Is it just me, or does it seem like this year the Christmas decorations began popping up BEFORE Halloween was even over?  The commercialism of the Christmas season seems to be overpowering many beautiful things about the Holidays, including Thanksgiving.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Christmas season.  It really is, in my opinion, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” but I do get a little saddened when Thanksgiving goes unnoticed.

I believe that celebrating Thanksgiving as a time of reflection and maybe even soul searching about the things we are truly thankful for, is vital.

I am willing to bet that for one reason or another, this year has been  hard for many people.  I know it’s been hard for us at times.  But I have found that it is during the hard times that being thankful is the most important.

Let me pause for a moment to give you an example straight out of the pages of the book of my life.  Right at this very moment, even as I type these words, two of my children are weeping and whaling because they both want to be the one to put a simple bag away.  There is an entire toy room to clean up, but it is thatbag that will define their lives so much so that they have to spend all of their time and energy arguing over it. 

Charming. 

And it is also right at this very moment that I am trying to focus on how thankful I am for my wonderful children.  Sometimes it’s hard.  But, because I am in the “thankful” mindest, because I am writing this very post, I am doing my best to remind myself how thankful I am that my house is not quiet.  That my house is not empty.  That my house is a home where some screaming, arguing, hugging, and laughter all take place.  That even with the screaming and yelling, over that blasted bag, I am thankful that those kids are mine and that I get to be here through it all.

I am thankful for having to tighten our belts a bit when it comes to spending.  That has helped me learn the value of hard work, and more importantly, it has shown me what things are really important.  Most of the time the things that are important aren’t things.

I am thankful that my husband has been working long hours to provide for our family.  That has helped me realize how much I love to have him around, and what a valiant man he is.

Finally, I am thankful that my kids argue, while politeness is a virtue, I am so glad that they are passionate people.  When channeled in the right avenues, I know that will take them far.

So, I would like to encourage youto think about the things that might be making your life difficult, then think about how you can learn to be grateful for them.  It may just change your life.

I have a beautiful baby girl.  After two energetic boys, that I LOVE with my heart and soul, I found myself longing for a little girl.  One that I could dress in pretty clothes and do her hair with pretty bows. 

When my husband and I talked about getting pregnant for the third time, I knew it was time, and I knew in my heart that I was going to get that baby girl. 

Needless to say, I was right (I love it when that happens).  I do dress her in pretty clothes, and I do put her hair in pretty bows, and most of the time, she despises them both!  Her brothers adore her, and she returns the feelings wholeheartedly.  She loves them so completely and unconditionally, and she wants to be just like them.  Her first words were “cool car” and “touchdown!”  I love it!  I love them all.

I love them so deeply and completely that I just can not  imagine my life without them in it.  The thought scares me.

I came across this blog the other day.  The blog is written by a courageous mother and father who have a baby boy and an angel daughter.  Their daughter Lucy returned Home when she was nearly two years old. . . .The same age as my beautiful girl.  Lucy had bouncy curls and a life full of personality. . . just like my beautiful girl.  Lucy choked on an apple the size of a pea.  I know. . .  unbelievable.  Her mother and father did everything they could and more, and ultimately had to watch their princess die.  You can read the whole story here.  They are courageous.  They are survivors.

Sometimes I complain.   When my princess spilled an entire box of cereal on the floor, I moaned and groaned, and I complained.  When my princess wants me to hold her all day so that I can get NOTHING done, sometimes I complain.  But now I think about them.  I think about Lucy.  I KNOW they wouldn’t complain if their princess wanted them to hold her all day.  I have that opportunity.  They don’t.  And I complain.

I love all three of my children entirely,  I love them all equally.  Lucy reminds me of my princess.  That is why my mind wandered to the what-ifs.  What if that was our story.  What if .  It broke my heart.

Today, I am giving thanks.  Thanks for a loving God who has afforded me the opportunity to be a mother to three wonderful children.  Thanks for every breathe they breath and every beat their hearts beat.  I’m thankful that I can hold them all day. . .and get nothing done.  With all my heart, I’m thankful.

Two months ago, I contacted a friend of mine who also happens to be a great photographer.  I requested a date to schedule a photo shoot for my family.  Not just my little family, but my extended family as well.  Last time we had a photo of all of us, my 6 year old was 6 months, needless to say, a lot has changed since then.

I scheduled well in advance so that we could ensure our time-slot, and my family could plan their schedules around the event.  Well, the day worked well for everybody so our calendars were marked, and our coordinating outfits bought.

Then. . . the bumps in the road.  Why are there always bumps in the road?  Last week, on Sunday morning I felt a little tingle on my lip.  It was a familiar sensation as I get the same one about ever 18 months.  I knew in my heart of hearts that it was the beginning of a big, fat, nasty COLD-SORE!  Of course it was a coldsore, why wouldn’t it be?  I thought that I could catch it soon enough to keep it in check, but here I sit today.  The day of our scheduled pictures, with a cold-sore spanning the length of my lip clear down to my chin.  Awesome!

My photographer ensured me that it would be an easy fix with photoshop, so I rolled with it.

Next bump, I had been watching the weather sporadically all week which mentioned here and there that there was a chance of precipitation on Saturday.  I crossed my fingers that we would miss that chance.  This morning I woke up and the sun was shining and the skies were clear.  I was pumped.

Yet here, again, I sit with my infected face looking out my window at a white-out.

Pictures will be rescheduled.

Why does it seem that try as I may, plan as I might, and prepare as I should, that nothing ever goes the way it’s supposed to?  Am I the only one or is this a common theme among us?