The Great Gifts in Our Life

I haven't blogged for awhile, and so I have many things to update.

First of all, Sean has been working as an accountant!  He loves it....most of the time!  I am so proud of him.  He applied and applied to job after job.  He didn't give up until he found what he was looking for.  His new company, Wright Express, has offered us great benefits and has given Sean more PTO then he's ever had.  We are truly blessed that even though we've been sent down a long road, God has paved it for us.

Second of all, I tore two muscles in my neck and one in my lower back.  Ironically I did this on my last day of my job at the hospital (without knowing it was my last day).  I had been interviewing for a couple different positions prior to my back injury.  After the injury, the doctor put me on strict rest and later I returned to work on light duty.  During this time I did hours and hours of physical therapy and continued interviewing for my new job. After three different interviews, I was finally offered my current job as the administrator over a new company of assisted living facilities.  It felt so good to give my two weeks notice.  However, at the same it was hard to think that I would no longer be doing patient care.

The gift comes in that my new job has a ton of random responsibilities, but none of them require heavy lifting or long hours (which is giving my back the relief of it's life).  None of our facilities are open yet, but there has been tons of work to do.  Our first facility opens (hopefully) in six weeks.  I am super nervous.  I don't feel like I am qualified for this job.  However, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm going to give it my best shot.  Plus my new company is spoiling me.  I got a new iPhone 4 and loads of PTO.  I get to basically choose my own hours and I can work many of them from home.  Once again, God is good.

Third of all, my nephew was sealed to my sister and her husband last weekend.  I had the most incredible experience.  I got to hold my nephew at the alter during the ceremony.  :D  I can't wait until the day that Sean and I get this privilege.  We did sealings in the temple yesterday, and we were able to participate in family sealings and act as the parents.  We smiled at each other during the ceremony because we were both thinking the same thing: soon we'll get to do this with an adoptive child. 

I also got the privilege of doing all the photography for the event.  Hehehe

Yes, I set the camera on a timer and ran into the picture.  I'm on the right side with Sean.

More pictures

 I found this poem and I absolutely love it!!
And it goes perfectly with my theme of gifts!!

Fourth, along with sealings, I was able to go to the temple after one of my closest friends was sealed.  Due to the fact that she has such a large family,  I wasn't able to attend the actual sealing.  However, she did invite us forever friends to be there at the temple for pictures and for the luncheon. I didn't have my camera there, so I am using Jessica's pictures from her blog.

I loved seeing her happy face.  Now all of us forever friends are married!! It is so crazy to think about.  All of us happily married and sealed for time and all eternity.  So fun!  I also took these off of Jessica's blog because I misplaced mine (yes, I'm aware I look retarded in this pic).  But these are the most recent of us taken in June of this year. Stacey is missing in this picture.

Then Stacey, Kurtis (her husband), and Sean are missing in the Pic below.

I taught a lesson today about how each person has divine worth.  I showed my Young Women a bunch of pictures of all of us friends and told them how it was because of these friends that I learned of my divine worth.  They have seriously taught me the Gospel of Jesus Christ through their examples.  I will love them forever, and I am so glad I get to have them as my forever friends!!!

Fifth gift: my mom and family.  We had a surprise party for my mom's 49th birthday.  She has had such a hard year with losing her mom, sister, and nephew.  It was so fun organizing everything and and surprising her.  My mom is the best person in the world, and a party was the least we could do for her.

I also got to be the photographer for the event (lol)...and ran into this picture that is now our updated family photo... yes, there is a lot of us!!! :D

I just have to say that I love them to pieces.  They are my best friends.  I absolutely love hanging out with my family.  Especially my sisters (that includes the inlaws). 

And especially, especially my twin sister (sixth gift).  She is my bestest of friends.  She has helped me so much these last couple of months, and I could never repay her.  We have had many a talks over the phone, many of visits at her home, and we have bonded more then we could ever bond.  I am so grateful that although I have had difficult trials in my life, God has always given me a companion to go through them with.  For 21 years it was with my twin.  And only nine months later (after she left because she was married), I was sealed to Sean (seventh gift).  Although at times I feel alone, God really has never left me alone (eighth gift). 

Ninth gift includes the gift of my friend Tara who listened to my complain for about two hours straight.  She seriously helped me during a very low time last week.  Then after listening for so long, she followed up with me the day after to see if I was feeling better.  Thank-you, Tara, I am doing better.

And last of all the wonderful gifts is the gift of our adoption photos (tenth gift).  My amazing friend, Liz, and her friend, Morgan, did our adoption photos as a gift to us.  They knew we were struggling with infertility and wanted to help us out with the best they knew how; photography.  We are starting our adoption journey, and with these pictures I know our family will not be overlooked.  We are so grateful to them and their support to us.

Thank-you to our Heavenly Father for the great gifts in our life.