My blessings

Tonight I'm just feeling very grateful, humble and blessed for all that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with.  As I look at my 2 year old pulling out everything in the cupboards, scooping her ice-cream with her hands, dumping her whole plate of food on the floor, laughing and smiling like it's the funnest thing, I want to get mad at her, but her sweet big smile, and hi, just melt my hear.  When I look outside at my 4 year old starting a food fight on the tramp with his brother, and looking at the mess that will take us a long time to clean up, I figure instead of getting mad, I just make them clean it up, then decide its time for a treat night since Cody's not home.  I still feel blessed, even when I look around at my little messes all over the house, the things that could be getting done instead of going out for a treat, but those things aren't important every day!  It is important to teach my kids, but not more important than talking with them, reading with them, and doing something fun together.  I'm thankful for the memories my family made together.  I'm thankful where my roots are, and I hope I can give my kids good memories like I have.
  I look around at my four beautiful children, my sweet, handsome, funny, and charismatic husband, and my heart just feels full.  I'm thankful to have all of them with me everyday, and when I hear them laugh, play, or tell me funny things, I think how amazing it is that these little people are who I created and gave birth to.  The years have gone by so fast. Each of them is a miracle, and I will always be grateful to have had the opportunity to give birth to them.  I know our family is not immune to hard things happening to us, as we have experienced scary, hard, and trying things the past few years. I wish I could always handle trials with dignity, grace, and never get upset, but I am learning, and I feel like with each year I get a little better, more reliant on the Lord, and more positive with my trials.  I see better why I need each trial, and the timing when it comes.  I see why the Lord puts us the places we have been, and the people in our lives that he does.  We are all instruments in his hands for each other here on the earth.  I never want to get too busy with my own life to help other people, or be a true friend.  I'm thankful for the spirit, and I'm thankful when I can feel peace, happiness and contentment as I go about my busy, sometimes very crazy weeks of being a mom to 4 children under 9.  I get asked so often how I manage having 4 kids.  I get lots of comments everywhere I go, and as busy, sometimes hard as it can be, it's the most rewarding, fulfilling, and important thing to me.  Being a good mom is important to me!! I know I need my good husband to balance me out, give me advice, and perspective. I'm grateful I have him, very glad!! So tonight as I look at all my kids, and Taz laying at the foot of my bed, I feel like the luckiest girl to have this life!  When I wake up in the morning to dishes, diapers, an un potty trained dog, school lunches, activities, sticky fingers, and lots of hugs, kisses, smiles, healthy children, a nice home, food on the table, a car to get my family where they need to be, and all of us together, I will remember that Heavenly Father loves me, and he has blessed me beyond what I will ever deserve or want.