Count Your Blessings

Hello out there, hope you are having a great week so far.  We are starting to unthaw here in Missouri as we hit 35 degrees today!  It's hard to do wood working for our little business with no heat in our shop yet so we have been using up the boards we had on hand for our painting the last three days. 

It's so easy to get wrapped up in life, isn't it?  This hit me today as I was driving to pick up my girls from daycare. This was my thought process as I was driving: I have at least 5 loads of laundry in the hampers, two loads patiently waiting on the couch to be folded or picked out to wear.  I still have my two Christmas tree's up, toys are scattered, my dinning room table is covered with painting supplies....so much so I am going to have to clean it off or eat in the living room tonight.  Which then leads to the ultimate question...what am I going to fix for dinner?  Bills need to be paid, garage needs to be organized.  Taxes...oh taxes for the business needs to be done.  Baths, bedtime stories, will Riley pick out a story that has chapters tonight? Ahh I really don't have time.  Do you see where I am going with this?  I was so wrapped up in what needs to be done and my life being overwhelming I forgot to count my blessings.  Let me try to put a positive spin on this.

Although I have 5 loads of laundry, my family and I still have clean clothes to wear for the week.  If the clothes stay on the couch, I won't have to walk up the stairs 100 times looking for that pair of socks for the girls. The couch is easy access and  a handy clean clothes hamper!  My Christmas trees will still be enjoyed this weekend as we are having one more Christmas at our house with my husband's family , due to our recent loss, it was the first time we could all get back together.  If I don't get my trees down, I can always start a tradition of having the girls make paper hearts and we will use them for Valentines day trees...lol I hope not but a positive way to look at it.  My girls toys are scattered throughout the home.... we have a home to have the toys scattered about.  Our home is warm and cozy tonight and place we can rest. One day my house can be clean but for now we are making memories, about to drive mom crazy memories, but we are making memories.  I am thankful my business is taking off and I have the ability to use my dinning room table as this is where I feel comfortable and can get into my "painting mode".  Dinner, I have food to fill and nourish our bodies.  Bills have to be paid and although this is no fun at least we have jobs and are able to pay our bills each month.  Taxes have to be done, its just a part of life, at least I am alive to do them.  Baths, we all have to have them!  Bedtime stories, this is a way of life for us as we try to read at least 3 to 4 nights a week.  I am thankful my child loves books and wants to spend this time with me.  I have heard over and over again, "Enjoy it while it last."  Sometimes this is hard to imagine missing the hustle and bustle of raising kids but I know the day will come when I will look at a young mother and tell her this very same thing.  My mom always says, "When they are gone and gone for good, it is the loudest sound you will ever hear, nothing, it's quiet."  Although I think to myself this would be wonderful I know how much I also enjoy hearing those little giggles coming from sisters, the word mom in the mornings when Riley and I sneak coffee together and watch a morning cartoon, the sound of my baby saying "Mama" over and over again.  These are blessings I have to count and remember.

You see there is always a way to look at anything in a positive manner.  I struggle with this on a daily basis.  I am trying to become better as most days I am stressed to the max and exhausted from my daily routine BUT I am trying really hard to count my blessings each and every day.  I hope you can take a look at your life and although it is stressful and I am sure exhausting most days, please remember all the positive ways to look at your life and always remember TO COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.

Just another day in the life at RiOak!