Today I'm thankful for all the little experiences that help put things into perspective:
1. I have a dear friend from college who is expecting her third baby. She just found out her baby will likely not live more than a few days past birth, if it makes it that long at all. How grateful I am for my own three healthy kids!
Even though I still sometimes cry when I think about my own rotten pregnancies, her experience has made all those horrible months seem so insignificant. And I would gladly go through them again, rather than to know that I would lose my baby.
Her experience has made me realize that the things that 'plague' my life are just so silly - a hip that sometimes hurts, a house that is never clean, a refrigerator that stops working in the middle of the night. Who cares?! I am so grateful for my kids, and that I've never been asked to experience the kind of heartache she is experiencing right now.
2. So sometimes (or a lot of times), my husband works late. And when he doesn't have to be in the office late, he usually comes home and has to do more work. And I occasionally like to complain about that. It would be nice to have a husband home every night for dinner. My kids would love to have a Daddy every night to sing to them at bedtime.
- HOWEVER -
My sister's husband is beginning his training to become a fighter pilot in the Air Force. We are so proud of him for all his hard work and dedication to his family and country. But something my sister said in her blog put my husband's work into perspective: "i wish i didn't have nightmares about losing my husband to war." (To read her most excellent blog, click here.)
I am grateful that I don't have to fear for my husband's life when he goes off to fight financial and IT fraud in the government. The most dangerous thing that he faces is the drive home every day, and maybe a little carpel tunnel. How easy!
3. So I feel like I am failing at most of the things I do. My kids fight; my house is dirty; my cooking is mediocre. But I have finally realized my true purpose in contributing to this household: Keeping the toilets flushed. I walk around, and at any given time I can find at least one potty in need of being flushed. I'm not sure why, but it seems like I am the only person in the house who knows to how to do this.
And I am really good at it.
3 comments:
Emily, I just want you to know that even though you may think you "fail at most of the things you do," nobody else would ever think that of you. Jake and I really admire how you and Anders have raised your kids and hope to be as good of parents as you are! When I see crazy kids running around at the grocery store or at Primary and question why I am getting myself into this, I remind myself that there are Andrea's in the world. (And don't tell me Andrea is like the other crazy kids. I need to at least believe it's possible to have a sweet, well behaved child.)
Such a wonderful post! I really needed to hear that one today. And P.S. My kids fight; my house is dirty; my cooking is mediocre too.
I love you!
Our worlds are so similar! Your #3 sounds just like me...I figure I could do better cooking if my kids were better at trying things...but alas...My kids fight too...My house is dirty...and it seems no one in my house knows how to flush the toilet!
I was so excited to see in one of your earlier post that you are coming to Boise....Lets get together BEFORE your last few days! I am literally IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!
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