You give and take away

i am thankful for my sunshine girl and my joy boy

i am thankful that i had my sunshine girl during the terrible time of my grandma's sickness and death. although it was a terribly sad, emotional time i just had to look at my beautiful, happy daughter and my spirits were lifted. from the time she was a newborn i would sing, "you are my sunshine" to her. it just seemed to fit.

grandma only saw our sunshine girl a handful of times. i know she loved her though. i know that she would love her now; she would make her laugh. it will be a happy day when those two meet up again.

then there is joy boy. before he was born, i questioned the timing of his life. why now, God? i had pretty much given up on having another baby. i made peace with the fact that it would be just the 3 of us. then it happened. huh? really? ok, God - i trust you.

not long after we found out we were having a baby, our family suffered a tragic loss. i wondered why these two things would happen so close to each other. i questioned God's timing at first, but then i said, "ok, God. i trust you."

our joy boy was born in january- the beginning of a new year. i don't have so many questions anymore. he brings us so much happiness.

the sadness is still there, but thank you, thank you, thank you for my sunshine girl and my joy boy.

blessed be the name of the Lord

thanks mom

as i was feeding brady tonight i was wondering if he will ever know how much i love him. i wonder if my kids will know that i would do anything for them. and that even though i lie down exhausted every night i wouldn't change a thing- even if i never hear "thanks, mom". here's my chance to say "thanks"....

here's some of the "little things" that i may have never said thanks for:

thanks for...

holding me, rocking me, singing and reading to me

taking care of me when i was sick (especially at night)

dressing me up in pretty clothes

taking pictures of me

reading the same book over and over and over

holding me when i had nightmares

playing with me even when you had a million other things to do

all the trips to the park, the zoo, the pool, Greenfield Village

the family vacations

finding fun things for me to do

putting my needs before your own

teaching me it's ok to be silly and laugh, laugh, laugh

helping me with my homework (especially those poems)

talking to me when i couldn't sleep (and letting me stay up and watch tv with you)

taking me to church and sending me to camp

caring about who my friends were

staying with me in the hospital (as a child and an adult)

loving me even when i was unlovable (...horrible, that is)

making sure i was close to my extended family - especially my grandparents

picking me up from school when i didn't feel good

getting me out of bed when nobody else could

saying "no"

saying "yes"

taking me to BSF

knowing when i need advice or just someone to listen

letting me always come "home"

praying for me....loving me, my husband and my kids

showing me what motherhood is all about....

happy mother's day