LOTS To Be Thankful For!

I really do....I have a happy healthy family ("happy" might be questionable depending on who you ask...ha!), I have a job (even though I might not like all aspects of it - I am still quite thankful for it!), I have a devoted husband and father (which seems to be a rare thing these days), a roof over my head, food in my fridge, a vehicle to drive, $$ in the bank (not a lot, but enough for us!). Yes, things are very good. Even though I might look at my glass as "half-empty" sometimes, in reality it is very much full. We do have much to be thankful for again this year.

Things have taken a different turn this year, which does make me sad. This this the first holiday season without my grandmother. It really won't be the same. Even though she really wasn't able to cook for a couple of years, I still miss all her cooking. She made the BEST dressing (although Uncle Terry and Aunt Jan can duplicate it!), and at Christmas she would make all kinds of treats....peanut brittle (so glad she taught my mom how to do it!), "Trash" as she called it -- just some Chex mix, but still good -- divinity, and other assortments of chocolate covered items. Then, we usually go to Charles' grandmother's for Thanksgiving, but that was cancelled this year b/c she went into the hospital yesterday. She is having to have her medicines regulated....she has been having problems with them all "working against each other" as her dr. put it. Supposedly it will only be for a couple of days....lets hope so! EVERYONE loves to go to her house for Thanksgiving....Zachary has been talking about it for weeks! He handled it okay....we will get together in a few weeks for Christmas, so it's all good!

I hope you all have a blessed holiday...and remember all you have to be thankful for - because you DO have LOTS to be thankful for!

Bummed......

yeah....I am......and I hate it. I want a change and it is not happening. I don't know...I guess maybe I am restless? Aaaagh! I need more time and it just is not there. This time of year is pure insanity in our house what with crazy schedules and all. I guess it is my schedule that I get so frustrated with. I do love my job - and I especially love the people - but I am getting burned out on the hours. I work three 12-hour days a week. We close at 8, but it is usually closer to 9 when I leave, which means the kids are in bed when I get home. That is 3 days a week I am not there for dinner or bedtime and I really don't like that. That means when I have a night off when I could go to a women's bible study, I don't want to go because I don't want to be away from my family for another night. I hate that anytime something comes up, I can't commit because I need to check my work schedule first. My days change every 2 weeks, so there is no consistency. I can't commit to things on a regular basis...like classes at the gym or activities at church because I would be there for 2 weeks and then have to be gone for 2 weeks. Not to mention I work one weekend a month.

There are good things though. I do enjoy being off all day the days I am off. I've been able to spend time with the girls, and during the summer, I can spend days with all of the kids. That part is nice -- I must admit. I can schedule dr. appts. on my days off and not have to take off. So really -- there are perks.

I am just focusing on the things I don't like. That is sooooo easy to do sometimes. I guess my glass is "half empty" right now. That is why I am bummed. I like consistency at home and I want my kids to have that, but they really don't right now. We don't have normal family meal times and at times things are so "helter-skelter"....it drives me nuts.

There is no solution....this is just how is has to be right now...but that doesn't mean I have to like it! :-( grrrrrrrrr.......

Thanks for "listening" to me vent! It's nice to do that sometimes!

Hmmmmm....

I don't know if any of you read any of the blogs that are on my blog list on the left side of my blog, but I do encourage you to read "My Charming Kids" by "McKmama". I don't know her personally, but I have been following her blog for about 7 months now. She too has 4 kids, and her youngest - Stellan - was born with SVT (rapid heart rate). It's a long story, but the short of it is he has had several bouts that have required several hospital stays....some lengthy. This little guy has lived through more than the average adult will ever see - he truly is a miracle baby!

Anyway - Stellan was rushed to the hospital last Tuesday night with a severe bout of SVT -- in fact, they could have easily lost him had his parents not checked on him. He spent his first birthday fighting for his life in the PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) where he is currently residing in a hospital in his hometown. McKmama is a Christian, and one of the things I love about her blog is that she is soooo very real. She bares her soul on her blog. She talks about struggles with family, finances, faith...you name it! All this to say, a couple of days ago, she wrote a very lengthy blog about the point of praying. I loved it, and I encourage you to click on her link and scroll thru the sweet pics of Stellan and his first birthday "party" he had in the PICU to read it yourself. She brought to life many questions that I - and I am sure many of you - have had about prayer. More specifically...."What is the point?" I feel God knows the outcome anyway, so why bother? I pray because I feel led to, but in the back of my mind sometimes I think, "God isn't going to change his mind, so why do this?" I will take one quote from her..... I think it is very insightful:

"Maybe the point of prayer, if it isn't to get God to do what we want, is instead to bring ourselves into alignment with God so that we can be close enough to Him to be okay with what He decides instead of feeling like we need to try to get our way. "

Anyway....I'd be curious to know your thoughts....ever feel like that too? Ever get frustrated? Silly question...I'm sure you do!