Life's "Hidden" Blessings

This post has been swirling around in my head for about a week now.  We have had some crazy weather this winter and most recently got 16 + inches of snow dumped on us in a short amount of time.  It was nice having everyone home and "snowed" in together but by the next day we were all a little stir crazy and had some severe cabin fever.  I have seen a lot of Facebook posts begging for winter to end and spring to hurry up and get here.  I have even read a blog or two where people are begging for better weather, schools to be open and the stomach bug to go away!!!

So, I am here to remind you that all of these things are just life's "hidden" blessings.  How is this?  In the time I have read all the posts about the bad weather and stomach bugs, I have also read blogs and postings about the following:  children fighting cancer, a car accident where a pregnant mother is fighting for her life,  a young mother killed while out for her morning jog, and numerous young children fighting rare illnesses or dealing with profound disabilities that can make any mother "crazy".  This, my friends, is a reminder. 

A reminder that when your kids are running around pulling the blinds, stealing the remotes, vomiting all over the floor, fighting, crying, yelling, throwing food, singing, laughing, loving and so much more, that you are blessed. You are blessed by these moments in your life. These moments mean your children are home with you, not sick in a hospital.  That you are with your kids, here in this moment to watch it all unfold.  Every time you get that need to scream at your kids (I am the first to admit, I do and I have) try to take a step back and appreciate that moment.  It is time you will never get back.

I am the first to admit I often complain and jump at my kids when were are snowed in and tired of being stuck in the house. I even wished the stomach bug away in January when it was just moving from one of us to the other.  However, when I sit down and start reading the daily struggles that others (many of whom I have never met) are dealing with, I feel guilty.  Guilty that I even complained about the stomach bug, or that my one year old daughter is terrorizing the house, and her brothers.  I am guilty.  But today I took a moment, that moment, to stop and thank God for the "hidden" blessings in my life.  Did you?

Change

As people often say "there is only one constant in life-change". Very true, things will always change.  It doesn't mean that it always gets better, but it does change.  So, what has changed since my last blog two years ago?  A LOT.....

I took a bit of a hiatus in an effort to focus on a few things we really wanted to get in order.  The first one was where to live.  We needed a support system to help us and knew living a little closer to family could help.  It also meant changing school systems (only one county over) but it was still a change.  With that came finding a house! We felt packed in our current home, and even though we knew we were beyond blessed to have the roof over our head, we did begin a search for a bigger home.  Lastly, our title...we are no longer a family of four but a family of five.  Nothing like changing things up by having just one more bundle of joy!!!

It will be two years ago this March that we moved into our dream home.  We were lucky enough to get a good deal on it but unfortunately that meant renting our current home.  Things went smoothly and two years later we are more than settled.  We have friends and family close by including my mother who moved just seven doors down.  You got it, seven glorious doors!!!! And I wouldn't change it for anything! Our old house is still being rented and we are scraping by till the economy gets good enough to sell it or refinance.

Along with that move came the change of a school system.  As I mentioned, change is not always good-but it's change.  We needed it more than ever and looking back it was by far one of the best choices we ever made.  While things have most certainly not been perfect, there definitely has been improvement.  Progress is always good, no matter how small the step.  And, with every step forward are a few steps back.  What I keep telling myself is that it's progress and each year progress is made.  I will post more on Trenton's progress in the near future.

Lucas also started kindergarten this year!! WOW, where has the time gone????

The boys! Age 13 and 5!*

Lastly, an addition to our family!  Shortly after we moved we found out we were pregnant! Both excited and nervous we decided to find out the sex of the baby (we didn't find out with Lucas).  I had thrown out most of my baby items and what I did have was mostly boy stuff-for obvious reasons.  Well much to MY surprise, we were having a girl.  So on January 15, 2013 God blessed us with our sweet baby girl-and yes her name starts with a J!!! (For any of you that are new to my blog you will have to go back in the archives to read about all the J's since you can tell T and L aren't J names).

9 Months Old*

So here we are! February of 2014 and I am ready to start blogging again.  My sister often requests and I just haven't had the time (can't imagine why). I think I can manage every now and then and I feel we have grown as a family (in more ways than one).  I read through some of the old comments and realized people actually read my blog.  I also realized that people continued to stumble across it or at least visit it every so often.  So, why not? What does it hurt to throw yourself out there and ask for advice from others?

I hope you join me on my adventure as our team of 5 continues through this crazy life!


*Photo Credit: Clover creek photography.  Amazing photographer in our area.  I highly recommend!! Visit her page at http://www.clovercreekphotography.com/