I am grateful for an email that challenges me to reflect...

Day 26: I am grateful for an email from a sister missionary that gave us the following challenge, "Thanksgiving is coming up and I encourage us all to write down ALL the things we are grateful for. Dedicate a journal entry to it." I accepted that challenge and dedicated a journal entry to it. I have so much to be grateful for in my life. My heart is full!!!! ❤ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎gratefultobealive‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎siostrakuchar‬ ‪#‎happythankgiving

I love my bff!!

I love my sweet little bff. She brings so much fun and laughter in my life. She is one of the most compassionate 8 year old little girls that I have ever met. She loves and cares for everyone. I ❤ you Brylie!! ‪#‎gratefultobealive‬ ‪#‎lovethisgirl

I am grateful for this friend...

Day 25: I am grateful for this amazing friend. She wakes up EARLY to be my buddy at the gym and accommodates my crazy schedule to do my hair. I love her laughter and her zest for life. She is just amazingly crazy and I adore her. Love you friend. ❤ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎wokeupbrightandearlytodomyhair‬ ‪#‎workoutbuddy‬ ‪#‎amazingfriend‬ ‪#‎crazycosmetologist

I am grateful for my calling.

·

Day 24: I am grateful for my calling I the church. I LOVE my young women. They truly are beautiful daughters of God. Aw... I LOVE all of the young women that have been in my life. They truly are a blessing and fill my heart with so much happiness. They have taught me what is important in life. They have taught me to turn to our Heavenly Father and seek His guidance. I am so grateful for their incredible examples. I AM TRULY BLESSED. ❤ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎my‬❤isfull ‪#‎myyoungwomenarethebest

I am grateful for Missionary Mondays.

Day 23: I am grateful for Missionary Mondays. ❤ Every Monday, I absolutely love clicking on my inbox and seeing the emails as they populate on my screen. Aw...isn't technology amazing? It is so fun to read emails that are generated in Poland, the Philippines, Korea, Virginia , Arizona, New England and the list goes on and on. These sweet missionaries are sacrificing their time and energy to serve the Lord. I love reading about their adventures and watching their powerful testimonies grow stronger and stronger. I am so proud of each one of them. They truly are a blessing in my life and a wonderful example. ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎missionarymondays

I am grateful for these women...

Day 22: I am grateful for these beautiful ladies that are in my life. I have the privilege of serving with them and learning from them. They are spiritual giants with incredible hearts. They go the extra mile with everything they do and would basically do anything for anyone. Their testimonies are strong and immovable. Aw...their examples of faith, charity and hope are indescribable. I am truly blessed to have them in my life. I absolutely love them. ❤ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎youngwomenleaders

I am grateful for two amazing guys...

Day 21:  I am grateful for an amazing dad and an incredible brother that are truly talented. My dad cut and my brother & I assembled 24 frames for an upcoming young women activity. I am so grateful for the time and energy that they spent on helping create something special for some young women that I love dearly!!! Aw...I am so grateful them. Thanks Dad and Shad. ❤ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎family

I am grateful for playlists, earphones and bottled watter.

Day 20: I am grateful for playlists, earphones and bottled water. It is too early to be awake. OK...let's do this!!! ‪#‎morningworkout‬ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎gratefultobealive‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬
‬

I am grateful for these moments...

Day 19: Do you ever have those moments when a little black rain cloud is hovering overhead making you feel that you should be doing more but by the end of the day, time has ran out and there is still so much to do and you just feel like you have completely failed? I have those moments more than I want to admit.

Tonight, after checking a few things off my "to do" list, I realized that there was so much to do...visit this person, write a note to that person, call this person, drop YW stuff off to this person, finish this project, clean this and that, and list goes on and on and feelings of failure become stronger and stronger...Then, a tender mercy happens. My phone chirps and I look over at it. I read the message that has been sent and tears fill my eyes and my heart. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THESE MOMENTS....these moments where I realize that maybe I am not failing and what I am doing might be enough. I am grateful for these moments where the Spirit touches my heart and I feel peace. I am truly blessed to receive such a beautiful note tonight. Truly blessed. ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎ilovemycalling‬ ‪#‎iamtrulyblessed‬ ‪#‎iamsoproudofkenzie

I am grateful for sleep.

Day 18: I am grateful for sleep. I do not get a lot of it but when I do sleep...I am grateful for it. I have a difficult time turning off my thoughts to fall into a deep sleep. I guess, there are too many file folders that are opened and ready to be explored. ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎sleep

I am grateful for the atonement.

Day 17: I am grateful for a testimony of the Atonement. This past week, I had the opportunity to help my niece write her farewell talk on missionary work and the atonement. It was so much fun to sit with her, share quotes, thoughts, experiences and most of all, my testimony. ❤ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎missionarywork

Soon to be Sister Gren...

In less than 24 hours, this darling niece of mine will enter the Provo MTC to begin her full-time service as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The people in Ohio are lucky to have her for the next 18 months. Love you Kaylie!!❤ You are going to be an amazing missionary.

I am grateful for my space heater...

Day 16: I am grateful for my space heater that resides under my desk. It's definitely one of those simple pleasures in my life right now. It keeps me from freezing too death. For some reason, I cannot stay warm. Ugh...It seems like I am freezing All of the time. ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎simplepleasures‬ ‪#‎idontlikethecold

I am grateful for the sound of rain.

Day 15: I am grateful for the sound of rain. I have been sitting by my window listening to the pitter patter of raindrops. Aw...I love it! It is so peaceful. ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎iloverain‬ ‪#‎pitterpatter

I am grateful for lightbulbs.

Day 14: I am grateful for lightbulbs.  I am not fond of the dark so when I enter a room, the lights are immediately turned on. If it was economical, I would have every light in my house on ALL of the time. I will admit that I do have a light that stays on all of the time... in my bedroom. One might say it is a night light but to me...it is comfort. So.. yes, I am grateful for lightbulbs.  ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎lightbulbs

happy...

Day 13: I am grateful that I am a happy person (most of the time). Of course, there are times when life brings obstacles, trials and challenges that can bring the little black rain cloud to appear but through those moments, I TRY to find the positive in it and move forward. I know that I am not perfect at it but I am trying! ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart

I am grateful for the change of seasons.

Day 12: I am grateful for the change of seasons. I love when one season ends and another begins. To me, it is refreshing and exciting. It is a way to start all over and begin again. Refreshed and renewed. Ending a chapter in life and starting a new one.

This tree is in my parent's front yard. I have always loved watching it change from season to season. This morning, as I pulled into my parent's driveway, I was mesmerized at the great abundance of leaves falling from it's branches. Fall is ending and winter is beginning. I am so grateful for the changing of seasons. 🌳 ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎changeofseasons‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart

~Michelle

I love making cards!!

I love creating cards especially when I create them with my amazing friends!! ‪#‎ctmh

I am grateful for promptings from the Spirit.

Day 11: I am grateful for promptings from the Spirit. I try my hardest to act on each prompting that I receive. Most of the time these promptings take me out of my comfortable way of life and thinking but with the peacefulness of the Spirit, I am able to be an instrument for our Lord. Last night, in the middle of the night, I received a powerful whisper from the Spirit that woke me up from a deep sleep. I won't go into details but I am VERY grateful for that whisper. My heart is full and I am grateful. Promptings are powerful for our own being but for those that are in need. ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎my‬❤isfull

~Michelle

I am grateful for timeouts.

Day 10: I am grateful for timeouts. I have been in one of those sassy-not-feeling-and- being-the-nicest moods for the past 48 hours. I realized tonight that I just needed to put myself in timeout. Remove myself from the world. So...for the next little I am going into timeout. Sweats, blankets and a Hallmark movie and I am set. I am indeed grateful for my timeout because I am looking forward to a new outlook on life or maybe just a new mood. Goodnight friends!! Timeout...here I come! ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎timeout

~Michelle

My new friend...

November 10 at 11:27am · Instagram ·

I left my desk for a few minutes and when I arrived back, this is what was greeting me.  Apparently, it is going to be my new friend. Does anyone know what kind of plant this is and how to care for it? ‪#‎iloveplants‬ ‪#‎notsurehowtotakecareofit

~Michelle

I am grateful for conference talks.

Day 9: I am grateful for amazing conference talks that bring little packets of light into our lives to help us become better people. I LOVE the challenge to "ponderize" and I am so grateful for it. I love focusing on one scripture all week. I truly feel accepting this challenge has become a blessing in my life. ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎ponderize‬ ‪#‎littlepacketsoflight

~Michelle

I am grateful for my grandma!!!

Day 8: I am grateful for this beautiful woman, my sweet grandma. She passed on to the next life 10 years ago and I miss her often. She was an amazing woman. She didn't speak and hear like most people do. She spoke with her hands. She had been deaf since she was 6 months old so speaking with her hands is what she did to communicate with people. I loved talking with my grandma. I loved holding her fragile hands. I love her sweetness. I miss her.
Today, we were wat...ching Brylie's Primary program. The primary sang "I Know My Savior Loves Me" in sign language. As I watched Brylie sign this beautiful song, the most amazing comfort filled my heart. I was in the perfect place. I was sitting with my dear family, in church, watching Miss Brylie (Grandma's namesake) sign one of the most beautiful songs. Comfort and peace filled my entire body as I felt Grandma with us...and even closer, our Savior's love for all of us.❤ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬ ‪#‎ilovemyfamily‬ ‪#‎grandma‬ ‪#‎oursaviorslove

❤Michelle

I am grateful to be an aunt...especially to this little girl!!

Day 7: I am SO grateful for this girl in my life. I have loved her before I was able to hold her. I remember looking through the nursey window growing with excitement and anticipation to hold, hug and kiss her. Since that day, she has been a huge part in my life. I love that she tells me that I am her BFF. I love to listen to her giggle. I love her hugs and tender kisses. I love when she calls and before she hangs up, she says "I love you". I love our little conversations. She just makes me smile!! Thank you Shad and Jess for sharing your sweet daughter with me. I LOVE being her aunt!!❤ #ilovemyniece #gratitude2015 #agratefulheartisahappyheart

   ❤ Michelle

I am grateful for hoodies, sweats and socks!

Day #6: I am grateful for hoodies, sweats and socks. On nights that are so cold that I can't seem to get warm. I am grateful for hoodies, sweat pants and socks. I am thankful to finally get warm. I don't think I am ready for winter. BRRR!! #Chilledtothebone #gratitude2015 #agratefulheartisahappyheart

~Michelle

I am grateful for music!!

Day 5: I am grateful for music. I heard somewhere that music is the gateway to the soul. I feel that is so true. Music is definitely my gateway from reality. When I hear a song that touches my heart in some way or another, I download it on every device that I have and listen to it over and over. I rarely get tired of listening to the same songs—they become a part of me. They become my world.... I love how music can change my mood. It can calm my heart or change the way that I feel in just a few moments. I noticed today while I was at work, my brain was on overload and there was noise everywhere, I was trying to focus and it was not happening. I knew that I needed to escape for a few moments. I grabbed my earphones, clicked on one of my playlists and the world around me disappeared. I am indeed grateful for music. #gratitude2015 #music #agratefulheartisahappyheart

~Michelle

Provo City Center Temple...cannot wait for this temple to open.

I am so excited for this temple to open. It is so breathtaking. Aw...I cannot wait to go inside. ‪#‎ldstemple‬ ‪#‎provocitycentertemple‬ ‪#‎breathtaking

~Michelle

I am grateful for having a strong testimy of the power of prayer & priesthood blessings.

Day 4: I am grateful for having a strong testimony of the power of prayer and priesthood blessings. Three weeks ago, I had an MRI that found a mass on my liver/pancreas. My world turned upside down. Deep inside, I felt hopeless, frustrated, confused, scared and most of all, a huge amount of sadness. I tried so hard to keep all of those feelings inside not wanting to show the actual feelings of fear that was taking over my mind and heart. I wanted to be strong. If this wa...s the end, I wanted to be strong. I have had many friends and family members praying in my behalf. I have felt those prayers and comfort that I needed to have to get through this chapter in my life. I received powerful priesthood blessings and latest one said that “everything is in the Lord’s hands and that through my faith, I will be healed.” I knew that I would be healed but I wasn’t sure what that all meant. I have been trying to rely a lot on that blessing and trying to increase my faith each day. This morning at exactly 10:48 am, I was sitting in my office when I received a phone call from the office of one of my specialists. The mass that has been making me so sick is GONE! He said that it is “no longer there”. Scientifically, there is no reason why it is gone but spiritually, I know why it has disappeared. It is the Father’s will. Thank you so much for your prayers. Thank you for the amazing words of encouragement. I have needed all of them. I am blessed to have amazing people in my life. My heart is full!!! I am blessed!!! Truly blessed. ❤ ‪#‎gratefultobealive‬ ‪#‎gratitude2015‬ ‪#‎powerofprayer‬ ‪#‎priesthoodblessings‬ ‪#‎agratefulheartisahappyheart‬

~Michelle

I am grateful for temples!

Day 3: I am grateful for temples. I love that this is my place of refuge, a place where I go be taken out of the world and to bring comfort to my heart and soul. I am grateful for the peace that it brings in my life. #gratitude2015 #agratefulheartisahappyheart #provotemple

~Michelle

I am grateful for my bed and warm blankets.

 Day 2: I am grateful for my bed and warm blankets. My bed is a place that I know that as soon as I pull down my covers, place all my zillion pillows on the chair, I get to snuggle in my warm blankets and drift off to dreamland. It is definitely a treasured time of the day.  #goodnight #gratitude2015  #agratefulheartisahappyheart

~Michelle

I can show gratitude each and every day...I am grateful for my parents.

I have been missing in action on my this lovely blog of mine.  Lots has happened over the last several months and I am sure that sooner or later, I will share my story but for right now, I am going to start with what is happening now.  I was challenged by a friend to share through social media the things that I am grateful for during the month of November.  The challenge also included that every single day had to be something different. 

I accepted the challenge...


Day 1: I am grateful for loving parents. They are the type of people that would drop anything and everything to serve someone in need even if it is not convenient at the time. I am grateful that I have the type of relationship with them that I am able to call them anytime of day to share something that I just learned, to share a happy thought or to have them listen as I pour out my heart. I love them dearly and I am grateful to have them as my parents.❤

❤Michelle

Happy Halloween!!

One thing I LOVE about Halloween is my mom's delicious chili. She makes chili every year for Halloween and I absolutely LOVE that tradition. Happy Halloween! ‪#‎halloween2015‬ ‪#‎familytraditions‬ ‪#‎momschili

Michelle

campfire cupcakes

 

Ok…look what I created…

I was assigned to make campfire cupcakes for our camp kick-off fireside. I am not sure if they really look like campfires you would see out in the wilderness but they were delicious to eat. HA HA!!

They were a lot of fun making.  The fire is made out of melted orange, yellow, and red Lifesavers, the logs are mini Kit Kats, and marshmallows (for roasting) is on a toothpick.  I thought that they turned out cute.

~Michelle

Act immediately!!!

Have you ever had a prompted or a thought jump right into the conversation that is either taking place vocally or in your mind? That prompting or thought interrupts and stays for a moment to see what you will do then, it leaves as you brush it off. You continue with what you are saying or thinking and then, that prompting interrupts again. You think about it for a second and then you brush it off again. The third time it comes it is so bold and now your heart is racing, anxiety starts and you just know that you need to act or suffer a heart attack or something…

Well, that happened to me tonight. We were on our away home from attending the temple with our amazing youth in our ward.

OH…let me interrupt for as second to share a thought…

(Sorry…it is so blurry)

This year, our youth have set a goal to attend the temple in behalf of 600 individuals that have passed on and are waiting for their work to be accomplished here on earth.  We have been attending a different temple each month-hoping to attend all the LDS temples in the state of Utah. Tonight, we had the privilege and blessing of attending the Manti LDS Temple. The temple workers invited us to eat in their cafeteria prior to performing baptisms for 120 individuals. It was an incredible experience and we are so grateful for the opportunity to attend the temple.

So…now back to the story.

We took pictures (in the dark) and then headed back home. Prior to leaving Provo, we had had a prayer that asked for protection to and from our temple trip. I didn’t think much of praying before we left to head back to Provo until we had been in the car for about 10 or 15 minutes. We were crazily singing songs, laughing and chatting up a storm with those in our car. Don’t worry, Whit was driving…I still cannot see that well. The thought of saying a prayer for protection entered my mind as I was talking. I brushed if off reminding myself that we already prayed. A few moments later, the thought came back and I continued with talking, singing and such...brushed it off again because we had already prayed for protection at the very beginning of our trip.  OK…the third time, the thought was so strong that my heart started beating faster and I could feel this anxious uneasiness start to feel my entire body. I opened up my mouth and blurted out that we needed to say a prayer. Immediately, I started to pray that all will be well with our group of youth and leaders and that those driving the cars would make wise choices. It was a simple prayer but definitely one that the Spirit testified needed to happen.

Moments later, as we are traveling at high speed (we were going the speed limit but it was still pretty fast) when in the middle of the road was this huge deer-standing still looking at us. Whit was able to maneuver her SUV and slow down to avoid hitting the deer. As we started to discuss what just took place and I shared the promptings that I had been having, I was grateful to have acted upon them and the Spirit was able to give me three chances to listen. If we would have it the deer, at the rate that we were traveling, we would have had some serious injuries. As I ponder the events of the evening, my heart and mind come to a sense of urgency where I need to have more courage to act on the promptings and thoughts that I have and to act immediately. I do not want to think of how I would have felt if something would have happened.

My heart is full tonight of gratitude of (finally) listening to the Spirit where my sweet little friends were protected and no harm came upon anyone of us. My goal this week is to ACT IMMEDIATELY!!!

~Michelle

Numbing drops…wished that they would have worked.

It has been a couple of weeks and lots of happened. I am grateful for a loving family and amazing friends who have been right by my side as I struggle through the things that have happened. My heart is filled with so much gratitude lately that when I think of the blessings that have been poured upon me, my heart starts to feel those amazing warm fuzzies and tears seem to fall gently down my face. Let me back up a couple of weeks and share some of my thoughts.

On Friday, February 27^th, I went in for another eye surgery. The right eye has been healing at an amazing rate so it was time to move to the left eye. When I met with the surgeon, he told me that I didn’t need to worry about the left eye hurting so much and the vision would return sooner because it was going to be less evasive than the previous surgery.

Hmm…it was definitely the opposite. I felt almost everything that went on. They tried numbing my eye and numbing it again and numbing it again. It was not numbing at all!!! Then, the surgeon started…slice!

I felt the razor blade slice my eye-I jerked.

More numbing drops added.

I felt the tweezers as they pulled the tissue off my eye…OK...NOW I AM FREAKING OUT!!!

More numbing drops…

I could feel it. The surgeon was trying is hardest to numb the eye but for some reason, the drops were not numbing it. He kept telling me that my eye wasn’t settling down.

Duh?! Would you settle down if you were feeling everything?

Finally, it was over and I was in a great amount of pain. He told me that my tears would be bloody but not to worry about it too much. It is just the eye trying to heal itself. He sent me home with pain meds and antibiotics.

I was in pain.

I did have bloody tears

I cried.

I cried some more.

I snuggled next to my mom…and cried some more. Finally, after I calmed down…I will admit, I am a wimp when it comes to pain. I do not like it. NOT ONE BIT!!

But…finally, as the pain meds kicked in (as much as they could), I snuggled up in my new favorite blanket (Thank you Mischelle for the most amazing comforting blanket that you made for me) and ate a bowl of my mom’s delicious chicken soup. Comfort of home is exactly where I needed to be.

I am so glad that day is over and my vision is slowly returning to normal. It has been a trial and I am not sure what I am supposed to learn from it but I know that I draw closer to our Heavenly Father, it will come and I will be blessed for enduring.

~Michelle

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Today is my birthday and I was pleasantly spoiled. I will let the pictures tell the story…

My desk was visited by the Birthday Fairy (aka Vieve). She also brought me a delicious breakfast!  

Lots of fun presents from friends…

and from co-workers….

Beautiful flowers from Shad, Jessica and Brylie..

Lunch at The Brick Oven and Vieve brought treats from The Sweet Tooth Fairy…

Delicious treats to add to a fun and happy day!!!  Happy Birthday to me!!!  I had so many wonderful people wish me happy birthday by phone call (Mom and Dad kept calling to sing), text messages, emails and Facebook messages.  It was simply a lovely day.  It is fun to be spoiled. 
~Michelle