Grateful Sunday

This week was a blur. I feel like I just existed and tried to get through each day. Since the painters were here Monday through Friday, I felt like I was off balance. I wasn't comfortable at home because I was trying to stay out of the painters way and I got tired of going somewhere every day (I'm a homebody). But I have much to be grateful for:

• I'm grateful someone else painted the house (I know I have mentioned it before but I REALLY did not want to paint!)
• I'm grateful the bathroom didn't end up costing more because he had included it in the original estimate but didn't realize it until he was figuring out the final bill.
• I'm grateful that the hospital wasn't too busy and Brad got home at 5:00 pm on Saturday (instead of 7:00 or later).
• I'm grateful my kids were very good during Sacrament meeting. It has been awhile since I have had to do church all by myself (okay, I bribed them with candy before church but it worked ;-)
• Ben slept through Relief Society today and I was able to listen to the lesson and feel the Spirit. As I read/listened about how the Book of Mormon came to be I thought to myself about how crazy it sounds-angels, gold plates, etc. But I have a testimony of its truthfulness that despite what others might think, I know it is true!
• I'm grateful that Emily is finally excited about reading! She has had the skills for so long but has been afraid to use them (she is a perfectionist and doesn't want to do anything wrong). She is now eager to read new books and tries to sound out words she doesn't know. Her reading is very fluid, and she is sounding out harder words with confidence and skill. It is so wonderful to see her open up a new interest with such eagerness. We have a reading chart where she puts up a sticker for every book she reads (or about 15 - 20 pages). I think she has read over 15 books this week. She told me we are running out of books she can read. Brad laughed and told her I have been buying books for years just waiting for my children to read them.
• I had Emily's parent/teacher conference this week and I just love her teacher. Mrs. C is an answer to our prayers. I prayed that Emily would have a kind, loving, supportive, knowledgeable teacher. Mrs. C. is wonderful. She recognizes and teaches to the various levels in her classroom (as a former special ed teacher, I just love it when teachers are so proficient at incorporating all different learning styles). She understands Emily and does so much for her both academically and emotionally. We are really blessed to have her as Emily's teacher.