Even though I'm a little bit down; but, knowing I am blessed keeps me going around.
I'm writing this really for myself, but it's not one of those things that if others read it, I'll feel it is the end of the world.
I have found myself constantly exhausted and emotionally drained, because of this I stayed home last night and Kod and I passed out candy while N took the other kids trick or treating. Since this is our first halloween in the neighborhood I didn't know what to expect, but with all the churches and different sections of town holding safe trick or treating events throughout the last week I didn't anticipate much. That was a mistake, I guess our suburb could be considered extremely safe because I only bought 2 large bags of candy and we were out in a matter of 20 mins!!! I ran to the store and bought 6 more large bags. By the time the evening was over we only had maybe a handful of candy left. I was flabbergasted, even when we lived in KS and there were no trick or treating alternatives did we ever see a turnout that large.
Anyway that's not the point of this post, the point is as follows: I've had a rough couple of weeks and was having serious doubts in regards to my ability to be a parent, to being a wife, and just being a good human being in general. I was in a major, woe is me type of state. During round two of trick or treating I answered the door to this little boy who was about 4, he had tattered clothes, shoes with holes in them, dirty hair, a plastic grocery bag for receiving candy, and a single heart painted with lipstick on his face. I wasn't sure what he was supposed to be, I looked at his mom, who looked as disheveled as he did, and I put two and two together. I've never seen these people before and you could tell they weren't from our neighborhood. I let him pick out more candy than I usually do, because I figured it might be all the "food" he would get. I wanted so badly to ask the mother what area she lived in and if there was anything I could do to help but I didn't want to do it in front of her child, to save her from humiliation. I plan on keeping my eyes out for them though and if I get a chance I want to help them. I suspect they might be victims of a recent very dirty underhanded ordeal involving auto body repair shops going under and closing its doors with no notice to employees and not giving them their paychecks they were waiting on. That got me thinking also, it is estimated about 500 people are now unemployed because of this jerk, people who now have no way to pay bills, get Christmas presents, or in general have a worry free Holiday's. There are children all over the world who are starving, and dying due to lack of good health care, or even health care at all. Men and women serving over seas (my brother just returned home from his second tour last month) who will be away from their families during the holidays, fighting for things not everyone in this country support, but doing it and seeing the good that it is actually bringing. Homeless people, people who have no one, people who have been placed in nursing homes by people who have no time to take care of them or even visit once in awhile (I'm not saying that as a bash, sometimes it is necessary, I'm talking about those who have other means). I mean the list goes on and on, and I realized I am truly blessed, how dare I sit and wallow in my self pity when I have kids who are absolutely wonderful, a husband who thinks the world of me, takes amazing care of me, and is still my best friend (even after he knows how I can be lol). I have a great family and set of in-laws who love and support me. I have a job, I may hate it, and have already made plans to quit it come August so I can go back to school (again), but at least I have a job. I also have the ability to be financially ok if heaven forbid something should happen unexpectedly. This list also goes on and on, so I've made a conscious decision that no matter how bad I want to think it is, I will NOT! I am one of the very few fortunate people and I should be thankful for it.
Today I'm challenging each of you who read this to stop and remember the good things they have in life, even if things aren't perfect right now, surely you can find one or two things to be thankful for in your life. Take time to hug your kids, tell them, your spouse, your parents, you love them. Breathe in the fresh air every chance you get (or if you don't have fresh air, breathe a yummy smelling candle, lol). Just be thankful for what you do have, things really could be worse.
Carpe Diem
A
I have found myself constantly exhausted and emotionally drained, because of this I stayed home last night and Kod and I passed out candy while N took the other kids trick or treating. Since this is our first halloween in the neighborhood I didn't know what to expect, but with all the churches and different sections of town holding safe trick or treating events throughout the last week I didn't anticipate much. That was a mistake, I guess our suburb could be considered extremely safe because I only bought 2 large bags of candy and we were out in a matter of 20 mins!!! I ran to the store and bought 6 more large bags. By the time the evening was over we only had maybe a handful of candy left. I was flabbergasted, even when we lived in KS and there were no trick or treating alternatives did we ever see a turnout that large.
Anyway that's not the point of this post, the point is as follows: I've had a rough couple of weeks and was having serious doubts in regards to my ability to be a parent, to being a wife, and just being a good human being in general. I was in a major, woe is me type of state. During round two of trick or treating I answered the door to this little boy who was about 4, he had tattered clothes, shoes with holes in them, dirty hair, a plastic grocery bag for receiving candy, and a single heart painted with lipstick on his face. I wasn't sure what he was supposed to be, I looked at his mom, who looked as disheveled as he did, and I put two and two together. I've never seen these people before and you could tell they weren't from our neighborhood. I let him pick out more candy than I usually do, because I figured it might be all the "food" he would get. I wanted so badly to ask the mother what area she lived in and if there was anything I could do to help but I didn't want to do it in front of her child, to save her from humiliation. I plan on keeping my eyes out for them though and if I get a chance I want to help them. I suspect they might be victims of a recent very dirty underhanded ordeal involving auto body repair shops going under and closing its doors with no notice to employees and not giving them their paychecks they were waiting on. That got me thinking also, it is estimated about 500 people are now unemployed because of this jerk, people who now have no way to pay bills, get Christmas presents, or in general have a worry free Holiday's. There are children all over the world who are starving, and dying due to lack of good health care, or even health care at all. Men and women serving over seas (my brother just returned home from his second tour last month) who will be away from their families during the holidays, fighting for things not everyone in this country support, but doing it and seeing the good that it is actually bringing. Homeless people, people who have no one, people who have been placed in nursing homes by people who have no time to take care of them or even visit once in awhile (I'm not saying that as a bash, sometimes it is necessary, I'm talking about those who have other means). I mean the list goes on and on, and I realized I am truly blessed, how dare I sit and wallow in my self pity when I have kids who are absolutely wonderful, a husband who thinks the world of me, takes amazing care of me, and is still my best friend (even after he knows how I can be lol). I have a great family and set of in-laws who love and support me. I have a job, I may hate it, and have already made plans to quit it come August so I can go back to school (again), but at least I have a job. I also have the ability to be financially ok if heaven forbid something should happen unexpectedly. This list also goes on and on, so I've made a conscious decision that no matter how bad I want to think it is, I will NOT! I am one of the very few fortunate people and I should be thankful for it.
Today I'm challenging each of you who read this to stop and remember the good things they have in life, even if things aren't perfect right now, surely you can find one or two things to be thankful for in your life. Take time to hug your kids, tell them, your spouse, your parents, you love them. Breathe in the fresh air every chance you get (or if you don't have fresh air, breathe a yummy smelling candle, lol). Just be thankful for what you do have, things really could be worse.
Carpe Diem
A