I am grateful. . .

I just returned to El Paso from a 2 week trip home to Utah.  During this trip I was able to spend lots of time with my family, at home and on a few trips.  My mom is in the young womens and is preparing for camp in about a week.  A few months ago one of her fellow leaders gave her and all the girls a gratitude journal to record when the Lord blesses their lives with tender mercies.  My mom would make a little note to herself every time that something everyone else would consider "lucky" happened.  I have thought alot about this.  My blog post today will reflect what I am thankful for while also recapping the past couple weeks of life.

I am thankful that my little sister, Emily, came to visit me in El Paso.  It was so fun to have her here.  I can't believe that she is graduated now and moving on with life.  She is such a great person with the best personality and spirit I have ever seen.  Who ever gets her is a lucky guy... did I mention her beauty?

I am grateful that our car broke down when it did.  We had just made the 8 hour drive to El Paso a week or so before and I can only imagine the misery of breaking down in the middle of nowhere.  

I am also grateful that our car broke down AGAIN when it did.  Preston was on his way home from picking it up from the shop and it stopped shifting.  He was able to call the place and arranged to have them come pick it back up and begin fixing it again.  It is all under warranty and should be ready for us to pick up, yet again, tomorrow.  I am so glad that the men that are working on our baby are good guys.  Preston has talked to them everyday and they are doing their best.

I am so thankful for a wonderful family, both mine and Preston's.  My trip to Utah was a blast and packed with family time.  I got little done that I wanted to at our house but spent much needed time with my family and friends.  

I am so amazed and so thankful that we MADE IT to Lake Powell.  Apparently car problems come in bunches because my family's car had some serious engine problems and we barely made it to Powell.  Some of those hills nearly killed us.  The Sequoia was a trooper and pulled the boat and all the gear and people at 15 mph for about 3 hours.  It was a long drive! 

I am thankful for Old Brown for getting us to our campsite in Lake Powell.  Old Brown is the family boat... if you can call it a boat.  We all hate the thing.  He is an old ugly thing and we are all so embarrassed to be seen in it.  My dad likes to make it worse by pulling up next to a brand new beautiful boat at the gas stations.  We all have to go potty so bad that we have to sneak out the other side and run to avoid being seen by the beautiful boat owners! Maybe someday my parents will invest in a new boat but as for right now Old Brown is our boat.  He teaches us humility in a world driven by money and possessions.  He still runs and does exactly what a pretty boat can do.  Maybe someday the Barfuss children will be able to stand next to him and claim him as their own.  We are still learning this lesson...

I am also very grateful for Beautiful Black and White.  This is my Aunt and Uncle's boat that accompanied us to Lake Powell.  This boat saved the trip providing tube rides, wakeboarding, skiing and an escape from Old Brown.  She is a pretty boat and we love her.  But we love the Lamb's more! And I am very thankful that they were able to come for another Lake Powell adventure!  Also we invited Randy to take care of the Potty in the mountains . . . wow I am thankful he took care of the potty and not me.  That was a gross bag of poop.  Hopefully I will get some pictures to post later!

I am grateful that I was able to go on the Trek a 3rd time.  I know three times is a little excessive but really each time I go I am so glad to be there.  The spirit is so strong and I learn to recognize the little things in life that we often take for granted.  It was so fun to be with family and see old ward members.  Martin's Cove truly is a special place and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to go and feel of that spirit again.  I wasn't very happy about going again but I learned things about myself this time around that I hadn't before.  

I am thankful for beds to sleep in.  After camping for two weeks, beds are FABULOUS! Even more fabulous is sleeping in my bed next to my husband.  I don't know why but I sleep so much better when I am next to him.  I am thankful he lets my feet touch his legs all night. 

I am so grateful for a remarkable husband who let me go to Utah for 2 weeks and leave him in dull El Paso.  He was so bored and he handled it so well.  He just kept working in the hot sun while I was off playing!  He is an amazing man!

I am now thankful to be home to my amazing husband.  I truly believe that I love him more now then I did before I left.  Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder!  He is the best thing that ever happened to me and I am so lucky to be married to him.  

Finally, I am thankful for the gospel in my life and the influence it has each and every day.  I am so thankful to be a member of the only true church on the earth.  I was able to attend church in Salt Lake this past Sunday before flying to Texas, and with it being fast and testimony meeting there were many remarkable testimonies shared.  One young women told of her conversion story... the spirit was so strong.  She was converted in LA by many of her BYU graduated coworkers.  She said that she could feel a degree of happiness in these people and longed to know why she was never able to be that happy.  We are happier! The Lord blesses us each and every day!  He is constantly watching over us and guiding us.  My grandpa also bore his testimony on Sunday.  He is such an amazing man and I can only dream that I may someday be even a little bit like him.  He loves his family so much.  I am thankful for men like my grandpa.  He is the kindest, sweetest man in the world.  He would do anything for anyone and never complain.  I know the gospel is major part of his life.  He has kept the church close to his heart and he is truly happy.  The gospel makes us happy!

I am thankful for just being able to write my thoughts.  I am also thankful for anyone who has continued to read to this point.  I didn't mean for it to be so long.  I am just grateful.