My thoughts, and thanks

As I was sitting here I realized that I did not give credit where credit is really do.  I wanted to take a moment and thank my step Mom, Liz, for showing me the world of blogging and how easy it can be as well as a great way to keep family and friends included in our lives even though we are so far away.

Liz, thank you for what I see as a great hi tech gift.  I hope that my blogging can enlighten others from time to time as yours has for me.  I also hope that it becomes a way to reconnect with family and a way for me to include them in my lives, just as yours has.

I also wanted to thank my Dad. January was a very hard month for our family as a whole and yet in the worst part of it there was so much enlightenment and growth.  I am so grateful for my Dad having the ability to get me home when I needed to be there the most.  It was also a time for new beginnings.

I want to thank my Mom for her understanding and patience.  Heavenly Father, truly knows us all and he knew that when it came to patience boy was my Mom going to need it.  She spent her time raising her children and now she lives with me and is helping me to raise mine.  Heavenly Father knows that it does take a village to raise a child and on some days in my family it takes and army. (LOL.)

My step Dad Rob, thank you for your understanding.


I once heard that in our darkest hours there is always a light for us lit, it is just up to us to be willing to look for that light.  I believe I have finally learned what that meant in my own way.

I believe that most of us think about thanking our parents and most of us take the time to do so even if it is only on that one day a year that is put asside for Father's Day and Mother's Day.  I have had my fair share of taking my parents for granted as I think most people do.  As an adult child, I think we have grown up with our parents and just take it for granted that they know we love them, and are grateful for everything they have done, sacrificed and so on.  I can attest as a parent myself now that there are times that a parent just feels like their kids have no idea what life would be like if we weren't there to make sure the puzzle pieces fit so to speak.

I was one of those kids that had more than one set of parents.  Something that is all too common in the world today, but again there is light.  All four parents have brought different things and experiences into my life as well as the lives of my own children. I was told once that you know you are a good parent when you learn from your parents mistakes and set out to make your own.  I don't necessarily agree with this statement, but I can see what they were talking about.  I think as the oldest child in my family and the one that has the oldest children that I have made some of the same mistakes as my parents, but I have also made mistakes that are all my own as well.  It took me a long time to get my own footing in this world and like everyone else I have a lot of things that I can look back on that given another chance I may or may not have done again.  There is one thing that I learned from all my parents that I am so grateful for and I hope that I can pass on to my own children.  That is this: Each one of us is given life by our Heavenly Father, he entrusted us to those that raised and help to raise us.  We are only with those parental figures for a short time and they have a lot to teach us in that time.  Then it becomes our time to go out into the world and learn who we are, what we want in live and to begin to live our own lives.  No one is ever going to make everyone happy, but that is why Heavenly Father also gave us forgiveness and understanding.

I am sure that as the years go on each one of my brothers and sisters will agree with me that we each are grateful for our parents for many things.  The most important thing that they all have given to each one of us kids is their love and understanding even when we don't think we deserve it.  I hope that when my children grow up they look back with the same understanding, love and compassion that I have for each of my parents.  Heavenly Father must a thought I was very special to be given 4 parents! Thank you to each of you!  And know that I love each one of you even if I don't tell you enough as I know I don't.  I love you!