Keeping up with the Jones's

I have pondered over this topic for a few days. I wondered if I should even say anything considering it 'might' offend someone. I do a lot of things, or rather, I don't do a lot of things to avoid offending someone. It is not my intention to offend. If it was, you'd know.

Everyone has had a "keeping up with the Jones's" moment in their life. (I know you have!) Someone always has something better: a bigger/cleaner/nicer/better located/etc house, newer cars, better kids, better spouse, better finances, better job, better weather, better vacations, better life, etc. You get the point.

This weekend I attended a wedding for one of my friends from high school. During the reception Adam said "when I get married...blah blah blah" and continued to express things he would do the same or differently. Funny...ha.ha.ha. Adam is NOT getting remarried unless I am dead. =) But really, we laughed and joked. There were a few things said in the wedding and then, not talking about marriage but were again said, in our lessons at church the following day. I remember back when Adam and I were getting married we were asked to think about what marriage is to each of us. I remember saying "marriage is learning to love an imperfect person, perfectly." I know I heard that somewhere, but it stuck with me. I think we can apply that to all people though, we can love all imperfect people, perfectly. If we are capable of doing so, we are loving people the way God loves each one of us.

We have had our trials. We have had our ups and our downs. Some of our imperfections have come out at different times and we have had to learn how to love through those imperfections. I know our trials are not over, and we will have many many more. I know that several of our trials have brought us closer to each other and we have learned to rely on each other more than we did before. That is life.

Anyhow, after this weekend I felt like the Jones's. I felt happy with my life. Not just happy, but so thankful for my life. I really cannot think of a word to describe how I truly feel. It's like I understand my life better now. I have never been in love with my house, but I do like it. I love my husband so much. He really is the best husband (for me). I love my son and am so happy to be his mother. I feel like I learn just as much from him if not more than what he learns from me. I have good friends. I live in a good, safe town. I get to be a SAHM and I LOVE IT. There are tons of things we can do and relatively close...for free! My little family is close and often express our love to each other. I love hearing the 20 times a day "Mommy, I love you too much." I love that my husband kisses me bye each morning and hello each evening. I love that we sit at the table for dinner together and most of the time we even have breakfast together. I love that I don't feel like I have to hide things from my husband and vice versa. I love that we can truly talk about anything. I love that my family shares spiritual experiences and feelings with me. I love that my husband and I are on the same page about parenting and religion. There are so many other things that I love and wouldn't change for the world. I know that I have this peace and love because it is give to me by our Father in Heaven.

On our way to the town where the wedding was, we saw the Kansas City Temple. It's still under construction, but absolutely beautiful. I have had wonderful experiences at the temple and know the importance of them on this earth. I also know of the trials the early Saints had to go through living in the area where the temple is located now. When we saw the temple, I had overwhelming and conflicting feelings. Not good versus bad, but extreme happiness and sadness. My breath was taken away from me. To me, the temple is so much more than a building. I am so happy for us today to have that temple, and so sad the early Saints did not have it. Maybe that is why I feel the way I do. I am so thankful for the many blessings in my life and feel like the 'richest' person in the world.