No they have changed mine!

So tonight we went to a movie. It has kind of become a Thanksgiving tradition to do this. This year we picked out a good one called The Blind Side. It is a story about a wealthy family taking in a young man who had been abandoned by everyone and helping him to become the best he could be. Mostly it was about the mother who felt that this boy needed some help and acted on that feeling. Two of my favorite parts in the show were 1) the mom, LeeAnn, is talking to her friends and they are asking her questions and kind of giving her flack for taking in a homeless black kid. She proceeds to set them straight and then one of the women says, "you are changing this boy's life" and LeeAnn says, "No he is changing mine." 2) Michael has left because he begins to believe that the only reason the family is taking care of him is to prep him to play sports for their alma mater. And after LeeAnn searches all over, she gets a phone call and Michael says, "Momma".



This was a tremendously powerful story about the influence we have on each other. So considering that this is Thanksgiving, I want to tell about the powerful influence that those in my life have had on me. Because I haven't changed their lives, they have changed mine.



I am married to an amazing man. In my opinion it is a miracle that Tom is who he is considering where he came from. His conversion story is powerful and sweet. He tells of being a little boy and knowing that all the things that his family did and stood for were not right. He knew that there was something more. He talks about the power of righteous friendships where members of the church encouraged him to participate in the simple activities of the church. He attended seminary in high school because those friends did and he learned the gospel. He learned it so well that when the missionaries came to him, he knew already that he wanted that in his life. I am grateful for the courage that he had to serve a mission knowing that no one in his family would support him, financially, emotionally or spiritually. I am eternally grateful that he married me in the temple of the Lord, despite the fact that only a handful of people from either of our family could attend. I adore him for being committed to me during the storms that we have weathered together. I admire him for his steadfastness in serving the Lord. I appreciate his honesty and willingness to forgive. I am so grateful that he is the kind of father that I wanted my children to have.



I am thankful for Mike. I love his ability to smile even when I think there is nothing to smile about. I have learned to appreciate the little things because of him. Things like: his willingness to let us tie his shoes even though a crowd is watching, his attention to the sports he loves and how he can break a move down so that he can accomplish it despite his body's inability to accomplish the task. I am thankful for his willingness to forgive everyone.

I am grateful for Alyssa. I appreciate her ability to remain calm and take life as it comes. In my opinion she is the epitome of a true lady and has been since she was a very little girl. She has a wisdom that spans far beyond her years and she teaches me much. She is humble not even recognizing how tremendously inspiring she is to those around her. I am grateful for her quiet peacefulness that balances my type A personality.

I am grateful for Jaxon. I love his quick wit and sweet smile. I am so grateful that he like his brother is comfortable in his own skin. I love that although he is a big, tough athlete, at the end of the day, he can still sit in the snuggle chair with me and be my little boy. I also love that despite being the super stud athlete, he is still kind to everyone. He loves to save the underdog under the radar. I love his laugh and how contagious it can be.

I am grateful that the Lord granted me the opportunity to be a part of this family because they have changed me...and for that I am grateful.