A Grateful Heart For Dear Friends ~

November always seems to be a good month to count our blessings. I know that I have numerous blessings that I am so grateful for. During this month I will be sharing a few posts from  my grateful heart.
One of the things that I have always had deep appreciation for is friends. We have lived in three different states and nine cities. Wherever we have lived we have left behind some very wonderful friendships. Many of our friends are people we will communicate with and see on at least a limited basis. Some of those friends I feel are eternal friends. Perhaps we even knew each other in the Pre-existence and promised to find each other in this life. I have had those strong feelings with various friends. It's a connection that it hard to explain. I have bonded with them quickly and even though we don't communicate often; when we do it is as if we had never been a part. I didn't have that the blessing of a sister; so in many ways they have fulfilled that desire. I treasure the relationships that I have with my dearest friends. Three of these friends are Toni, Barbara and Tammy. Two live in Washington and the other here. I at least get to see Toni on a more regular basis. I can tell these three sisters anything and they will still love me for who I am.
There have been a few experiences where I have ran into a lost friend that I haven't seen for years. I have had a couple of those moments. I was at the temple one day doing some temple work and I could hear the voice of another sister and I knew who it was. She was a very choice friend and when we were through with our work; we just hug one another with tears of gratefulness to have been able to see each other again. Over the last couple of years I have found two friends on facebook that I knew 30 years ago while living in California. It has been so much fun to get updates on their lives.
I am still searching for one other friend that I haven't see for many years.  We moved back to Utah 6 years ago and I have reconnected with one friend from Nursing school and several friends from High School. Two of my High School friends I found in the temple. At a High school reunions,I have reconnected with high school friends. We try to go to lunch together at least quarterly. What I can say about these friends is that they are forever friends. It is so fun to be with them at a lunch and we have so much to share and talk about. We are a good support group for each other.
Always I have found great friends through the years in the wards I have belonged too. I have some very deep and sweet relationships with many of these friends.
I have a very unique group of friends that I have made on the Internet through blogging. This has been so sweet for me. As I have developed this blog; I have gained many friendships with the ladies that I follow. Just recently I had the wonderful opportunity to go to lunch with one of my blogger friends. I am going to share with you how we met through blogging and how we came to meet one another in person. 
When I first started to blog. I had a very dear friend who is also my Daughter in Laws mother.

LeAnn and Barbara

 I started following Barb's Blog and noticed a few of her blog followers and decided to read their blogs. Two that I loved are Marmee's Pantry  and The Farmer's Daughter. Then I found Marie at A Year At Oak Cottage. One day she asked  her friends to pray for a very dear lady named Lura who had just been in a bad accident and was critically injured. At the time Lura had a  blog called Grammy's News . Her daughter was keeping her followers  advised as to her condition. For some reason I just felt like I wanted to get to know her. As she got better and returned home we started to follow each others blogs. She is such an inspiration to me.

Lura and I at lunch

 She had such faith while going through the accident. After a few months she was feeling somewhat better when she had another frightful diagnosis that required surgery. I was praying for her and was so happy no cancer was found. It was so scary for her. In October her husband brought her back to Utah to visit her children and we connected for lunch. To me she is a forever friend and it was like we knew each other before and we bonded quickly. Recently in her blog she told about her accident and her testimony of her recovery through her deep faith; be sure and read that one.  
There are a number of other blogger that I love and care about and have enjoyed getting to know them through their blogs. I have learned so much from so many bloggers. I love reading their testimonies of our Savior Jesus Christ. These woman share their souls and  my own testimony of faith and of the Savior has increased. Most of all I have grown to love them all. I love to read about their day, their trials, triumphs and joys. I love learning about their families, jobs and activities. So I just want all of my friends and blogging friends to know that I love you all very much. Thanks you for all of your sweet comments on my posts. Thank you for sharing your heart on your own blogs. Thanks for lifting my soul, inspiring me and helping me to grow. Thanks you for sharing your testimony, thoughts, poetry and just life experiences. You have blessed my life in so many ways.
Blessings to you all and know that you are greatly loved by me.
Here are just a few of the blogs that I follow and I will add more to this list each week this month for those of you who might want to look in on their blogs.
Sue's New's and Views - You must visit her blog. She is a fantastic writer and has written books and I love her poetry.
Just Rambling -  Like quilting and other fun projects visit her site.
Singing Granny - Paints and does photography; but mostly I admire her for going back to school.
The More The Merrier -This is a favorite of mine. I love reading her life experiences with her sweet family. For the next several days she is having guests who are writing about Faith - Join in on this one.
Grandma Robbin's Nest - Grandma Robbins is in her early 80's and I love her wisdom and everyday experiences. She is way fun!
Ok, next week I will share some more.