Jason and I have had alot of reasons to count our blessings in the past month. We have a few more to come, very soon (which I hope to be sharing with you shortly). But aside from financial blessings, or people blessings, I found myself last night counting other types of blessings.
Every time I give Avery a bath I count my blessings that I get to bathe her in a clean tub with clean, running water. I don't know why I think about this, but I find myself so lucky that this is a luxury that I have. I was watching a show about a woman who works for an organization whose soul purpose is to get wells in villages that have no running water. She spent one day all day walking back and forth from a stream, a 30 minute walk, with the woman that live there, that have to do this to get water. The walk there is not so bad but the walk back, they've got 30 pound containers of water that they carry on their heads. And they do this at least 3 times a day. Could you imagine? We just take so many things for granted in this country, it's ridiculous.
I am grateful and blessed every time I feed my daughter. To me, it's a priviledge that I have food to give her and that I am able to take care of another human being. There are many in the world that are not so lucky. This is something we've encountered a time or two in the past couple of years. Getting down to the wire and making sure we have enough groceries. Of all of the financial worries I've had, that's probably number one. Not for myself, by for the kids. And when I open the door and see food there, it makes me feel incredibly blessed.
But, probably the most blessed I ever am is when I look at my dogs and my baby and my step kids and see them happy and healthy. I give them kisses all the time and I know that the reason they are so happy is because we provide a good, caring home. I love on my pups and my baby and the kids every single chance I get. I love my husband, but I can't take credit for raising him. But I can take at least half credit for raising other beings in this world. I love it when Avery looks at her dad and I, side by side, loving her and smiling at her. She will look at us both together and just give us the biggest smiles. I am blessed that I am in a good, solid marriage and that we provide a happy, healthy home for her. No matter what mistakes me make/have made, it won't matter so much in the long run. When Avery looks around and explores, when she sees me when I walk in the door and goes crazy for me to pick her up, when she laughs, I am blessed. So far beyond blessed.
Money doesn't mean all that much. It really doesn't. Sure, it provides things you need, but money comes and goes. We love what money gives us. But to me, it's just the little things in life. It's learning something new. Raising a contributing member of society. Giving your love to other people and animals. When money comes our way, it's nice. I feel blessed then too. But I know it's all fleeting. I have learned my lessons in that area. But man, how blessed I feel in my life.
This is where Avery has spent the last two mornings. She stood up in that Pac N Play for a good 15 minutes this morning!! She loves it, I think because she can independantly stand in it.
Please excuse the ugly pillows my dog is laying on.
That tongue. All the time, she is sticking that tongue out!
Isn't she the cutest little chubs you've ever seen?
And finally, I leave you with a picture of the almost crawler. I mean, we are so close. I am certainly NOT trying to hurry this process along. I want her to be my baby as long as possible.
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