So much to be grateful for, and this weekend really caused me to reflect on my many blessings. An old friend from the singles ward, Heather - we also both worked at Children's Hospital and would have lunch sometimes, got married a couple of weeks apart and were in the same stake after we got married - passed away on Saturday after battling breast cancer. She was 34. She leaves behind a devastated husband and three young children about my kids' ages. I've been following her journey/struggles on a CaringBridge site for a while, and it has been incredibly heartbreaking. Although we hadn't remained in close contact, her illness and passing have weighed heavily on my heart, as I can't get her family out of my head. I pray they can find some peace as time goes on.
Witnessing Heather's passing has really given me a deeper and greater sense of gratitude for my family and for our health. If you have your health, you have so much. In my 3 years of full-time and 6+ years of freelance/consulting work for Children's, I have interviewed dozens of families with sick children, from heart defects to cystic fibrosis, cancer to mental illness, extreme prematurity to brain tumors, life-threatening illness to complications from birth, and more.
All of these experiences have really given me an ongoing sense of gratitude for healthy children, but this holiday I have been especially and truly grateful for our health. And after that, my gratitude list is indeed long, and includes my family, friends, the gospel, our home and jobs. I have been blessed indeed.
A few highlights from our Thanksgiving week:
Thanksgiving
Thursday was a really nice, somewhat low-key day. It was exactly what I needed this year. Brian's parents came over, and I played hostess. The kids are lucky to have 2 sets of grandparents who adore them. Dinner was delicious, my kids (esp. Isabel) got really into the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, we started watching Christmas movies that night (our house rule); Connor does a stinkin' hilarious impression of the Grinch. During dinner we all named things we are grateful for; was fun to hear the kids' answers. Lovely. I am grateful for all my family: husband, children, our parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and more.

On
Friday we went to the Catch the Glow Christmas Parade in fabulous Estes Park. It was a beautiful evening, with no clouds, an almost-full moon and tons of stars. We had a wintery picnic on the street just before the parade started, and then enjoyed the parade. The kids LOVED and ADORED the parade. Lucas was especially mesmerized. Nighttime pictures are so not easy to take, so we don't have many good ones of the actual parade. After the parade we walked around downtown Estes Park for a bit and warmed up with some hot chocolate. There is a river that runs through Estes Park, and it was full of snow and ice. The moon was shining on it, and it was like a postcard. And on the hill above the river, there were three wisemen on camels that were lit up. Again, we couldn't get a good picture of it, but I have it captured where it counts. I am grateful for a beautiful Earth, fun family outings, and a mind full of fun memories.








On
Saturday evening we went to dinner with my dear friend Monique and her husband Allen, who were in town for the weekend. We always have a fabulous time together. It's a good thing our husbands can make good conversation (mostly about college football) since Monique and I can TALK. We were at dinner for 3 1/2 hours and finally had to drag ourselves away. Such a fun night. Loved seeing you Frosts, as always. I am grateful for all my friends, near and far, old and new. I would cease to exist without my friendships.

On
Sunday we decked the halls. It's so fun as the children get older, they bring a momentum all their own. Isabel and I baked our first batch of Christmas cookies, we watched the "Joy to the World" DVD (Isabel asked if the shepherds were Little Bo Peep) and we hauled out all the stuff and put it up. I am grateful for the peace and joy of the holiday season we are heading into, for the birth of our loving Savior. We really try to teach the children what Christmas is all about, that Santa, snowmen, presents, trees, ornaments and lights are surely fun, but the real reason is Jesus' birth.

