Well, this is my first blog (on the computer anyways), and of course it is inspired by my children. They are great kids -- not perfect -- but great. Tyler, Bailey, Trevin and Caden teach me new things every day. Mostly, each night that I see them sleeping, they remind me of the many mistakes I make each day, and of the many things I need to work on. Tonight, I had the opportunity to put them to bed. As is custom I sit with them until Trevin goes to sleep. He has become spoiled with that, but that's how it is. Anyways, I laid next to him gently rubbing his forehead until he was asleep. Usually, after that I'm outta there right away (got things to do for myself), but tonight I decided to give equal treatment to older brother and sister. In no time at all, I had Tyler asleep, too, then Bailey a few minutes after that. As I lay there, I am always inclined to look back on my day and consider my mistakes with them, as well as the good moments of the day -- and those four are responsible for many. After they were all asleep, I headed to Caden's room where Mom was having no luck getting him to sleep, which is unusual. Anyways, I took him in my arms and rocked with him, and he was out about a minute later. I then took some time to just look at him as we rocked. As I did that, I thought about these past several years in which we have struggled with employment. It has been hard and it has been frustrating. Sure we have questioned the Lord and at times even murmured (yes even that). But when you really start to think about it, we have nothing to murmur about. We have never gone without anything we need, and we have been blessed many times over with things we want, but don't necessarily need. Sure, we would like to have a nicer, bigger home, car, "toys" and many other things. However, that isn't what life is about. I look at others I know who have more than we do, or nicer things than we do, or really good jobs, or any of a number of other things that we don't have, but I would never trade with them. Everyone has problems, including many with their children. But one thing I can always be grateful for is our children. No, they are no perfect and they may not be the "best" kids in the world. But, oh are they wonderful. They do so many things well and so many things right. I cannot count the times we have been complimented for our children, and how many more times they have been complimented themselves. So, although we lack a lot of "things" that others have, there is no way we would ever consider ourselves unblessed. And of course there are many other things, which I could list, and which would go on and on; but really they are our greatest blessing and will continue to be, even when things finally turn around for us in the old employment department. Our blessings may not be counted in "things" but there are many that go unseen to the eye that are known by our hearts and our spirits.
