Counting Blessings

Kasper has begun school, so I am participating a little bit more in the food preparation.  We did the shopping yesterday and this morning.  When I got to the center, I chopped chicken, grated cheese, peeled carrots and cooked the pasta.....and made some ginger snaps.

He hurried in at 4:30, was a whirling dervish for an hour and a half....got the meal served at 6, ate a plate full of Chicken Victoria and then hurried out for a stake leadership meeting.  The dish was excellent.  I don't know how much longer he will be able to keep up with this (he now has a stake calling and a ward calling), but I am more than elated to have him do the cooking.  What a blessing!

One lovely benefit of Kasper doing the cooking and having it ready at 6 is that now I am able to attend Institute class and I love it.  One of the YSAs teaches the lesson.....her name is Deidre.  She taught D&C 88 tonight....one of my favorites.  She did a great job of leading a discussion about light.  I looked around the small room and realized with a start that Deidre and I were the only Americans there.  Everyone else was from either Denmark or another country.

We enjoyed the class and the discussions.....I'm looking forward to more.  There is a young Portuguese woman who makes some tremendous comments.  We go to the class for English Speakers.  English is not her mother tongue, yet she can give insightful and profound answers back in English.  People around here are astonishing.  I would say easily 98% of all the YCAs speak English extremely well.  They don't even have to think...they just speak and think in English......
How would that be?

Two of the young women cleaned up the kitchen and did a few hundred dishes....OK  maybe just 20 or 30.  I did some other cleaning, and we were home before midnight.

I visited with some wonderful young people tonight.  I love the way they talk and laugh and enjoy each others company.  Funny how I have come to know them....and love them.  A year ago, I am sure I was wondering if I would ever feel comfortable around the group.  I do .... I enjoy them all immensely.

We called Lia, and everyone who was at the center at that time sang the Danish "Happy Birthday" song.  It was quite delightful.  She was born 33 years ago.  Every day since January 15 1982 has been a blessing to me.

The moment she arrived, my heart was filled with gratitude for the wonder of the beautiful little girl that was placed in my arms.   I was so grateful for her and grateful that she was ours. Now she is a wife and a mother to her own two little girls. Her faith, strength, testimony, wit, talent with words and goodness are just a small part of the blessing we call Lia.

I'll fall asleep tonight in silent thanks to the Lord.