Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This past year has been a great year for us.  Even though we bought our house right before Christmas last year, we didn't get really settled until after New Year's.  We moved into an amazing ward.  It feels like we have been here forever! (in a good way)  We got a new family member, Alex.  Jason's sister Kelsey got married this summer to Alex.  We are going to be adding another family member in a few days, Kathy.  Jason's brother Dallin is getting married Christmas Eve. I know, what a day to pick, huh?  The nerve of some people to get married around holidays (as me and Jason will be celebrating our 8th anniversary on the 26th of December ;P ) Jason finished school (yay!!!!!!!!!!). FINALLY!!!!!   I am excited to actually have him home more.  Nothing else too major has happened, but I'm not complaining because that means nothing majorly bad has happened =)  

I'm looking forward to what the next year will bring us.  Hopefully more of the same =)

As this is the time of year we tend to reflect on our Savior more, I have to add my bit.  I am so grateful for the sacrifice He made for me.  Without it, I would have no chance of being able to spend forever with my family.  And heaven just wouldn't be heaven without them.  The most incredible thing to me is that Jesus knew what was required and volunteered to do it.  It was just a trial He happened to go through.  He knew it would happen, He knew He could stop it if he wanted, but it was more important than the needs or wants of one man.  He did it for everyone.  I can't imagine the love He has for us to be able to do that.  I would do it for my kids, but some random person in France I wouldn't be able to.  I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven.  He guides and directs us so that we may become better people.  There are so many times I look back on things that have happened and realize that they weren't just happenstance.  I have seen His guiding hand in my life so many times.  I am proud of the person I have become under His direction.  I am not perfect, far from it, but I am striving to be better.  Without our Savior, Jesus Christ, there would be no way we would be able to start anew and have the chance to ultimately reach perfection (I won't be there in this life, that's for sure!)  I am grateful that Mary and Joseph were the kind of people who were living their lives in such a way that they were able to bring the Son of God into this world and raise him.  I hope I can be a fraction of the mother that Mary was.  In all the hustle and bustle of the upcoming week, please remember the reason for the season and take a moment to give thanks for the ultimate present.

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, a happy new year, and all that jazz!