Whew! What a night. What a year! Last night the boys had a friend over and we had homemade pizza and, of course, a bit o' the bubbly. (Sparkling Pear Juice, anyone?) We did a big countdown at 8:00 and then pulled and shot off our poppers, and watched the huge fireworks being shot off all around our neighborhood. I'm guessing the legality of these things has changed since I was a kid. I mean there was no need to drive anywhere, or pay any money to get quite a show. Huge beautiful ones with big booms and stars raining down were the norm, along with the peskiest of all - the dreaded Black Cat. You know the one that sounds like repeated gun shots? I actually went over to some friend's house last night after the kids had gone to bed and Neal had three long ribbons of 200 shots each. Where is the joy in having to cover your ears and wonder when it will stop? But all said and done, we had a good time. Jacob and Andrew were told that they could stay up as long as they could last. Andy made it until 9:30, and Jacob until 10:30. Jake actually fell asleep in the middle of a sentence.
"Dad, the fireworks are scaring me. They..........sound............................................like.........................................................................................
.................................................fingertips........"
Head dropped back. Totally gone.
So, I've been thinking about the past year. So many highs and lows. Kind of a year of extremes for us. I think the prevailing thing that comes to mind, though, is how incredibly blessed we are. In each low spot we have had the opportunity to watch how the Lord was going to lift us out of it. Most often it was through the love and sharing of our family and friends. We have been the beneficiaries of overwhelming generosity. Clothing, food, cars, time, painting and cleaning our house, watching our children, calls of encouragement and support, and just a whole lotta love.
I remember vividly the day Jake and I were sitting in our front room, sorting through all the girl clothing we had been given before Amelia was born. Piles covered the entire room. I said to Jake, "Look at this! We are SURROUNDED by blessings!" He responded with, "People must love us a lot!" He has caught on to this idea, and each time a new bag of clothing is dropped off, for the boys or Amelia, or someone has "cleaned out their closets" and brought over a fun new toy or craft supplies, Jacob says "Mom look! More blessings!"
Tears are coming now. It is so wonderful to know that the Lord is aware of us, and that so many are living their lives in a way that allows them to be close to the Spirit, and receive and act on promptings. A big lesson to me. So often I have had little thoughts that persist, but sometimes the ideas seem so little or silly to me, that I don't follow through. But the woman who showed up at our house, awkwardly offering packs of markers that her son had grown out of - had no idea that just the night before I was thinking of how dried up the markers were that the boys were using on a daily basis, and how I was wishing that I had some cash to go down and get them some new ones. This event was significant. Heavenly Father knew the desires of my heart - no matter how small- and met them through someone else.
So it has been a wonderful year.
Head dropped back. Totally gone.
So, I've been thinking about the past year. So many highs and lows. Kind of a year of extremes for us. I think the prevailing thing that comes to mind, though, is how incredibly blessed we are. In each low spot we have had the opportunity to watch how the Lord was going to lift us out of it. Most often it was through the love and sharing of our family and friends. We have been the beneficiaries of overwhelming generosity. Clothing, food, cars, time, painting and cleaning our house, watching our children, calls of encouragement and support, and just a whole lotta love.
I remember vividly the day Jake and I were sitting in our front room, sorting through all the girl clothing we had been given before Amelia was born. Piles covered the entire room. I said to Jake, "Look at this! We are SURROUNDED by blessings!" He responded with, "People must love us a lot!" He has caught on to this idea, and each time a new bag of clothing is dropped off, for the boys or Amelia, or someone has "cleaned out their closets" and brought over a fun new toy or craft supplies, Jacob says "Mom look! More blessings!"
Tears are coming now. It is so wonderful to know that the Lord is aware of us, and that so many are living their lives in a way that allows them to be close to the Spirit, and receive and act on promptings. A big lesson to me. So often I have had little thoughts that persist, but sometimes the ideas seem so little or silly to me, that I don't follow through. But the woman who showed up at our house, awkwardly offering packs of markers that her son had grown out of - had no idea that just the night before I was thinking of how dried up the markers were that the boys were using on a daily basis, and how I was wishing that I had some cash to go down and get them some new ones. This event was significant. Heavenly Father knew the desires of my heart - no matter how small- and met them through someone else.
So it has been a wonderful year.
2 comments:
Wow that is awesome. Why can't I write like that? Maybe it's because I am in a hurry when I write.
Anyway you are blessed and loved!!!
Dido! I loved you guys!
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