Blessings

I am very thankful for this time of year. I love Christmas time and the spirit it brings.
This is kind of like Livie's first Christmas...last year we had just gotten home from the hospital and she wasn't able to do much, she couldn't see and her brain still wasn't working, and the year before that she was too little to really understand what was going on.
So this year has been a lot of fun watching her get excited for Santa to come and teaching her the real reason we celebrate Christmas- Christ's birth.

I am sooooo thankful that Livie is here to celebrate this Christmas with us. I am thankful for all the progress she has made in just a year. She's been through a lot this past year and Livie has grown up so much.
It has been a very hard year for Livie and me.
I have been faced with circumstances that I never, ever imagined I would be faced with. And because of it I've had to make some very hard decisions.
Even though its been a crazy year, I feel like I have grown so much and learned a lot. Without the bad you can't experience the good and I have been very blessed to experience the good. Alyvia really is my biggest blessing. Because of everything we've gone though I feel like we have a very close, special bond. She has an amazing spirit I'm so grateful Heavenly Father chose me to be her mother.

I am also thankful for all the love and support we have gotten from everyone this past year. THANK YOU.

I try to stay positive, but sometimes I feel a little frustrated and down with some of the things that have happened, so then I count my blessings and realize that I really am very blessed. I wanted to list some of my blessings:

10. Family. I have an awesome, loving family. Including both my mom's and my dad's side.

9. My brother, Logan, who is serving a mission right now.

8. My friends. I have some really great friends, especially from my old ward out in Groveland, they are amazing people.

7. The scriptures. They contain so much history and really are the word of God.

6. The power of prayer.

5. Modern technology

4. I know I already said family, but... my parents. I am close with both my mom and dad. I'm thankful for all they've taught me. They are both incredible people.

3. My testimony. It has definitely been tested this past year, but has really grown as I've depended on it.

2. My sweet Livie bug! She is my greatest joy.

1. Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I hope that everyone has a MeRry ChRistMas!!! And here's to the new year, may it bring us all good health and happiness!!


.....................................................................................

This last weekend we had a Christmas party (a private party at Rumbi's grill, it turned out really cool) with my mom's side of the family. We don't see each other a lot so it was fun seeing everyone. And I could never find Livie because she was always off playing with one of the cousins. Which she used to never do, she used to always be glued to my side, so it was nice seeing her playing with the kids :)



Goofy family picture

Phillips family, minus Jojo...Ashley...oh and Logan too. haha, we're looking kind of small!