Blessed . . .

I am pretty blessed. I need to remind myself of that today. How you ask? Let me tell you (and more importantly remind myself) . . .
Harrison has a fabulous sense of humor. I love that he can find just about anything funny. He loves to see people laugh and he likes to be the one to put a smile on your face. He is brilliant and never ceases to amaze me with his intuitiveness. He is my snuggly child and I love the way he melts into me in the mornings as he struggles to wake up.
McCartney is very loving and loves me tons. (and reminds me several thousand times a day) She is kind and thoughtful, thinking of other people most of the time. She loves to shop and loves to find a bargain just like her mommy and Nonnie. She loves to write letters to people she loves and she makes sure that people feel special to her. She is my velcro child and I don't know what I would do without her stuck to me the vast majority of the day.
Dustin is very helpful around the house. He will do anything he is asked to do if he feels like he is being helpful. He likes to feel necessary. He is kind hearted and loving. He wants people to like him and he is polite and has really good manners. He has developed a sense of humor and uses sarcasm well. He loves to please and will do so as long as his impulses don't get the best of him (or thinks you are not looking).
Robert is a wonderful daddy. He is kind to the children and very forgiving of their faults. He is patient and listens to them no matter how long the story. He "gets" Dustin and his issues and doesn't let it get to him (or if he does he knows when to "tag" me). He is well aware of his own limitations and makes certain he is not in over his head. He puts up with all my OCD issues and will help with all my crazy projects when he is needed. He has learned that when something gets in my head, much like a freight train, there is no stopping it and has come to embrace it. (for the most part *wink*) He revels in his children and their desire for knowledge and fun.

Nonnie (my mom) is my best friend. No matter how much we butt heads, she loves me no matter what. She understands that I am a MICROWAVE and she is a CROCKPOT and humors my need for fast resolution when she can and helps me work through it when there is no quick fix. She loves me no matter how crazy I can get and she understands that sometimes I just get nuts and need have a good cry or a crazy vent and then it is better. I love to watch her with my kids and see the pure joy on her face as she loves on them. She is giving and kind and I hope that I make her proud in everything I do.
My Step-dad is an amazing man. He understands my kids and all their various issues. He is the kind of man who sticks by family til the end. He has welcomed my brother and I (and my family) into his own family as if we were his own. He loves us and prays for us and I know he will always be there for us. He is kind and gentle and loving. He is an amazing man and a wonderful husband to my mother (no matter how crazy she is at times, she is my mother after all *wink*)

I have a job that I love. I have a bit of flexibility which is important in a family like mine and I am blessed to work in an environment that celebrates the importance of family. I get to touch the lives of children and their families every day. They put their trust in us to care for their children when they are away and that is pretty important. The fact that we get to share the gospel with them and be an example of Jesus' love is icing on the cake.

Sometimes it helps to remember how very blessed you are. I have a rotten headache and am in a really bad mood today. . . this helps more than ibuprofen. Give it a try, I bet you will smile.