Counting My Blessings

It’s 3:30 AM and everyone is awake in my house. The Mister is carrying his bags to the car for yet another trip to the East Coast, just two more trips in the next 11 days until we go on vacation. Happy is sad his Daddy is leaving … again. Sweet is up and her bed is wet … again. She’s crying for me to sleep with her and as much as I would love to oblige her, I can’t because Little is miserable with a high fever. He’s worse than I have seen him in quite some time and it pains me to see him like this.

It’s the start of another week as a single parent. Today, I will do something I don’t normally do. I will admit, I am overwhelmed. I’m short on sleep and full of regret for how we spent our last day together as a family. An ugly end to a beautiful weekend. And sure, I went to bed with my stomach in knots, I worried way more than I should about things I can not control and as I lay here in bed with my three children longing for their Father … I decide to take another path.

Instead of concentrating on all the weight I feel on my shoulders, the things that aren’t getting done or the areas where I feel like I am failing. Not to mention the fact that Sweet has just wet MY bed as she lay her beside me (I really hate when that happens), I choose to focus on all the blessings that were bestowed on me this weekend. The good times that certainly outweighed the bad even though it doesn’t seem like it at the moment. I lie in the center of my bed, 17. smothered in children, melting from heat and I am happy knowing God has blessed me far beyond what I ever thought possible.

I start to remember the weekend as best I can as they drift off to sleep in my arms.

18. Making Drip Castles on the beach

19. The Butterfly Costume we picked up for $2.50 that brought so much happiness into our home the last few days
20. Web Cams – The ability to “see” family face to face and tell them that we love them
21. The look on Little’s face when he was reunited with his first love, Aunt Megan brings tears to my eyes. I have never seen him so happy
22. My own two feet. Sometimes we all need to just get away however so briefly and I am proud to know my feet can carry me away swiftly while I get my thoughts in order and then get me home in a hurry to be with the ones I love. I never thought running would be “my thing”, but nothing brings me greater peace.
23. The rain and its power to wash my blues away and cool me off during my run (not to mention what it’s doing for my wilted flowers)
24. The effect a can of blue paint can have on a few toddlers and what a transformation it has on an old wooden bed
25. A friend I admire who unknowingly gives me strength (until now)
26. A sister who gives me no leniency and kicks my butt into gear on a weekly basis
27. And even Twitter where I can get comfort from “friends” at any hour not to mention great ideas on what to feed my family in an instant. I may never have trouble meal planning again! (You can find me here)

I let my gratitude study fall by the wayside as life has gotten away from me. I see now that it is a powerful tool for me to find my strength and a place that I can turn for comfort and solace when I feel all alone. My updates will be more frequent now. And we’ll all be better for it.

So glad this post happened on a Tuesday so I could share it with all the fabulous ladies over at Chatting at the Sky.