Tribute to Thad the Graduate!

It was an exciting week at our house! We enjoyed the Celebrating, and now we have time to blog it!

Thad did his last days of clinicals this week, and is now a Graduate of Nurse Anesthesia! These are some fun pictures of him cheering after his last overnight of "call" and then his last day before he went to work, and when he came home and Peter meet him to say Wahoo!

As I step back and look at the past 2 1/2 years, I can't believe how quickly life goes by. Life is wonderful! But how short it is. Days and weeks can sometimes be long. But the months and years truly do fly!

My cute husband is so happy! I asked him yesterday how he was feeling, and he said, "I can't believe it's already here. It's exciting. It's scary. Just because I want to be the practitioner I've prepared to be. And now it's time." He has done an awesome job at juggling being a fantastic husband, a super dad, a Stake YM 2nd councelor, the Student rep for his Anesthesia class, a friend to many, and a righteous man. I admire him for the ways he has chosen to be successful. He chose to follow the commandments of God and put God first. Then his family. And then everything else. I have seen God bless him and our family in so many ways.

Our marriage has been strengthened. Our family has been expanded. As everyone knows, children expand your heart and love capacity not just the size of your family! (Peter turned 11 months this week as well!) Our faith and comittment to the gospel has been multiplied. Our understanding of the "work and glory of God" which is to "Bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" has been clarified. Our missionary skills have needed to be practiced more. And our missing of our families being near to us has grown.

I just feel so grateful to know that even though I am imperfect, Heavenly Father is so merciful and magnifies my efforts to be better. And he blesses us.

In my scripture study the other day I read Moroni 7 : 20 and the question was for me.
"And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?"

I know that all good things come from Christ. But how can I lay hold upon all of them? And then the answer came as I read further.

Mornoi 7:25
"Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ."

It comes from Faith in Christ.
And that is strengthened by the ministering of angels, and hearing the word of God, from the scriptures, prophets, leaders, etc.

Moroni 7:33
"And Christ hath said: If ye will have Faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."

I can see that I have much to do to strengthen my faith. But the blessings the Lord has given us here in Sioux Falls have helped me. We have had angels in the form of family and friends be there for us. We have been led to make choices to lead our family and our personal actions. And God has magnified those efforts. I am eternally grateful. Prophets and apostles, and even leaders, continue to teach us of what we must do in our families to be happy, prepared for trials, and to come unto Christ. As we have followed those words from the Lord's leaders we have been blessed.

I desire to lay hold on every good thing. And so tomorrow comes and I am grateful to have another day to work on it!

It was a great week of celebration and gratitude!
More to come in life. Glad we lived while we were students and just didn't wait for it to come to an end. That has been a great blessing as well. Now the next chapter begins!
Loves,
Malinda :)