time. Our bodies are the greatest miracles. I am absolutely fascinated by it all.

I'm currently trying to put in about 12 hours a week at my internship in Draper at YouthCare. It is an adolescent residential facility, and I couldn't be happier with the amount I'm learning. YouthCare was my last interview, and I had 2 other internship opportunities offered to me. I told John, "I want to learn everything I can during my hours here, will you facilitate a learning environment for me to also expand my ideas for growth within your program?" He said yes, and I knew he would take the time to let me learn, and he has done exactly that. I am inspired and in awe at those teenagers. Half of the time I'm trying to keep myself together because I want to just sob with them. Life has thrown them things we can't even begin to imagine. Picking up a substance was the the only thing they knew how to do to numb the pain. Breaking down those barriers, and being able to see the vulnerability of a human, without the walls, is truly one of the most beautiful things I've ever been apart of.

I've also started a job working 32-35 hours a week at the House of Hope. I'm a day treatment case manager for women in treatment. House of Hope is one of the few organizations in Utah offering a place for your to get treatment with your children. Many of the women I'm working with are pregnant, and we have about 6 brand new babies that come to our sessions. Watching these woman adapt to being a mother for the first time while trying to overcome an addiction is humbling. I will forever be changed by their strength. They are teaching me so much, and daily I am reminded again and again how wonderful my life is.

I will forever thank my Heavenly Father for our month of travel over Christmas break. Experiencing it all beside my husband was one of the most amazing opportunities I've ever been given. I keep dreaming big impossible things, and somehow God always opens a door for me to achieve them. Don't ever sell yourself short. I'm reminded over and over again of the potential I have through his help.

Madi leaving to Japan in less than 2 months still catches my breath. I think I'm still in denial. Don't worry Kenny and I have already started planning how to fit airline tickets to Japan in our budget. I will be there to pick her up mark my words.

Last but not least I'm so grateful for primary. I think about our little kids all the time, and sometimes Kenny and I will talk about them before we fall asleep and just laugh at all their little sayings. They are such a bright light in this world. I'm really understanding why the class is called sunbeams. Last week I taught the lesson on the first vision. I was explaining the part of Satan, and no one was cueing into it so I explained him as the bad guy...every eye was completely freaked out that the bad guy was trying to take over Joseph Smith, and then we talked about our Super Heros Heavenly Father and Jesus. When I was explaining how they have the power to save us from every single bad guy I was touched from the simplicity of the message, and yet how incredibly true it is. Every kid thought that was the coolest thing they had ever heard, and were each able to retell the entire story with their sliding visual aid I made for them. Teaching the gospel to children is truly one of my favorite things.

I was feeling some of all of this gratitude last sunday when I got up to bear my testimony, and I was already in tears before I even started.

I truly stand amazed at the love jesus offers me.