Went to post last night and couldn't get on the internet. Such is life in the islands. Sunday was a busy day for us. Members of the Mission Presidency were here and Rick has been called as the Elder's Quorum President for the St. Croix Branch, it will be challenging but he is ready to get to work. We had a nice meal at the Branch after meetings but by the time we got home I was absolutely melted. Took a nice Sunday nap and we spent a quiet evening together.

We had a busy Monday, We are "legal" here in the VI. Went and had our car titled in our name, inspected and registered. Also, got our VI Drivers Licenses. Everyone prepared us for a long wait at the BMV(Bureau of Motor Vehicles instead of DMV for Department of Motor Vehicles, as it is in the states) and it really wasn't so bad. They are very careful here that you are who you say you are(always worried about identity theft) and they make sure you have a valid drivers license and insurance before they will register or title a car for you. Isn't that a novel idea. You have to produce your "documents", passport, previous drivers license, etc, etc. There is no messing around here, you have to be a legal citizen, you have to have a valid drivers license(if you want to drive or even own a vehicle) and you have to have insurance. Now how hard is this. All this fuss about Arizona, illegal aliens and documentation, it's really not such a big deal. If you are legal and on the up and up, what's the big problem. If you are a criminal well then you have a problem, but why should it be mine or the state in which I might reside. Wake up people, this is a problem that needs fixing. You don't need no more criminals coming into the US. Personally, I don't have a problem with people who want to immigrate to the US, but do it right, and make an effort to learn the language of the country.

Enough of that soap box stuff. Rick also started work today. Boy did that feel good, to both of us. He is excited about this job and I think it will be good for him and our future. Of course, because this is a limited contract he keeps looking, but for now we are content to do a good job for these people.

Really got me back to thinking about gratitude and just how much I have to be grateful for. We both met with and were interviewed by the members of the Mission Presidency on Saturday and Sunday and I was struck by the genuine concern they have for the people of St. Croix. It's that love and concern that makes you want to really do your very best at whatever they ask you to do. It makes you want to have and show that same love and concern for the people you are responsible for. It makes me grateful to have people for whom I am responsible.

I have felt a lot of gratitude for my family lately. My parents who are no longer here with us, but who really gave me such a good foundation. They gave me freedom and some of the eagerness for adventure that has led us here to St. Croix. I'm grateful for my children and especially my grandchildren and the unconditional love they shower upon us. I'm grateful for extended family and our ancestors who made some difficult choices that took them far from the familiar but again placed us in a position to find our way to each other and the Gospel and a happiness that I can't explain. And finally I am grateful for so many friends scattered all over the country who pray for us, encourage us and just in general support us in so many ways. I'm also grateful for those family and friends who keep up with me via email and Facebook. I have a friend who asks the most provocative questions on Facebook, things like what is your pet peeve and what are your excited about. I am really grateful to her for making me think about those things.

Well Rick and I are going to have Family Home Evening and enjoy each others company, so I had better close tonight. Just want to say that I hope any of you who are reading this can think about what your are grateful for and try to add to that list daily. Oh and keep praying!