Blessings

I have been joking lately that the past decade was a 'little rough', but that the last nine months have nearly made up for it.  It's not like we didn't have a whole lot of amazing, awesome things happen in the last ten years, because we did...children and new friendships and a cross-country trip, but lately it feels like things- all of those pieces are finally coming together. For as little sleep as I've had in the past few months, I feel more forward momentum again. My kids are so in-sync at school, and they are each developing into such beautiful people. My husband is happy, which always make my life happier. He loves the people he works with, and he's got plans to build tree houses. And I got an ice machine for Christmas.

That ice machine is so completely unnecessary that when I opened the box from my husband,  I cried. It is just something I want, and he gave it to me just so I could be happy. We don't need it. It doesn't fix anything that's broken. It's not for the kids (though they like it too). It's for me. I like ice. I hate ice trays and I have always wanted an ice machine. The little automatic refrigerator one won't work without a $40,000 reconfiguration for the kitchen, so Descartes found one that fits into the window box behind the sink and voila: refreshing beverages.

I'm not that pleased that it was a material good that tipped me into the "feeling blessed" category, but I know that it did, and once you tumble over that line, it becomes so clear all the good that you have. I've always tried to be a thankful person, but perhaps it was just a little bit easier for me to see how my cup runneth over... once I put ice in it. And I am so thankful for all that I have, and all I have been able to do.

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I have met so many amazing people this year, and learned so much. Thank you to all of our wonderful family and friends for warming our life.. and for understanding that our Holiday greetings just turned into a New Years card.