Ten Things I am Thankful For ...

#1. Tracy ... who asked me to marry him almost 25 years ago.

#2. Trevor ... whose intellect keeps us on our toes.

#3. Reggie ... whose sense of humor and peace-making abilities soothes the rough edges.

#4. Katie ... whose honesty and lack of guile compliment her outward beauty.

#5. Colette ... whose radiance and beauty brings out the best in Trevor.

#6. Tayson ... whose innocence reminds us of the Savior's love

#7. Dad ... whose unselfish and non-judgemental love inspires tender memories of Mom

#8. Mom Riley ... whose energy, love-of-life and unselfish caregiving of

Dad Riley inspires us all.

#9 and #10. My sisters, Charisse and Miki ... whose beautiful spirits and smiles remind me to laugh, have joy and take time to love.

Yes, there are many things to be thankful for. These are only ten.

To each of you I express my gratitude and love this Thanksgiving season.

College Fun

Come on, you know that college life isn't all about books, studying, and classes, right? Of course not. Here's some pics from Katie's experience up in the cold country of Idaho and Wyoming. Looks like she's having a ton of fun. Here she is with her roommates and some college buddies on a weekend trip to Wyoming.

Hope in the Future

Aren't these two beautiful faces a summary of what "hope in the future" is all about? A hope in something solid--like eternal families ... not just a hope in passing moments, like, ... well, like who wins elections.

For the last several months, I have hoped beyond all hopes that John McCain would beat Barak Obama. He didn't. So I've spent time thinking about the importance of hope because in spite of the outcome last night there is much to be hopeful about. I woke up this morning, the sky was blue, the sun was shining, I had laundry and dishes to do ... and my heart was at peace. Why? Because my hope in Jesus Christ is stronger than is my hope in who wins a presidential election. I hold tightly to the hope that things will "work together for [our] good." President Uchtdorf refers to is as "the infinite power of hope." I like that--power in hope. He said, "To all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely--never give in. Never surrender. Never allow despair to overcome your spirit. Embrace and rely upon the Hope of Israel, for the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart." I would add ... even in the face of a hard-fought election that ends in defeat.

Why We Love Cougar Football

There just isn't anything better than watching college football on a Saturday afternoon (or really anytime for that matter), especially when our favorite team is playing. Last Saturday's triumphant win over CSU was amazing. Even though the refs did every thing they could do to prevent us from winning, we dug deep and pulled out a giant "W". It didn't help that CSU played the best game of their program's history, either. It is amazing how good we are considering the disadvantage our team faces every year by having such great talent out preaching the gospel as missionaries. Clearly, we are blessed. Although the polls may disagree (the pollsters hate Mormons), we know that BYU has definitely earned a spot in the BCS top 8.