Gratitude!

My beautiful daughter had her first opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting last week.
Yes, it's very hard for me to believe she is 12 and is a young woman old enough to be a speaker in Sacrament Meeting!
Well it was Mother's Day, so Emily Wanted no help from me, Only Dad! So, I gladly went to bed and left them to figure out the talk (Crossing my fingers just a little).
Her topic was on gratitude for Mother's. I just loved that she was given that topic...maybe it would just give her a tiny reminder to have a little more gratitude for her very own Mother...Me! I must say though she s a pretty darn good kid. Robert and I are so proud of her and how she is growing up.
Anyways, She was so nervous to be the first speaker, but let me tell you she was amazing! So confidant and beautiful. She gave such a lovley talk. Rob wanted me to know that the last part of her talk when she said Something about me she did not write any of that down, she wanted me to know that it was coming directly from her, and she meant it. Ok, that was the best Mother's Day EVER!!!!
In her talk she had some Quotes that I though were so neat on Gratitude :
David O. McKay said: " Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts".
Joseph B. Worthlin said : " Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. Thy tend to brighten all around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, more likable". I think for sure that is one to live by.
I started thinking after her talk that you know, things do kinda stink right now, we don't know what lies around the corner for our family. We could be anywhere by the end of the summer. At leaste I have hope that we will have some answers by then =). But, if we are somewhere new and different I will always have the 5 most most important people in my life with me where ever I go. I am so grateful for that!!! I am so grateful that Heavenly Father gave us families, so that we don't have to endure our trials and tribulations in this life alone. And we can share every happiness in this life with them as well. Things never seem so tough when you have a support system like your family. My brother's and sister's, cousins, Aunts and Uncle's, Parents, grandparents...even friends become so much a part of your family. I cannot imagine where we Would be without them all. How lucky and grateful our little Etchells family of 6 are.