Last night I typed a Blog and Facebook post from my heart, reminding y'all that parenting ain't easy, but to make sure and get some rest so you can truly enjoy every moment of this Thanksgiving week. Well, naturally, I didn't get much sleep. I am tired this morning, but I am not weary. Miss Seven woke up in the middle of the night and threw up. She's at home from school this morning, resting, but it seems to have been a one-time occurrence. She is such a champion when it comes to getting sick, she just takes care of business and then goes back to sleep. This is amazing, considering her father and I were both dramatic-end of the world-thrower uppers as kids. So, why am I not weary after the kid cleaning up, the bedroom cleaning up, and the laundry cleaning up? Last night, as I took care of her I was overwhelmed with love. As I wiped her sweet little cheeks, with the freckles on top and looked in her blue eyes I felt so much gratitude that I get to raise this special soul. I feel it a privilege to take care of her--at times when she's sick and times when she's well. Later, as I laid in bed with her, I realized that she is so tall. She's not my little baby anymore, not even my preschooler. All those times my Mama told me that time is fleeting... she was right. (Just don't tell her I said that, y'all.) I can't believe that seven years has gone by so quickly. The moonlight coming through the window caught my eye and then drew me to her peaceful, sleeping face. Again, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness. So thankful for this little girl and for the incredible opportunity to be her mother. As I looked at her, I vowed to truly appreciate our times together and make a true effort to be present this week as we celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Maybe it's the season, maybe it's cause I'm nearing forty, maybe because I'm a sentimental sap lately, but I keeping finding myself in these quiet, unexpected moments of reflection. In those quiet moments, we can be frustrated at the circumstances, or we can look at what we do have and appreciate it and give thanks for it. Giving thanks is an amazing thing. When we begin to express Thanksgiving, our heart fills with an unspeakable joy. The way to true joy is being thankful to God for all of our blessings.
