CHRISTMAS

For Christmas this year we had Christmas Eve with the Mosers and Christmas Day with the Mangums. This was also Jerry and Shannon's last Christmas here for a while so we decided to spend Christmas Eve night with them at Mom and Dad Moser's house. I am so glad we did. We had such a great time. Christmas morning Cohen and Maddy got little car type things to ride on. They were sooooo cute! Jerry was SHOCKED when he found a full set of lefty golf clubs with his name on them and I was STUNNED when I found a brand new digital camera with my name on it. I'm not going to lie, I cried. I was so excited! I've been wanting one for a long time and I couldn't believe it was actually sitting there. We opened presents then headed over to mom and dad Mangum's for a few more presents and breakfast. Clint had to work that day but he made a special stop at the house with his police car so all the kids could see the lights and sit in the back. They were so excited. At Christmas time we always reflect on the great blessings we have had through the year and this year I was especially grateful. A month before Josh started grad school we decided that I would quit work at the end of the year and be a full time mom. We were both a little nervous since at the time Josh barely had a job and he was getting ready to start school. We decided to put our place up for rent and when I quit we would move in with my parents. Well the first blessing came 2 weeks after Josh started school. He was given a Grad Assistant job at the University and that meant he could spend all day at the school. No more running back and forth, he had 80% of his tuition taken care of and about 80% of his health insurance paid for. On top of all that he received a monthly stipend that ended up being more then we expected. So many blessings, we just couldn't believe it. The hunt for a renter was not going so well so in December we decided to put our place up for sale. December 23rd was my last day of work and it was very bitter sweet. It was hard to wrap my head around the fact that I would be spending my days with our daughter and I was so thrilled and felt sooooo much peace. It was all I had ever wanted. I was going to miss all my friends at work and that meant everybody. It was such a fantastic place to work with great coworkers and a wonderful boss. This job was a huge blessing for our family and I was going to miss the people. I am so grateful for a husband who has such a strong testimony and great faith in our Lord and Savior. This was a step that scared us terribly but we both felt it was time and the Lord wanted me home. Maddy and Josh needed me there and the closer we got to me quitting the more evident it became. I really couldn't have asked for anything more for Christmas. We hadn't had any real bites on our house for a while. We decided not to move in with my parents until we had a renter or until we sold it so we spent the first weeks of the new year just praying for lookers. The middle of January came, we found a renter and within a week we were moved out. It has been such a blessing to be here with my parents. They have helped us so much, we can't express the gratitude and love we have for them and the sacrifices they are making for our little family. It was very sad to leave our ward. We had become a family in that ward and that was how we saw the members. They were truly part of our family and they took care of us very well. I miss my young women terribly and all the leaders I worked with in the program. They all taught me so much and will forever be grateful for their examples. I have a firm testimony in prayer and sacrifice. It is so hard sometimes but the Lord always knows what is best for us. If we could only rely on him more easily we could probably get a lot more of His work done on this earth. I have a firm testimony of family. Being a mother is the greatest gift I could have ever received and having such a wonderful and loving husband next to me is more than I could ever ask for. I am grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and for our Heavenly Father. The sacrifices they made for me are countless. I love them and can't wait for the day I can fall into their arms and know I did all I could to get back to them.