I am SO blessed

You know, I was thinking about something earlier tonight. whenever I get into a funk, I always think about the things that I want, things I don't have, things I'd like to do and probably never will, and people I'm jealous of for whatever reason. It's at those times that I need to come back to this post and remember these:

1. I never wanted kids in school. I used to tell my family (quite vehemently, I might add) that I would never get married, and never have kids. Now I have 4, and I couldn't imagine life without them.

2. There have been so many times when it would have been "easy" for me to walk away from my marriage, for whatever reason. I almost did once, a fact that I am not proud of. But here we are, 12 years later (together for 13), and I'm so glad I didn't take the "easy" way out.

3. While my relationships with my side of the family are completely varied and not always good, I have a mother in law and father in law who more than make up for it. They are the most wonderful people on the face of the earth, and (I'm pretty sure) they love me like a daughter - they are the kind of people who would do anything for you. I couldn't have asked for better grandparents for my girls, either. The girls worship them.

4. While my extended family has not always been accepting of my husband, his extended family has always treated me with kindness and acceptance. I always feel welcomed around all of them.

5. Ever since I started having children, I have wanted to stay home with them. This year I have been blessed enough to be able to do that, and homeschool them. This past year of my life has been the best one yet.

6. So many stepparents have bad relationships with their stepchildren. I am so blessed to have a wonderful stepdaughter - I love her like my own child and would do anything in the world for her. She is an amazing young lady and I have been blessed to be able to be a part of her life.

7. For the past 3 years (prior to the summer of '09), I lived in a really crappy apartment complex. We had so many problems with neighbors and the management. Then last summer we found this wonderful house that we live in now - pretty good neighbors on both sides AND across the street, and so much more room than we had before (even enough room to go crazy with gardening, lol).

8. My friend Amanda invited me to her church once, and we went, and we've been going ever since. I have the best church family in the entire world! I would be completely lost without all of the people I've met there, and I feel so privileged to be able to be a part of the Northside family.

9. GOD. Wow, if I ever had any doubts that he had (and still has) plans for me, I don't anymore. How else would everything have happened the way it has? It seems like such a small, simple thing to believe in Him, but it's so huge. He does so much, and I take it for granted. I'm trying not to, but I know I do. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!