Today is my Birthday

Today is my birthday.  I am 44 years old.  I figure the day of my birth is a good day to start a blog.  I will try to be grateful today for all the things that are right in my life instead of dwelling on the things that are wrong. 

Today I am grateful for my precious children.  I love their smiles, their laughs, their quirky likes and dislikes.  I love how different they all are. I love what different places I am with my kids… one that is trying to make adult decisions for her life, one that is ready to start the adventure of college, one that is an early reader and loves making me pictures with notes on them, and one that is at the very start of her education, kindergarten. My role with my children is very diverse!

Today I am grateful for my parents and brothers.  My family is a joy to be around.  We like each other a whole lot and laughter always abounds when we are together.  I’m so glad I love being with my family.  I’m also grateful that my mom is such a wonderful cook and still loves having our family over for dinners!

Today I am grateful for traditions we have in our family. On our birthday we get to pick our favorite meal (anything!) and my mom will make it! Yum! 

Today I am grateful for the simple things. I love that my youngest still wants to sit in my lap. I love that my 7 year old likes to tell me the “story” of what her Barbies are doing in her play scenario. I love that my big teen boy is still willing to hug me every time he leaves the house for his busy day. I love that my oldest likes to hang out and watch tv shows with me.

Today I am grateful for my friends. I have such great friends!  They are so supportive.  As I try new things they are so encouraging. They have helped me so much through hard times!  I am so grateful that I have wonderful friends who want to spend time hanging out with ME.

Today I am grateful that I get to decide how to support myself and my children. I get to choose how to use my minutes and where to spend my days. I am grateful that things don’t have to look “normal.”

Today I am grateful that I can run.

Today I am grateful that God put the desire to create in my heart.

Today I am grateful that I have never known hunger even in the times I have felt I was “struggling.” I am grateful that my family has always had everything they needed.

Today I am grateful for the hard times I have survived. I am grateful for the lessons I learned in those times and the trust in God that developed through surviving those times.

I am one blessed 44 year old.