I'm Counting My Blessings

Hello friends. It was a long weekend--in more ways than one. I was sick for most of it and spent a lot of time on the couch falling asleep there by 8 o clock. I have been saying that this has been my easiest pregnancy as far as sickness is concerned, but I guess I spoke too soon. Sick hit me with a vengeance on Thursday afternoon and lasted until Monday. Most everything I eat makes me horribly ill, and I'd like to not eat, yet I am starving. It's a quandary, I tell you.

Then, inexplicably, on Monday I felt great. Better than I had in weeks. So I enjoyed the day. Aaron had it off and we all went out to breakfast. We took a walk during a break in the rain, came in and made play dough when it started raining again, watched a movie with the boys while Lilly napped and had some delicious pot roast for dinner. It was a warm and cozy day. It felt like a gift after being so sick.

Tonight I am back to feeling awful. I really just want to lay on the couch and be a vegetable. But I miss writing, so here I am. And this is making me forget the yuck, at least a little bit.

The rain hit us hard today. Our street was flooded. The boys and I sat by the window and watched the water rise, the trees whip back and forth, the lightening flash, and the hail come down. I wanted to pile them all in the car and go look at the waves, the rising rivers and the flooding. I'm a storm chaser. It was good I didn't go. There was a tornado by the beach. And people riding jet skies down city streets.

But when the sky cleared a bit, we did have to get out. We headed out to look at the river by our house. Not quite as wild as the Santa Margarita River we always went to see after a big storm in Fallbrook, but exciting none the less. It was a good opportunity to talk about staying safe around water after a big storm. The best teaching opportunities happen in real life, don't they?

Then we hit the nature trail that runs alongside the river. Those rain boots sure are fun for stomping in puddles.

The worms were out after the rain and Lilly was quite taken with them.

There are lots of birds out after the rain too. Like this hawk.

The boys got a closer look with their binoculars.

The trees have lost all their leaves, but are already starting to show new buds.

That little bird was hiding in the tree while I was taking pictures of the branches. He had a beautiful blue head and tail. I am going to try to figure out what kind of bird it is. A blue bird of some sort is a good place to start, I'm guessing.

We also saw this little beauty. It was William's favorite due to his yellow head and the yellow markings on its chest. That boy loves yellow.

After all the rain, it felt so good to be outside, to feel the sun on our cheeks and the wind in our hair. The air smelled good. The birds were singing with extra fervor.

And despite being sick, and tired as all get out, I was just overwhelmed with gratefulness to be here, with these 3 little people who fill my life with such joy and discovery. I never knew it would be this great.

And soon there will be 4! My tribe, my crew, my brood. The 5 of us can have our own basketball team. Many times a day I find myself smiling a very full smile as I think about this new life and the joy he or she will bring us. It is a sweet thing to be a mother.

I am richly blessed.

"Count your blessings,

name them one by one.

Count your blessings,

see what God has done.

Count your many blessings,

name them one by one,

and you;'ll be surprised to see what God has done."

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I know this is a long post, but all these thoughts of gratefulness and blessing can't help but bring to mind the people of Haiti. I haven't seen many of the pictures. We don't have TV, so I don't see the news. I choose not to look at much on the Internet because I can't bear it.

On Sunday though, there were pictures of Haitians in church. Hands and voices raised, they praised God. And I wept. I marveled. I thought of the song, It Is Well With My Soul.

"When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot

Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well,

It is well with my soul."

And I wondered, "could I do that?" If I lost my home, my husband, my friends, my sister, my child, could I look up and still say, "It is well with my soul?"

I don't know if I could.

There is not much we can do from here. Most of us can't go there. But we can pray for those who do. We can pray for the babies who have lost their mamas and the mamas who have lost their babies. We can pray for healing and hope.

But I want to remind you, too, that faith without works is dead. There are many places to give.

The Salvation Army. The Red Cross. World Vision.

Don't have Starbucks this week. Don't get your car washed. Don't buy sugary cereal. Buy no name cheerios instead.

Do give. Do help. Do remeber to count your blessing and then bless others.

With a grateful heart,

Greta