I can always count on...

What I have come to know as a now 28 almost 29 year old is that you can always count on certain things. And so today I wanted to tell you just a few of the things that I have come to count on that I am truly grateful for.

1. I am grateful that conference comes around twice a year. I can always count on being fed spiritually according to my personal needs and desires. God knows exactly what I need.

2. Another thing that I have come to expect is that despite my wish that summer will forever remain, fall always rolls around and even though I complain, deep down I appreciate the colors, the harvest, and the crispness in the air.

3. Along with fall, inevitably I increase in age by yet another year. And the joke will always be that my birthday is on the 19th (thanks to my favorite mayor and yours) instead of the 21st (my real birthday). I'm grateful for each year that passes because I feel wiser and just a bit better than the previous year because of experiences that change me.

4. Another thing I can count on is my mom calling me to see how I'm doing and to ask "What did you do this weekend?" I'm grateful for my parents constant concern for me and their on going support of me and the things I do.

5. I can always count on Mickey creating something beautiful, edible, or fragrant in our home. I'm grateful for her constant care of making our house a home. Our home is a little piece of heaven.

6. The sun comes up every day whether I want it to or not. And these days I want it to because you never know what lies ahead of you in your days, weeks, months or years...so make the best of it and love, hug, and kiss a little bit more than yesterday, last week, last month, or last year.