Gratitude

In honor of Spence's 40th night in the hospital, I thought I'd spotlight some of the things I've been most grateful for lately:

...the moments, however short they are, that I get to spend with my sweetheart. 

...for kind and thoughtful friends who listen to me ramble, bring us delicious home cooked meals, shower us with kindness and generosity, and even mend Spencer's "special blankey" for him (Thanks, Cindy!). 

...for nurses who stop in to chat with Spencer, even though he's not assigned as their patient that day.  It always makes Spencer's day!

...for a Sunday afternoon walk with the kids down to the stream in our neighborhood.  Ellie was well-prepared with a blanket, basket, stuffed animal, and a hand colored soccer ball. 

...for another Sunday night at the hospital all together as a family.   We sang songs and had family home evening together--our lesson was on building our lives on a solid foundation.    We sang the, "Wise Man and the Foolish Man," song (complete with actions) and read and discussed this scripture:

"...remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."  Helaman 5:12

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UPDATE:

Spencer's ANC is 229 today, which means he is neutropenic again.  That means no fast food and that he needs to wear a mask whenever he's out of the room.

He's still eating very little.

He reluctantly took the bandage off of his belly button incision today. 

I still fall asleep almost every time I sit down (including a head bobbing, drooling nap at stake conference today)...



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"...to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven." 
                                                                                                                 Thomas S.  Monson