Feeling blessed

I have been posting random, non-news items lately because I really haven't had much going on. I started my new job a few weeks back & so far, it's okay. It's an admin job, so it's fine as far as those go. Jared started school & I'm slowly readjusting to life without him - he's present in body, but not much in mind/spirit. ;) I do like hearing him explain about Biology, up to a point. After that, I just start to feel dumb because it's stuff I have no experience with. (I've also learned that if I have a question for him, I need to get in his face - literally - to ask him, because he will otherwise have no memory of our conversation later. Better not to ask while he's studying in general - and he studies all the time.)

I love this area. It is so beautiful & for the first few days this week actually felt a little more like fall. I've been waking up to intense fog & remembering that I live in higher elevation now.

Jared got called to be the 1st counselor in the Elders' Quorum Presidency, which is a good thing, I think. It'll force him to get out & make more friends. I haven't gotten a calling yet, for which I'm actually grateful. (I have a sneaking suspicion that a music calling is down the road, which doesn't exactly thrill me, but I know that every ward needs music help. I just wish sometimes, I guess, that I could learn & be stretched in different ways than music all the time.)

I feel grateful today for all that I've been blessed with. The Gospel is such an incredibly strong force in my life, more than it has been in awhile. Some time ago, I was feeling ignored by God & hurt because of that, but even in that, I realized that the Atonement is for me. And there's something in that. I have always had such a strong, personal testimony of the Atonement & I am thankful for that blessing. It allows me to hold on to my testimony & remember why I go to church & do the things I do, even when I doubt in other areas.

I am so thankful for my incredible family. It is so neat to be friends with my parents & siblings & see them raise families of their own. I have such a fantastic heritage & I love learning about where my parents, grandparents, etc. came from. And with being married, I'm tied to equally great heritage, and I'm thankful for their examples too.

I am so grateful for Jared. I'm not even sure I can adequately express how much I love & appreciate him. It's still a surprise to me sometimes that I'm married, because I figured I was destined for a single life. He is such a positive influence on me - that man is so full of charity & service. He is my best friend & true partner in crime. We have so much fun together, and I hope that never stops.

I'm thankful for the opportunities I have to learn each day. I was thinking about that this morning & about how I need to cultivate that sort of attitude - not dreading the day (which is easy since I do not like the morning time) but looking forward to the challenges the day will bring. I'm working on it.

I know I'm rambling. I've just been feeling a little low & sorry for myself the past week or more, and today I have been blessed to, well, notice my blessings. :)

I am truly thankful for all I've been given.