Counting Blessings

I have spent a lot of time lately thinking of all the innumerable ways that I am blessed every day. I am so grateful for an amazing husband who shows my every day in so many ways, both big and small his love for me. I am grateful for kids whose smiles light up the world, whose laughs echo throughout my day, whose hugs and kisses warm me head to toe!! I am grateful to have front row seats to watch their amazing lives unfold!!! I always knew that I would love my kids but I never knew just how much!! It amazes me how many times and in how many I am reminded that they are gifts!!! I am so grateful to have so much family near by!!! I have absolutely no idea how people do it living far from family!! I kind of feel sorry for people without extended family!! I am honestly a little jealous of my kids because I didn't get to know my grandparents very well. My kids get to see their grandparents often and it is amazing and wonderful for me to see the love between the kids and their grandparents!!!!!

I am grateful for my ward family and for all the love, service, support, and friendship I receive from them!!! Again, I don't know what I would do without them!! I am grateful to know that I am a daughter of God!! That knowledge affects my life every day!! I have so much to improve on but I know that regardless He loves me!! I also love knowing that He loves my husband, my kids, my extended family, and everyone else I encounter! I am grateful to know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and brother and to know that He too loves us. Having family leave this Earth life is an incredibly hard thing to go through. Working with Hospice, I often see that heartache and those tears but I know with all my heart that those families can live together with our Heavenly Father. I love my life here on Earth and I want it to be as long as it possibly can be, but I also know that when it ends, there is an amazing eternity waiting for me.

I am grateful for the people who help to teach my kids, in school, in church, and in life. I am grateful that I have the things I have. I am so blessed to not have to have needs unfulfilled. Jay works so hard for this family and I feel honored to be able to help save the money he makes and spend it wisely. I don't think of couponing and budgeting and menu planning as a hobby or an extra thing, I think it is an essential aspect of my job as a wife and mother. There is a thrill to getting a good deal but it is more than that, it is the satisfaction in knowing that I did my part in making the money Jay works so hard to earn stretch as far as possible for the family.

I have so many things in life that I want to do better with, things I want to improve on but it gets depressing to only think about the things that need work. I find that when I focus on my blessings and the things I feel grateful for, I want to do better because of that. I want to give more service because I have felt the amazing feeling of service being given to me, I want to spend more time because I love the time that is given to me, I want to be a better person because of the people I am blessed to know.

I am grateful for all of you, for your patience in reading my ramblings, which are almost as numerous as my blessings!!!

My cup runneth over!!!