And So It Begins!

I have always been passionate about keeping a record of my life. It started at a young age with a simple journal. The mundane and simple acts of life were jotted down to look on in later times. But my love for writing truly took off when I moved to Hawaii for my freshman year of college. This was before the wave of cell phones and e-mails connected us all. I relied on my paper and pen to keep in touch with all my loved ones with the exception of a half an hour Sunday phone call to my family from the pay phone outside my dorm room. Through those letters, I learned to value and cherish correspondence. My Grandma Nance had told me how she and Grandpa wrote letters when they were dating and how they fell in love through their words. They have always been a dear keepsake to her. I too love looking back on the letters I wrote during my time away as they capture my thoughts and feelings of the time.

Over the years I have kept a creative and unique journal. When our siblings served missions I kept copy of each e-mail sent. This was a fast, easy and effective way to keep up with our lives. Once they came home, I tried to sit down and write the funny and original things the kids said and did. Lately I have been keeping emails I send to our parents and friends. I guess this blog is the next step. What a nice and convenient way to keep a journal with photos and allow others to come along for the ride.

The first step in all this was to name my site. I thought and thought and after flipping through a Mary Engelbreit calendar I saw the item "Count Your Blessings" twice. I realized this was it. I need to sit down everyday and count my blessings. To take stock of my life and realize all I have been given, which is a lot I might add. It's not just about keeping a record for all to see. It's mainly for me to take a step back and appreciate what Heavenly Father has blessed me with each and every day. Too often time passes and if things are not written down, they just get lost in our memories. Cesare Pavese said, "We do not remember days; we remember moments." I hope this blog helps me keep these priceless moments of our lives.