CHRISTmas!

Well, another Christmas has come and gone, I cannot believe how fast this last year has gone by!  I know I say this all the time, but it really is crazy to me that just a short time ago we were holding a brand new baby and now she is one and walking and talking.  The boys are getting so tall and so big.  The other day Zack was showing me how much more he had to grow before he will be taller then me!  They had a great Christmas and they got VERY spoiled as usual.  We all did in fact.  Mom and Dad Barton gave us a BRAND NEW MICROWAVE for the second time, I don't know what we are doing wrong, but we have been having the worst luck with those things lately!  I LOVE my new microwave.  It's funny how you just don't even realize how much you use something until you don't have it anymore.  They were lucky enough to go to Oregon for Christmas this year to see Cindy, Matt, Kyle, Tyler and K.D. for a change.  They come home on Thursday, and we are excited to see them again.  Just as they are getting ready to come home, Mom and Dad McCleary are preparing to leave for St. George soon.  (I really hate it when they leave)  They also spoiled us this year and decided that we needed a new couch, so they went out and got us one!  I LOVE IT!  It is so pretty!  One of these days, I will figure out the whole picture thing and get one posted.  They also gave all of us season passes to Lagoon, so I am sure we will be spending a lot of time there this summer!  The boys got new sleds (we can't wait to try them out! All we need now is some snow) they got new jammies, underwear and socks, some clothes for school and some church shoes.  They also got these really cool remote control cars that store themselves in their box and they are so small they fit in Jacob's pocket!  They got movies, and a robot, they each got a D.S. from Santa.  Emma got a case of diapers (YAY) some much needed jammies, TWO adorable Christmas dresses, some clothes, some tennis shoes, new babies, and a my little pony, which she loved so much she kissed the box when she saw it!  SO CUTE.  Scott got a George Forman grill, Santa brought him a wii fit this year, and I got a new vacuum, some clothes, and a small crockpot that I have been wanting FOREVER it seems.  The crazy thing is, is that with ALL of this, we are still not done!  We have another "Christmas party" to go to tomorrow night, and at least 3 more that I can think of...No wonder my boys think that Christmas goes for 2 months straight!  We are very blessed and very grateful for those blessings. 
     I had to teach R.S. the day after Christmas, my lesson was on spiritual gifts.  I had not wanted to teach this lesson and was actually supposed to teach it 3 weeks prior, but we all got sick and I went without a voice for a week.  Anyway, as we were sitting at my mom's house, watching Despicable Me, on Christmas, I could not concentrate because I knew that I had to give this lesson, so I went downstairs and started writing it out.  My thoughts were quite selfish, and I was thinking that it wasn't really fair that I had to be doing this on Christmas.  As soon as the thought entered my head, I realized how selfish I was being , and was humbled to think that of ALL days, I  got to sit UN-INTERRUPTED and focus on Christ, and everything that he has done for me!  On the day that we celebrate HIS birth, what better way to invite him into my thoughts then to read from the scriptures.  I truly am grateful for the sacrifices that He has made for me.  Although I do not particularly love teaching, I am enjoying the things that I am LEARNING each month as I teach these lessons.  I am blessed to know that I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and that this really is the only TRUE Church.  I am blessed to know that we have a prophet who speaks with our Heavenly Father.  I am blessed to know that families are FOREVER, and that we will see our loved ones who have passed away again, and we will be a family again someday.  I am grateful for the spirit that is in my home.