Counting My Blessings

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Yesterday pretty much sucked. I think the emotional roller coaster that I felt was just because of the change of "season". The new schools, new moms to meet....new stuff bothers me. I like it much better living in my own little bubble. I know it sounds pretty funny, because if you know me, you are probably shaking your head right now in disagreement. BUT REALLY PEOPLE.....I am a HUGE chicken for new things.

BUT....

THAT WAS YESTERDAY. It is amazing how much things can change in one day. I woke up this morning and I had little reminders about how wonderful things really are! For as much chaos as we have in our day to day life, we are so blessed. I am so blessed. I thought I would share some of my blessings with you.

1. I am blessed to be married to my VERY best friend. We have been married for 10 amazing, wonderful and exciting years. He is a wonderful friend, husband and father. I think back to when we were dating and I can easily see how much we have grown....together. We are two of the same. It really is wonderful. I'm not crazy, we have our moments also....you know the ones I am talking about. The little fights that happen for trivial stuff. The ones that seem like big deals in the moment, but you probably won't remember them in a month. That is NORMAL....but, in the big picture....I am so very blessed to be married to one of the greatest men I have ever had the pleasure to know. He is my husband and best friend.

2. I am blessed to have a brilliant, beautiful and amazing daughter. My little "L" is magnificent. She is kind and understanding. She is patient and persistent. She is smart and beautiful. SHE IS DANGEROUS...LOL. That was the mom in me coming out. I watched her walk up to me the other day, in her casual, no big deal fashion, from across the school yard and I had this weird out of body experience. I looked at her and thought "look at that beauty, wow! When did she get so big?" She has a wisdom about her that amazes me and the time that we spend together is so remarkable. I look into her eyes and feel her passion for life. I listen to her speak and hear her humor and wisdom. I watch her help others when they struggle. I watch her help her sister learn how to play "hide-n-seek" in the cabinets. She is AMAZING and I am so grateful to have her as my daughter. I can not wait to see what life brings her.

3. I am blessed to have the very special and amazing gift from GOD Miss. "M". I watch her bring peace and happiness to EVERY person she meets. I watch her triumph over little challenges that she is faced with daily, but never complain about any of it. I think she is a beacon of light. She is wise and has taught me patience in a way that can not be described. She has taught me not to care about what others may think....it doesn't matter. I look at her and wonder why I was chosen to be the mother of someone so special. SHE is brave and daring, beautiful and modest, kind and patient, determined and happy......I feel honored to be part of her life path.

I AM BLESSED......

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.

~Erma Bombeck