29 Again

As my Primary kids would sing, "One year older and wiser too ..." Though I have to say I'm not feeling much "wiser" these days! My brain has been absolutely gone with this pregnancy, to the point that it's so frustrating to me. I've done such silly things lately (just ask my sister-in-law who received an empty envelope from me in the mail, only to receive the real one with a check in it a few days later ... blush!). So I guess I'm at least one year older, but maybe not wiser! But I did have a nice birthday this year. SUPER delish dinner at my in-laws the Sunday before, which made this pregnant lady so happy! Tony Roma's ribs (which you can now buy at Costco ... that could be trouble!), amazing "low fat" (not so much) cheesy potatoes, and red velvet cake for dessert. I will probably blush big time at my next Dr. appt. when the nurse weighs me, but oh well. I did the same thing last time with Eliot, and it was worth the celebrations then, and it was worth the celebrations now!

At La Jolla Groves for my b-day dinner.

So fun to get to go to such a great place with my favorite person in the world!

My favorite part of my birthday was getting to go out to dinner with Grant. We don't tend to eat out too much, so when we do, it's a major occasion for us. We have discovered a new favorite restaurant, La Jolla Groves, in the Riverwoods in Provo. The chef is the same one that used to run Chef's Table, our absolute favorite splurge, but he recently decided to go a little more mainstream and opened up this much more affordable restaurant, much to our delight. You can tell the food is still his -- the sauces, dressings, and seasonings are lick-your-plate good, but I think I might love the atmosphere as much as the food (which says a lot since I'm a food girl!). La Jolla Groves is meant to look like a lemon grove, so there are tons of fake lemon trees with cool lanterns hanging from them. The tables are set with crisp white linens, lemon-yellow napkins, and white dinnerware -- all completely my style. I love it! Their best dish on the menu (we think) is their Stuffed Chicken Crepes, but everything we've tried is yummy. I had Chicken Alfredo this time around -- good, but not as amazing as the crepes. I was envious of Grant's beef tenderloin this time around. One of the best parts, honestly, was the house dressing, a lemon vinaigrette that seriously left me feeling like I'd just had dessert after my first course -- yum!

A dear friend of mine wrote in a birthday card to me that she is so happy for all of the dreams that have come true for me at this point in my life and for all of the blessings coming our way this year. Her thoughts made me reflect on what a good place I'm at in my life right now. I've learned by experience that life is subject to ups and downs and that marriage and parenthood, aging and health, family and personal relationships are all subject to sudden change, so it's a wonderful thing to celebrate when you're in a good place. I try to be genuinely grateful for those moments as they come.

Some of the things I am especially grateful for at this point in my life are (in no particular order):

1. My marriage. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have Grant. I love him dearly.

2. My boys -- my Eliot and my baby Zachary. They are my sunshine and delight!

3. My health, especially right now.

4. Grant's job -- so many of his classmates and others in his field are struggling right now. It's a struggle getting started, but we feel overwhelmed to have been so blessed.

5. My family's health. Glad my boys are doing so well -- all three of them! I'm glad my extended family are doing okay.

6. This pregnancy, a long-awaited, joyous blessing for our family.

7. Having the gospel in my life. I don't know what I would do without the peace and perspective it brings me.

8. Being so close to temples again and to have a recommend. I just renewed it, and as with each time I do, I feel so privileged to have access to the holy, heavenly sanctuary.

9. "Scripture Power" -- I love having access to the scriptures and can testify alongside my Primary kids that "every day I need the power that I get each time I read."

10. Family. I appreciate my parents and siblings and all they have done and continue to do for us. It's a blessing to live close to them again and to have more frequent interactions with them.

11. My sisters. I love them more than they probably realize. I feel such loyalty and love toward them.

12. My calling -- it tests and tries me and keeps me humble, but when I stop and think about it, it makes me so happy. I can't imagine serving anywhere else right now.

13. My home. This morning Eliot asked me if we have a roof on our house, and as I explained to him that we do and because of it, we're safe from the rain and snow, I realized what a blessing it is to have a roof over our heads. My home is a place of great comfort and peace to me. It's where I most want to be.

14. Good books. I am in the middle of one of the most touching and insightful books I have ever read, and I love the influence of good literature on my thoughts and heart.

15. Friends. I love and appreciate my friendships -- the new ones I'm forming, and the ones that have stood the test of time. I have always been blessed by good influences on my life. I feel undeserving sometimes of the love and association I have with such great people.

16. Mountains. The other morning the wind was blowing the fresh snow on the tops of Mount Timpanogos and Y mountain, and there was the most beautiful swirl of white against the deepest blue sky, and I felt so grateful to be back in Utah next to "my mountains."

17. "Hard things." In the book I'm reading, it talks about the connection between the hardest things in life and the best things in life. I am thankful for the struggles I have had that have caused me to lean on the Lord, on my husband, and on my loved ones. I can see how my character has grown as a result, no matter how much I may have complained at the time!

18. Oregon. Now that we're coming up on a year since we graduated and moved from Salem, I think all the time how grateful I am we made the choice to go to school there. It's such a beautiful place with such wonderful people. It left an imprint on our hearts, for sure.

19. Good food. Really, Monica? It's true -- I love the comfort of a delicious meal and the power of bringing people together. Dinner time is probably my favorite time of day. I love to sit down, eat something yummy, and talk with Grant and Eliot. I love the feeling of unity that comes with it. I love planning, shopping for, and preparing meals for my family -- it's one of my favorite things about being a wife and mom.

20. Laughter. I love the many ways that Grant can make me smile, that Eliot makes me giggle on a daily basis, I love watching a show that makes me laugh out loud. I love friends that can laugh with me about our motherhood blunders. I love friends' blogs that provide opportunities to laugh and smile about life in general. I love the sound of loud laughter at family gatherings, and I honestly think the laughter of my child is my favorite sound in the whole world.

I could maybe keep going, but feel content with that list. So many reasons to celebrate ...