Thoughts:

I'm singing Star of the East in Sacrament Meeting today.

I don't know if you've ever heard it, but it's a beautiful song about how the star is a symbol of our being able to return to live with our Heavenly Father. I love it. I really think it encompasses the spirit and meaning of Christmas.

I'm also singing Breath of Heaven with one of my best friends in Relief Society. I'd never heard it before last night in our quiet little apartment with my wonderful husband playing the keyboard. I got to the chorus and couldn't help but cry.

The song is written from Mary's point of view. She talks about how she's traveling with the Son of God in her womb. It shows that she feels inadequate and knows this task is beyond her own personal capacity. That's where the chorus comes in:

Breath of Heaven, keep me together.

Be forever with me, Breath of Heaven.

Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness.

Give unto me your holiness, for You are holy.

Breath of Heaven.

Can you imagine?

The first time I sang: Breath of Heaven, keep me together

it reminded me of my own mother. She is the strongest most amazing woman I have ever known.

And I know more than once, us kids drove her past the point of discouragement.

She was entrusted with six of Heavenly Father's children and I know for fact that she has pleaded with Him to "keep her together."

I gain a lot of strength from her example and I hope that someday I can teach my children, as I was taught by my mother. She lives each day as a woman of God.

She is wonderful.

And I'm sure she's been a Breath of Heaven to more people than just me.

Because she relies on the ultimate source of strength.

I love her.

Update-by-number

 1 phone call from eHarbor offering me the job!

6 days off for Thanksgiving break

2 adorable neices who spent

17 hours in the car with us so the other

4 Becks could come with us

10,000 wipes used to clean up Baylee & Elisha during the trip

 2 turkey trots in the gorgeous Queen Creek sunshine

.93 miles walked [briskly] by Adrienne and I for

20 minutes of wonderful conversation

35+ family members who made

1 delicious thanksgiving dinner

1 amazing husband who woke up with me at

4:30 in the morning to buy

14 movies and

2 sweaters for family pictures at the Black Friday sales.

1 barn dance

2 new swing moves

3 cups of hot cocoa

2 hours of dancing

1 kiss on the lips from Pop

274 kisses from the amazing husband and
2 bahama bucks snow cones with creme to make me feel better after
4 tylenol gel caps and


1 meltdown
20 fake oreos

2 boxes of graham crackers

2 fruit punch squeez-its

1 holiday popcorn tin and

0 car problems[!] see here [except for

1 broken cigarette lighter which meant

0 movies for the girls in the car] and

10 "you can do it" texts from mom
makes for
1 amazing Thanksgiving break