Do you believe in miracles?

I do.

Phil is home and doing well. The last few days he has made an incredible turn around and will be able to recooperate at home. Hawkley and London will have their Dad home. I know they have been worried about Phil especially because of Missy's cancer and brain tumor. Lisa is a miracle for all of us. She has kept the Hawkley "side" together.

I know Missy was (and is) a miracle, too. Yes, I would have liked the miracle where she never had to die, but that would be my way, not the Lord's way. I suppose he needed her more than we do. Someday I will understand more fully. I know I witnessed many miracles during her illness, surgeries, and treatments. She shouldn't have survived that initial stroke, but she did, and she blessed hundreds of lives by her example of faith and strength.

All my children are miracles. We have lost more babies than we have had, so I am so grateful for my kids. Lauren, Scott, Caroline, and Margaret. They were sent to me when I was ready. It is my only hope that I can be a good mother for now and forever.

Scott shouldn't have survived his birth because of a critically low platelette count. The doctor said to me, "you're the luckiest person I know". I know it wasn't luck. A blessing given to me and the baby (Scott) by his Dad the day before he was born shows the power of the priesthood. In that blessing, the baby was blessed to "know how to be born safely". I thought at the time that was a really weird thing to say. Now I know better. He was born safely because he knew how.

When Caroline was one year old, the doctors at Primary Children's Hospital thought part of her heart was wrapped around her trachea. It was very serious. Her Daddy gave her a blessing that night. The next day, the only problem they found was a "floppy" trachea. That was something she just needed to outgrow. I really felt at that time that something inside her anatomy had changed. Another miracle.

Margaret is here because of the miracle of prayers by many, many people. I believe in prayer. The members of our ward and family "prayed" Margaret here. I really do believe that. When she was born, a ward member told me, "She is not just your baby. She is the wards baby." She and I survived that horrible pregnancy, and she and I survived that not so good delivery. Thank you for your prayers.

Lauren is a miracle. Her example to her younger siblings has helped guide all of them as they try to navigate through this life. It is a miracle she was led to live where she lived during college. That is where she met Jake - another miracle.

Kenneth is my own personal miracle. How he puts up with me I will never know. He is a good man and I am blessed that he is mine.

I know there are tiny miracles everyday that keep me and my family safe. I know there are miracles that help keep us strong when faced with great challenges. I know the Lord loves us and that in and of itself is a miracle.

All of you who read this blog are miracles. You are friends and family. You are a great source of comfort and support to me.

Thanks for letting me share.

Phil's illness has helped me remember just some of the many miracles I have witnessed. There are many others, but not enough time to write about right now.

At this time of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for miracles in these Latter-Days.