stay on the sunny side, always on the sunny side, stay on the sunny side of life!

one of my goals of this blog was to have a forum on which to focus on my many blessings. not in a bragging, look what i've got kind-of way but more of an excuse for me to consciously look around and realize the many ways in which i'm blessed daily. sort-of like a gratitude journal... something i've learned about myself is that i too easily focus on the things that aren't going so well rather than focusing on all the things that are going well. mason surprised me one day when i was presumably grumbling about something when he said, "well, i suppose we should look for clouds on this sunny day." he said it in such a way that it made me laugh at the ridiculousness of his comment and then i realized that that's exactly what i was doing! i think i often receive blessings (and even answers to prayers) but i'm too busy or to preoccupied to notice them. i love Elder David Bednar's talk on Tender Mercies (from April General Conference, 2005) and i decided to read it yet again and rededicate myself (yet again) to seeking and finding the daily tender mercies in my life. i honestly believe that the more i seek, the more i will find!

what brought on all this thought was a very hectic, very crazy week. i'm taking 12 credits of classes at CSU this semester (i quit school 3 semesters short of getting my degree and now i'm finally back at it but this time with a different major!). i'm trying to get into the interior design program here at CSU which is a fantastic program but also very competitive. they only accept 40 - 50 students each year (and there are 150 in my intro to interior design class) so it is a challenge to say the least. but i love it. i'm also 22 weeks pregnant (i couldn't let you forget!) so that makes me somewhat more tired than the average student i would say. just trying to find balance is a struggle right now. i don't want to neglect my callings or my husband or my job or my house or my family and friends, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time to manage it all.

but even as crazy as last week was, there was so much to be grateful for. mason helped me out soooo much on a huge sketching project that i had due on thursday. i really appreciate his help and support, especially as i've dived into this new challenge of school. he's so good to make dinner, or do a load of laundry, or clean the bathroom. it makes me feel bad because he honestly does more around the house than i do! i look forward to the days when i can focus on my homemaking responsibilities more (and i bet mason does too!). but i really appreciate his great attitude, his willingness to help out and do so much for me when i'm so busy. i could go on and on... Elder Gerald Lund was the visiting authority at our Stake Conference this past weekend and he spoke about what he calls the 'Lord's Autograph'. And as I sat there listening, I realized that I have received many of the autographs that he was speaking about... and my favorite is my husband! :)

mason took this picture of me, in the middle of all the mess to get my sketching project done on time this past week. it was due on thursday and i worked on it most of the day (and much more into the night than i prefered) on monday, tuesday and wednesday to get it done. i think this must have been wednesday night because of the hurried look on my face. it felt so good just to turn it in! :)