So Very...

I want to say thank you to Marilyn (again, I apologize that I can't turn her name into a link, I have no idea why my computer won't let me. Just know that from now on whenever I have not turned a fellow blogger's name into a link, it's not for lack of trying.) for asking us to list what we love about this stage in our lives. It's hard enough coming up with daily blog ideas, even harder when a solemn fog has settled over things right now and it's hard to be light and silly.

It feels so very ironic to be listing the things I love about my life right now when I've been having such a hard time, but that usually means it's exactly what I need to do. So here it is:

• I love that I can sleep in again and sleep through the whole night (usually).


• I love that for a few hours each day I only have one child at home and a few hours a week I have none.


• I love that Payson is at that age that he wants to cuddle with me all the time and comes up to give me random kisses constantly.


• I love that Macy is starting to ponder life and ask questions that absolutely amaze me.


• I love that my life is still pretty simple, not to the point where we have crazy schedules with four people needing to be four places at once...all week long.


• I love that this was the time Heavenly Father chose to teach me a lesson, to do what He knew He had to to get me to start doing what I needed to be doing. I love that He cared that much. I love the way it feels to finally be doing it.


• I love that we don't have a lot of money, but we always seem to have enough to not be completely deprived of the little things that make life fun.


• I love that for the first time in years and years I have friends outside of family that like me even though they don't have to.


• I love that I'm at a point where I am learning what matters and what doesn't and trying to stay true to that.


• I love that we still have the most fun just the four of us. I dread the time when my kids will only want to go on family trips if a friend can come, and won't think being with mom and dad is the coolest thing ever.


• I love that I'm still young enough that it's okay that there's so much I don't know, that people have to understand I am going to make mistakes and I don't pretend for a minute that there isn't SOOOO much I have to learn still.

Okay, it wasn't as hard as I thought, but it did require some serious brainstorming. I love how Marilyn wrote that every stage in life has its blessings and its trials. It is so true. This is a fascinating time for me in that I feel so very blessed and yet it has been an unbelievably trying time for me. Thank you again Marilyn, for giving me the opportunity to focus on the blessings.