Plus, its that time of year when the media starts to run those lists of famous people lost in 2014. Some of them far too young. Some of them because of drugs, alcohol, depression.
Closer to home I have friends who are facing some really hard stuff. Death of family members, divorce, job loss. And all my friends with kids from hard places are struggling through the holidays!
In my own life, it is sometimes hard to see the sunshine through the very bleak, rainy, crummy weather we have had for 2 weeks straight. My kids are getting stir crazy, my husband is getting cabin fever, our house feels like it is shrinking around us, and I am getting grumpier by the minute.
So I need to stop and count my blessings. No really, I need to count them, and dwell on them, and savor them. Because my life does not suck. My life is filled with long stretches of humdrum (which is really good) and then sudden bursts of terrific. And when I have a sudden burst I need to roll around in it like a happy dog!!!
So here are some of the blessings I am thankful for right at this moment:
- No one in my house is seriously ill at this moment. Our most sick kid is Katriel and her perpetually running nose.
- My heater is working.
- It is really quiet in my house at this particular moment. And not the bad kind of quiet, when you start to panic about what the kids might be breaking. Real restful, everyone is quietly watching movies or playing games kind of quiet.
- In a pinch, if Brian and I were both lying in our bedroom throwing up, Grace could make everyone cinnamon toast to eat and Manny could pour everyone a glass of milk.
- My super amazing husband STILL gets up every morning and makes me breakfast, packs my lunch, and cooks me dinner every night. WOW! He is right this minute at HEB getting the fixings for homemade won tons for dinner tonight!
- Of course, my biggest blessings are the 7 wonderful people that I share my house with!
The coming year will no doubt have its ups and downs, its highs and lows. But through them all I just need to stop and count my blessings, dammit. If I can remember to do that it will probably get me through some of the tougher times.
Like today, when I have had to clean up pee.....5 times and counting......
I just need to keep counting those blessings..........and counting........and counting..........
Here are a couple of videos that have blessed me this year. Happy in Congo and in China!
And a Happy New Year to all of you!!!