22 blessings

I was reading the article in the August Ensign this morning that talks about overcoming feelings of inadequacy, and it mentioned the song Count Your Blessings. I remember since I was little the overwhelming feeling that always followed that proposition. You mean, count them ALL? ALL of them? But there are so many. And I guess I've always taken that to be enough. Then this morning I realized that I've never really counted them, and I decided I should. To spare you, I will limit this list only to this weekend (also since it's fresh in my mind) and let's just see how far we get.

1. Having a front room large enough to exercise in.

2. The feeling of self-satisfaction and health that follows each time I do exercise. And I don't know who decided meditation should follow every yoga session, but they were brilliant.

3. Having a variety of cereals to choose from for breakfast. (In fact, I could even choose from eggs, bagels, pancakes, toast, bacon, fruit and yogurt!)

4. Having a kitchen floor that's large enough to make me grumble at the thought of scrubbing it on my hands and knees.

5. Magic erasers

6. The smooth, windex-ed feeling under my feet and the compliments from visitors/spouse when I do clean it!

7. Vacuums. Don't you love the lines from them? I've always said they provided maximum results for the least amount of effort. If you can only do one thing to make your house look clean--vacuum.

8. A dishwasher and a washer and dryer. I can say this because we've lived in places that didn't have them. And I'm so happy that we're stuck in a place where we do!

9. What not to wear, and a husband that will watch it with me when I go overkill on housework on what should be my day off.

10. Serving. I certainly benefited from it too, but I was able to drive my friend Aileena around yesterday since she doesn't have a car and it made me feel good to help.

11. Friends who will wait for you (and won't even comment about having to do so) when you take a long time to make a purchase decision at the store, even when the trip was initiated for them. (I love you, Aileena)

12. Finding the exact color of raspberry spray paint that was nowhere else and that I'd been looking for for months!! (--blessings of serving) Yes Rachel, I found it and my mirrors look great.

13. AND in the same trip finding the cutest box of greeting cards that was about a third of the price of the other one I had been eyeing at another store for months, with more and much cuter cards and did I mention the cutest box?

14. Jacob's cooking. He makes the most delicious ground turkey and pineapple tacos in corn tortillas and tonight he made the most fabulous meatballs. Mmm, so good. He's amazing.

15. Waking up Sunday morning to a clean house. Wait, let me back up . . .

16. A bed that is so comfortable I involuntary sigh every time I lay in it.

17. My ward's relief society. It is the most eclectic, non-judgmental, open group of women I've ever seen. Today there was a woman who came wearing pants and a t-shirt who talked about being abused and her roommate who was afraid to come to church because of all of her piercings. To which my favorite lady, a missionary serving in the presidency said, "I have piercings (pointing to her ears,) bring her, we don't care!"

18. The scriptures. There always seems to be one that pops up just at the moment and on the subject I need, when I could've sworn it wasn't there before.

19. Hymns, same as above.

20. 3 hour naps. Nothing does for me what napping does.

21. This wonderful, comfortable chaise I'm sitting in right now.

22. Having a husband and a Heavenly Father that love me unconditionally.