Pres. Nelson's Give Thanks Invitation

 President Nelson invited us to post a gratitude journal on social media for a week. I thought I'd include our entries here.

Jackie:

Today I was thankful for the combination of 1)my sweet three year old sticking rubber bands, bows, ribbons, toy kitchen utensils, and her chubby fingers into my hair and mouth and whispering to me as we played on the carpet, and 2)HAIR!

We've come a long way, baby.

I am thankful for abundance in my life! I can’t imagine what it would be like to have six kids and not enough to eat. I am also thankful for my Dad who showed us how to live life abundantly in any circumstance. We always had enough ice cream (sometimes he would stir mine up with the Hershey’s syrup when I was bugged with boring vanilla) and lots of magnificent beef to put under his ketchup. After his funeral my mom held a drawing for a few of the Costco groceries he liked that she would never use. Macy won the enormous can of ketchup. (Macy hates ketchup). It really was her inheritance, haha!

I’m thankful for my nest, my quiet place within our grand central station home. I came across this description recently by my hero, Joseph Smith, who was a very busy religious leader and prophet. He said he had an inner, private office and also a general office where he conducted business and met with people. (My outer office would be my kitchen, and I am very comfortable and alive there, but my inner office is what sustains me.) Joseph Smith said of his private office that it was where he kept his sacred writings, translated ancient records, and received revelations. I imagine it was also where he prayed. My room is my private office where I aspire to do all these things as well, adapted to my sacred roll as wife and mother and student of truth.

Today I’m thankful for this bright light. And that we get to FaceTime twice a week. Today I learned from her: Instead of thinking about having “room for improvement”, think of it as having “lots of potential”.

I am thankful for Mark Day. I remember a tense conversation in the truck with my Dad. “Why do you want to marry him?” I still stand by my gut response, “He’s better than me,” and I would now add, “and I need him to help me laugh and grow into a completely different person, and to get our future family to where we truly want to be.” With that, I am also grateful for the many deep friendships we have enjoyed during our marriage, usually developed through Mark’s people-centric personality. (I have a T-shirt that says, “I’d rather be reading” that I whip out about once a week.) It was a huge shock to me the first Sunday of our marriage that when Mark went next door to literally borrow some sugar for smoothies, I had to look for him an hour later. He had been making friends and visiting with the Nielson’s next door. (I honestly had no idea he was so social). I think we ended up sharing the smoothies, and that has been a consistent pattern ever since, to my everlasting benefit.

Thankful to be mother of six, especially after we thought we’d only be allowed one. It was such a blessing in disguise to have Leslie be so much older than her crazy siblings. For one, I think it shaped her personality to hang out with grownups all the time. Then, she became a huge help. Also, going without children and praying for babies for years made us think differently about trust, and parenthood—influencing us to be as open to whomever Heavenly Father would send us and however many and when. Ex: we used to think 5 kids two years apart would be perfect. After Macy (#4) Was born I had a precious message from heaven that we had another baby waiting, and a sixth one after that if we so chose, and that baby would be a blessing to us. When Rosie came as a bit of a surprise, she really was an unusual blessing even as a baby, leading me to identify breast cancer when my “mastitis” didn’t go away. She also became a wiggly little angel for my mom to love on while she was a new widow and caring for me through chemo. Also really thankful that when the cancer diagnosis came, and the doctors solemnly told us there could be no more babies, we busted into laughter, explaining that we already had six, sixteen years apart. Such a joy to know His will clearly. We are so happy with how our story has gone. Looking forward to being a grandmother someday (I’ve learned from a few of the best) to hopefully a huge posse (payoff!) and then great grandmother.

I am thankful for family history research and the huge enriching, creative part it plays in my life. I am so thankful for those who have gone before, through really tough stuff, and left their story for me to find. Seeking these people and their stories has taught me gratitude, resilience, patriotism, faith and hope. It has also been a great distraction, taking up lots of brain power when being home with babies was too boring or stressful. (I still remember working super hard on a shipwreck story in the midst of Luke’s Heart surgeries. At least I didn’t lose three kids and a spouse to drowning and cholera!) Also thankful for lightning fast computers and dna to help solve the really tricky ones. Thankful to my hubby for letting me ramble on about dead people, haha.

Cleora Schlomer Heagy

Here are some of Mark's posts as well:

I’m grateful for a cute little girl who called herself Cricket the Cat this day.

I’m grateful that these crazies helped me celebrate the 2 year birthday of my company.

Here’s why I called them crazies. I love them and the rest of my crew.

I’m grateful for the Beauty of the earth, and all this stuff behind her. Even in a hoodie.

This is a picture of Old Faithful as it starts to sputter and then turn on full blast as it has consistently and predictably for as long as I can remember.

I’m grateful for the wonderful things you can count on.

Mothers love their kids. Spring always follows winter. And God’s plan for us is a plan of happiness.

It is a perfect plan. One where even our crappiest circumstances ultimately turn into the fertilizer for the rest of our lives.

I wish for joy and peace for everyone today, especially my sweet neighbors. (McQuiveys/Orchards).

I’m grateful for humor. It makes bad days tolerable, average days enjoyable, and good days memorable.

I’m thankful today for my nephew Thane, as he embarks on his missionary service. It always amazes me to see missionaries leave home and show that they care about other people more than themselves. Good job, Thane!

Grateful for Santa’s helper who came to hang the lights on this year’s Christmas tree.