1 Year and Tender Mercies

McKay turns 1 tomorrow, and I can hardly believe it has been a year. We, as our little family of 3, have had numerous tender mercies this past year. A leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Elder Bednar, gave a great talk on tender mercies.

He said, "the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are available to all of us and that the Redeemer of Israel is eager to bestow such gifts upon us."

A few tender mercies that I have been thinking about over the past little while:

• My OB for McKay. We were living in Logan at the time, and he strongly encouraged me to induce labor the same day I had some tests done that showed McKay was not responding well in utero. After a few days in the NICU, McKay's pediatrician said to me, "it is amazing that he came when he did because if you had waited even one more day, he could have been much more sick or dead."
• Family-my parents, Kimball's parents, siblings, cousins. We have so many wonderful people in our families! The first two years of our marriage, we had the privilege of living close to some of my aunts/uncles/cousins. Now we live close to Kimball's parents and a few siblings. This is a blessing in our lives.
• Our house. I love it! It has helped me be more positive and adaptable to living in Southern Utah! After renting for a couple years, which really isn't that long in the grand scheme of things, I feel blessed to be in a house.
• McKay. Boy is he happy (most of the time). I just hope all his little siblings will follow in his footsteps and be just as smiley and happy. Some people have been shattering this hope in saying that all my children won't be like that.....ha ha. On a more serious note, it is truly amazing that McKay does not have any neurological problems after finding out that my placenta was not giving him enough nutrients to grow. I find this to be a huge tender mercy!
  
• Friends. I can't even begin to say how grateful I am for friends that have become my second family while Kimball works such long hours.

Thanks to everyone who has made our last year great! We love you, McKay!