From 1 to 92...

This is all about my gratitude for our friends in our ward. Just a forewarning to those who are curious as to what this post is about. :)

The other night, I was laying awake thinking about how much I LOVE OUR WARD. :) (I was also thinking, I wish I could blog my thoughts & feelings right then!) Everyone in our ward is so sweet and friendly! I just wanted to journal my experiences with a choice few. :)

Curt and I have been in our ward for a year this summer. We have made SO MANY wonderful friends in it. As I was laying awake, my heart was full of gratitude for the blessing of being in a wonderful ward. I was thinking about all the great, exemplary people in our ward and how I admire them and what a blessing it has been to know them. Curt and I have mentioned in previous sacrament talks, how grateful we are to be in such a friendly ward. We remember being welcomed the first day by the Bishopric and for me, the Relief Society. I think anyone who REALLY knows me, knows I have DEEP appreciation and gratitude for the gospel in my life. My appreciation and gratitude for the gospel becomes even greater, whenever The Lord opens my eyes and helps me more fully acknowledge the beauty of His wonderful children around me.

I am so grateful I have made so many great girlfriends within our ward. Also it is a double blessing that we all are pretty much first time moms and we all have had our babies around the same time this year! It has been SO FUN experiencing pregnancy with my girlfriends here and getting to see how we all have changed! ( And, I'm not just talking about physically! ;) ;) We have "Park Days" every week, I am so grateful too that when I have missed them, my friends tell me they miss me when I am not there. :)

My friend, Christina is so sweet! I just love her laugh and she is so fun to talk to and hang out with! She has always been so kind to me and has told me numerous times, "I'm not allowed to move!" :) She threw Cache's baby shower here and made beautiful announcements for it! Just so I could have a cute one she said for Cache's scrapbook! So thoughtful and sweet! She was also so thoughtful and sweet when she wanted to make Father's Day gifts with me! Without her help, I wouldn't have be able to have got Cache's feet prints to turn out so cute! She is also one of my visiting teachers. :) I'm so glad we got to share our pregnancies together and now we hang out with our cute babies!

My friend Ashley, is a young inspiration to many. I have told her before how proud I am of her and the righteous life she chooses to live at such a young age. She and her husband are only like 19 & 20. I think they got married when they were both 18. They have been married for a year and a half and just recently had their first baby, girl in April. I was so happy to hold her daughter just minutes after she was born. It was fun too, getting to share and enjoy our pregnancies together. I know one of the things I like most about Ashley, is that she LOVES to talk! Just like me! :) I also always appreciate Ashley's willingness to share her experiences she's had in life and the lessons she's learned or has from watching other people in her life. Not only when she talks to me one on one, but she is always piping up in Relief Society with the wisdom she has gained, thus only being 19. She's my kind of girl! Her and her husband are such great examples of sacrifice and blessings. Ashley's husband, Dallin has not too long ago returned from his service in The National Guard. He says he is thinking about going into the Navy next. They are both so honorable, for striving to live such a worthy life for their little family at such a young age in their lives. I appreciate our friendship with their family and the young examples that they are!

I appreciate my Relief Society Pres., Denise! She has been so great to me, ever since I moved into the ward! She has game night at her house every month...and FINALLY I have had enough people invite me and tell me about it on a monthly basis that I will go! I mean come on, I just thought it was a bunch of the "older" :) ladies getting together and playing dice game! BUT I have been convinced it IS much more than that! As my other visiting teacher informed me, "Come on Jen, it's just a bunch of women getting together to chat and talk about things and eat food. We don't really pay that much attention to the game." Getting together and chatting was all she needed to say to get me to come! :)

The Marshalls, Jeannine Marshall, (my other visiting teacher I just mentioned) is another sweet woman in the ward. She has come over with her kids to visit teach me a couple times now since the companionship's changed this year. Her oldest daughter Abby, will be 6 early September this year, and Xander is 4, Jason 2, and she is 13 weeks pregnant with her last baby, #4! She keeps telling me she hopes this baby is a girl! She says that's one of her requirements for this baby/pregnancy! ;) Jeannine's husband is a chef and made us a yummy meal when I had my gall-bladder out. Just last Sunday too, he was asking me at church about my gall-bladder experience. Once again, just going back to the friendliness of our ward. :)

I love our Bishop Allen. He is so kind and stands at the doors of the Chapel each Sunday after Sacrament, making sure to greet with sincerity each ward member and to ask how they are doing with a genuine smile. Every Sunday, with the look of concern, he has been so thoughtful to ask me how I am feeling ever since I had my gall-bladder ordeal. Just those simple acts of kindness is what makes him and his wife Sister Judy Allen so great. They both came over to visit Curt and I and baby Cache, the same week Cache was born. Judy brought baby Cache a gift then and offered to watch Cache for us anytime. She also arranged the group gift at my baby shower and went and picked out a swing for Cache and a play gym. So thoughtful. I also like Judy Allen because she talks ALOT! And when she talks she always has important and meaningful things to say!

I also wanted to remember to recognize, The Karfords. :) Jack and Barbara Karford are one of the elderly couples in the ward. I think they took a fond liking to Curt and I one Sunday during a gospel principles class last Fall. They had invited us to dinner that night. That night at dinner Curt and I took a fond liking to them. :) The Karfords live in a beautiful home. Their living room looks like it is picturesque right out of the White House. :) They have a HUGE formal dining room, with a table that I would say seats at least 18. Every time Sister Karford has people over she usually uses her real silver. She has two dishwashers. I guess I make a 3rd when I visit. :) We have been over to the Karfords on a couple different occasions. Afterwards, I tell Sister Karford that we would like to stay and clean up...(it always makes me sad that everyone just gets up and leaves and they are so elderly, they shouldn't be left with all the work.) Last fall when I was pregnant with baby Cache, The Karfords had us over for the "Empty-Nesters Club". It was just that. It was so fun and sweet that we were invited. Around the time, I was about to have baby Cache, I talked to Sister Karford on the phone and felt bad because she had spranged her ankle. She's too quick for her age! :) I was mentioning to her about that this past Sunday at church, and told her I felt bad I didn't make it over to her place to visit then and see how she was doing. That Curt and I have been meaning to come over and visit and when would be a good time. We will be going to their house for dinner this Friday night. There are many things I admire about Sister Karford, she keeps these yearly journals and EVERYDAY she writes about her day, or puts pictures and quotes in them. She is also a great missionary and hands out The Book of Mormons to ANYONE who will let her. She places a copy of her short & simple testiomony in them too. She told me once she tried to put The Book Of Mormons in the mail boxes where she lives, but their community wouldn't let her. :) She is great! I also appreciate the fact that her husband Jack is always so kind to compliment me and whenever he sees me ALWAYS mention how sweet he thinks I am! It just makes me feel good that he appreciates the good in me! :)

From 1 to 92...