For Better or For Worse

Blogger hates me.

I have typed up this post THREE times.

Kara and I used to joke around that we wouldn’t be the people that go around talking about how “blessed” we were. Isn’t it funny how things work out? I catch both of us saying it all of the time.

Last night I was talking to my friend/neighbor/R.S. counselor on the phone about one of the ladies that I visit teach and we were discussing ways to help her. When you talk about trials, this woman has them in droves. She has a little boy that is a year older than M. He was born with cerebral palsy. She already had a little girl about two years older than him. This woman has been her family’s rock. She takes her little girl to all of her activities, she takes her little boy to all of his physical therapy appointments, doctor appointments and everywhere else he needs to go, she would lift and push his quickly growing body everywhere. About four years ago, her little boy started having seizures. They were almost nightly for some time. The doctor’s have tried countless medications and just when they think they have them under control, they start all over again. He is on monitors at night that will go off if his breathing starts to change. During this time, his dad was going to school to finish his education because the company he worked for closed and he needed to develop a new skill set.

Right before this last Christmas, this woman started to feel short of breath all of the time. Finally, she went into the doctor. She was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy. Her heart was failing her. She has since had a defibulator and a pace maker installed. She is weak and tired all of the time. She can no longer take care of her family the way she so desperately wants to. She is heading downhill quickly.

When I get to feeling sorry for myself or overwhelmed I just have to think about her and her family. I would never trade my trials for what she and her husband and kids have all been through. I don’t remember that often enough.

I am making a list of all of the blessings that I have in my life. I have a gratitude journal that I keep. I am not doing so well at writing in it so I am taking it out into the blogosphere.

Today I get weepy when I think about:

-Itybtyfrog. The best friend a girl could hope for. She is smart, beautiful and talented. She is a wonderful mom and she is raising three fantastic girls that you can already see developing into wonderful people. She has been with me through thick and thin. She is the most loyal person one could hope to meet. I could never go without her…She knows too much! 

-My husband. He is good to me, he spoils me rotten. On my birthday, he even made a cake for me the night before when I was sleeping. Gotta LOVE that!!!

-My home. I love my house. I love the feeling that it has when I walk into it. It is priceless. I feel safe here. The three people that mean the most to me are here when I come home.

-My kids. They are great. They get along extremely well rarely is a cross word spoken between them. M is serious and thoughtful and kind. She is a great help to me. T is happy and always has something to do. She is finally out of her mischievous stage and she is just fun. This morning T came and asked me for some strawberry milk. I made her a cup and she burst into tears. I asked her what was wrong. She said “M needs one too!” They are just like that. I really am lucky with them.

-My mom. She is the best example to me of what a woman can be. She has reinvented herself many times. She does what her heart desires and she follows her dreams. She taught me what it means to take care of myself and she taught me that I am not invisible in my life. I will always appreciate that.

There you have it. Every Friday I am going to make my personal appreciation day. Even if it is something as simple as a bleach pen, I am going to list it. I think it will help me become more optimistic. I think it will make my heart happy.