Honeymoon's Over

I think that the honeymoon is over.  The last few weeks of keeping track of the many blessings in my life has been exciting, even easy.  I've given thanks at the beginning of each hour as my watch beeps and it's been easy.  Maybe too easy.  Yesterday, my watch beeped and I thought, "Not right now."  (Gasp!)  I went several days without writing down something to be thankful for.  (The horror!)  This happens with many things in my life.  I'm filled with early enthusiasm and then life happens.  It's hard to be thankful when all four of your children have fevers on Sunday morning.  It's hard to finish crochet projects when cats and children undo half of the finished stitches.  It's sometimes hard to be married after the honeymoon and life happens.

This, then, is when the hard work of the soul happens.  This is when the discipline begins.  And when the most growth happens.  When life happens.

Today I am grateful for
31.  Our local WIC office
32.  Other women in my life encouraging me
33.  My husband still so in love with me after eight years of marriage and four kids
34.  An indescribable sunset that prompted my six-year-old to exclaim, "No person could have made that!"
35.  The service of the men and women in our military (including my grandfathers, father, and husband)
36.  An understanding waitress (four small, hungry children in a noisy restaurant on a holiday night!)
37.  The powerful simplicity of the Gospel message presented to an arena full of youth
38.  Witnessing some of those young men and women respond to that message for the first time
39.  Rainy days with good books
40.  My four beautiful children sleeping peacefully
41.  The picture of bounty that is leftover turkey simmering to make stock
42.  Fevers down and children growing healthy again

For these and many more, I give thanks!