What a great life!

You know, I think about this world, all the problems we have around us and all the people struggling just to believe in something, something they can hold onto and work for....then I look around me....Wow, how blessed I am. No, I don't have a huge home with tons of beautiful furniture....but I have a peaceful home, a home with wonderful people to share it with who teach me something everyday and who I can love and count on to stregthen me and help me grow eternally. I have a home that has beautiful pictures of the Temples, of Christ, of things and people I love, one where I can go out and pick Lilac's and Iris's and put them in a vase on the kitchen table, or go out in the morning and lay on the swing on the deck and just listen....I love to listen to all the noises in the yard...birds, cars, sirens, kids playing, dogs barking you name it....I love to plant my flowers every May...and my vegetable garden, water it and watch it grow. It's been hard these last couple months, for some reason I have had trouble with headaches and haven't felt as good as usual...but I still go out and do everything I need to for our home. Then, there are these wonderful people who keep running through my house....they are here and there going to school, work, exercising, movies, friends on and on, but who stop for sometimes hours, or moments to talk...to tell me their fears, their loves, their futures, their desires...we sometimes laugh and we sometimes cry...but we do it together...we talk about those things that will make us better people..goals and plans with suggestions and love. I have been out of work for 3 months, but have worked hard and loved being here when these people come through the door...I know when they are hurting and sad or happy and excited and I love it when they sit down with me, and we talk...I love being that Grandma Lu to a little boy who wants to just sit on my lap and watch some silly cartoon, draw with sidewalk chalk on the sidewalks or go to the blue park and Wendy's to play, who wants to be with me because we love each other....I love being asked to stretch outside my bubble...to be asked to give a lesson in Relief Society and then feel the spirit so strongly that the last 24hrs of preparation are crazy and full of roadblocks that are put there to stop my preparing what the Lord wants me to say. He loves the sisters in my ward, Satan wants to prevent them from hearing His words... then I felt the Spirit so strongly during that lesson and I knew that someone was touched by those things that were said...what a testimony builder to me.........what a good life I have, I am so grateful to our Father in Heaven for EVERYTHING he does and gives to us....sorry to go on, but like I said, I don't live in a huge house....but this is the Schroeder Mansion, family and friends welcome anytime, and I wouldn't have it any other way....I love you family...you're the best!!