So Blessed

I had an awesome Mother's Day weekend. Friday night Joe and the girls took me to one of my favorite places, Mellow Mushroom. After that we went home and took a walk so Josie could ride her bike. The girls were so excited because earlier in the day I had bought her a new Hello Kitty helmet and knee pads, and Jolie a Dora helmet and knee pads. (The night before Jolie informed me she needed a bike and a "hat" aka helmet.) We have pulled out the tricycle for Jolie to ride, but she hasn't quite got the pedaling down yet. Jolie has as much fun walking though and the knee pads come in handy for her walking because she runs so fast that she falls quite a lot.

I have the most fabulous husband who let me rest almost all day Saturday. I think I slept 60% of the day and it felt great. It was just what I needed. Sunday we went to church and then they took me out to lunch again and we went home for more resting. The girls got me all kinds of pretty flowers in hand decorated pots (thanks to Erica and Ms. Jane) and a beautiful windchime.

I am blessed beyond measure to be the mother to my amazing girls and this little one on the way. They have taught me so much. For instance God's love. I never fully understood how God loves us until I had my girls. I will always love them no matter what they do or who they become, they will always be our beautiful amazing girls and little one. That is how God feels about us and it took me having children to fully understand that. They have taught me to stop and be amazed at the small stuff like flowers, bugs, the moon and stars. They have taught me to treasure the firsts, like seeing the ocean for the first time, riding an amusement park ride for the first time, first smiles and laughs, and all of the other firsts that we have gotten to experience with each one of them. They have an incredible thirst for knowledge and pick up on things so quickly. It warms my heart to hear them singing all the church songs and to talk about God and Jesus. It warms my heart as they list out all the people they are thankful for and want God to bless as we say our prayers each night. It makes me proud when they take care of each other and look out for one another. You can not give one of them something without them asking where the other's one is. Or last night, we were walking and Joe and Josie were a good bit ahead of Lol and me and Josie fell off her bike. Lol left her baby in the baby doll stroller and took off running to Josie to make sure she was okay. As much as they fight, they love each other dearly and are very close. I am not sure why God chose me to be the mother to these three children, but he did, and there is nothing I could do or say to ever repay him for that and I am eternally grateful.

I also want to recongnize all the beautiful women in my life who have helped shape who I am. It is not all to one person but to both my moms, all three grandmothers, all of my aunts, women of the church, and when I married Joe (well actually way before I married Joe) the women of his family that took me and loved me as their own, my mother-in-law, his grandmother, his aunts, and as I have gotten older my list has grown to include my sisters-in-law and my girlfriends. I love you all and you are all amazing people. I am truly so blessed.

In addition to Mother's Day Joe and I celebrate our 8 year anniversary today. He is an amazing husband and father. He provides for us and is a very involved Daddy. He is very active in the church and loves God. I am so so incredibly blessed to have the family that I have. To have spent the last eight years with this man through all our ups and downs and making it today. I pray for another 80 with him. I can't wait to experience each day with him, raising our children, planning our future, and making it to each anniversary together.