I've been cleaning out some...OK...many shelves, closets, and our computer room. It's like a Thomas English muffin..full of nooks and crannies..all chock full of papers, magazines, and pictures that needed sorting and discarding. While on this quest I found another journal I forgot I had. It was started when Oprah suggested a "Gratitude Journal" about 15yrs. ago. That was before we even lived in this house and how it got to the computer room is a mystery. I had to sit and see what I wrote so long ago. I had challenged myself to write 5 things a day that I was grateful for. I did really good...for about 3 days! I did enjoy seeing what made me happy back then. 15 Simple things. I wondered if someone found this 100yrs. from now would they know what kind of person I am/was? I've mentioned this many times, but my blog is a bit of a journal for me and I have it put into book form at the end of each year. Hopefully this would be a better composite of who I was...am..will be. I would hope that they would see a person very grateful for many blessings in my life. I hope the main blessing I'm so grateful for is my family. Today is my 2nd son's birthday. He's 35...Wow is he old...Not young like me! I'm so grateful for his wonderful spirit that has blessed our family. He has a great family of his own now. He's spending this birthday alone while his wife stays with the kiddos until they sell their home and then make a big move across country. I had to call him and wish my "Star Wars" baby a happy day. We were at the very first "Star Wars" movie that came out in 1977 when I went into labor. I stayed as long as I could stand it...the movie was really good but I didn't want Craig born in a popcorn bucket! I always joke that we could have called him Luke, or Han, or Chewie! I think Craig is grateful we didn't! So here's a few snipets of his life that we are very grateful for. He was a beautiful baby!
A spunky kiddo and a good athlete...here he is at his 9th birthday..so happy...so funny...so grateful for his first skateboard!
An Eagle Scout...He put in sidewalks at an elementary school for the teachers who had to walk through the wet grass and mud each day. Recently many of the teachers sent him a "thank you" e-mail..all these years later. Gratitude has no time limit!
Craig spent 2 years as a missionary in Taiwan. Mastering the language, the food, and coming to love the people has blessed his life. We're so grateful for his service.
A graduate with his graduate wife from BYU. Grateful for an education that has helped him in his business career and his ability to make a good living to support his family.
A good father, husband...all around family man who had to celebrate today without his family. Not fun. But he has a great sense of humor as we talked about it today. He's spent a few birthdays in his life without family around. His Dad and I are grateful for a super kiddo who makes us proud every day. Happy Birthday Craig!
13 comments:
What a wonderful post! Happy birthday to craig. I hope he is moving closer not further away.
Cathy
Family is certainly on the top of my grateful list, too! And doesn't it seem strange for us to have such OLD children? My daughter turned 38 this summer, and I'm still in shock! Craig sounds like a fine young man, and you are obviously very proud of him.
I love stumbling on old stuff I've written. There is so much for which I am grateful.
Happy Birthday Craig. I don't know if you remember, but you were present at one of my 1st discussions about a week or so before you left on your mission. Crazy huh?!
Loved reading this. Drawn in by the baby photo. Love babies. So fun to read this. Nooks and crannies. Great words to describe your rooms.
Ah, Oprah's gratitude journal. I started one too. Wonder where it got to. I know I only made a few entries as well. I started journaling years ago and have a stack of them. How fun to go back and read them.
Thanks for sharing and Happy Birthday to your son. Blessings.
I had one of those journals too...hmmm, I wonder what I wrote in it, I think I lasted about a month. I should go hunt it down.
Happy Birthday to your son. He could not be the wonderful man that he is if it were not for his great parents. Blessings to you all.
You sure did a wonderful job raising Craig. A job well done.
You have every right to be proud. He' s a handsome man with a beautiful family. I'm sure that he's also proud of you.
Happy Birthday Craig.
Ahh, the joy of finding an old journal even if it only had three days of journalling. I love revisiting my old journals. Since I'm on Blogger I've also neglected my journals.
It's raining cats and dog today we're getting the remains of that hurricane, what's her name.
Hugs, JB
How wonderful, to find the journal, to be able to reminisce so!
Happy Birthday to your wonderful son!
I too love reading old journals and it always makes me even more thankful to read and recollect all the ways I have been blessed throughout my life and continue to be - even through difficult times. Cool story about going into labor while in the movie. Your pictures are great and I can see why you have every right to be proud of such a son and his family. Good job! Great memories.
Looks like a great guy. Happy birthday to him!
=)
PS. I am doing the same thing with my blog (making books) and I often ask myself the same questions...
Wow - your family is full of celebrations this time of year! Again, loved seeing all of the old pictures - so sweet! Happy Birthday to Craig.
Ummm...yeah..I cried reading that post. We love them and miss them so much. I know you guys will too as they move sooo far away. :( It will be a good move for their family though, and thank goodness there is air travel. :)
I remember ALL that stuff...even the "Star Wars" movie...we were probably in the theater with you! I think the boys were about 14mo old and we took them with their bottles and they were GOOD!!
Happy birthday to Craig...loved seeing all the pics. Love that the Osborn teachers thanked him all these years later. That shows class! (get it?)
Love that Sophie is asleep in the last pic...what a sweet family!!!
Post a Comment