“Patriotism is easy to understand in America; it means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country.”  – Calvin Coolidge

“Patriotism is is our obligation to those who have gone before us, to those who follow us, and to those who have died for us.” – George W. Bush

“No matter the nationality, no matter the religion, no matter the ethnic background, America brings out the best in people.” – Arnold Schwarenegger

“The strength of America is her people. You. Me. Us. Our hopes. Our dreams. Our ambitions-and most important, our goodness” – J.C. Watts

“We are Americans first, Americans last, Americans always.” – John McCain

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When I embarked on this journey to surgically correct my Crohn’s disease, I was apprehensive but felt good about the procedure. The procedure didn’t go as planned, but I was still positive and knew it would be a longer road.  Now I am in the hospital almost two weeks and am trying very hard to find a light at the end of the tunnel. I know the light is there and I will be able to feel the sun on my face and not just look at the window at it.  It is tough to be hear for so long when I expected to be here a week.  My target date to go home has come and gone and now I am back to square one. I was eating a full liquid diet, but know am back to just total nutrition and ice chips.  I try not to eat a lot of ice chips because then I have to go to the bathroom a lot which is an ordeal.  I have an abscess which then I had to get a drainage tube placed.  Not fun at all.  I just want to go home.  I cried today really hard after seeing my family.  It is so hard to see  the boys and not be able to really hug them.  I get stressed when I am around them especially now that I have a drainage tube.  I just have to get through this and know I can.  I need a  lot of prayers.  I try to keep my own prayers up and try very hard to keep my own spirits up.

The first day on my journey to a better relationship with Christ led me to ask what fills my net? The biggest things that fill my net are my family and at the present moment my health problems.  These two things can really weigh me down.  I love my family and I love being a mom. However, with my health problems I often times want to just stay in bed and hide from the world.  I often times feel that I don’t make the time to really read my scriptures or make the most of the time I have.  I feel that my net at times feels very heavy, but know that when I do the things I should like make time to read my scriptures and have an honest conversation with my Heavenly Father every day that I will feel closer to Christ.

Mark 1:16-18

John 1:38-39

“If the Government is big enough to give you everything you want, it is big enough to take away everything you have.”

–Gerald Ford (1913 – 2006), U.S. President

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so thankful for this membership. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior.  I am thankful for the Atonement. Sometimes we don’t always do what we are suppose to do or be the people we should be, but we can repent and know that Jesus Christ loves us and cares for us no matter what.  I know that Jospeh Smith was a prophet and that we have a living prophet on the earth today.  I am thankful for the knowledge that families can be together forever.  It is hard to put into words how I feel, but I know I am a happier person because of this knowledge.