Grains of Gratitude

I love reading other blogs. One of my favorites is Michelle's. Michelle inspires me in many ways and I really enjoy checking in on her and reading about her beautiful daughter, Kayla. Michelle posts Grains of Gratitude every Sunday on her blog. I always look forward to reading that post each week and decided a few weeks ago that I wanted to do this also.

So here it is, Sunday. We have had a really crazy week. The kids have been sick. Brent has been sick. I have been sick. It has pretty much been the week from you-know-where. I'll spare you the details but suffice it to say that Tyler has Rotavirus and I think the rest of us have had a nasty flu bug. Yuck!

I sat down to read Michelle's Grains of Gratitude today and again thought that I wanted to start doing the same on my own blog. My first thought, though, was that I would start next week. After the week I've had, I really couldn't think of anything to be thankful for, much less write about. But as I sat here, I realized that I do have much to be thankful for. Sometimes during the greatest trials, we find the greatest blessings. So here goes, my inaugural Grains of Gratitude post.

1. I am grateful for my husband. He has been a great help to me all week, letting me rest, helping me with the kids, etc. I know he has also been miserable so I am doubly thankful for his help.

2. I am grateful that Brent has a wonderful job with an awesome sick day policy! He also has an incredibly understanding boss.

3. Although I am not grateful that my kids have been sick, it has been nice in the sense that they have been very loving. I have really enjoyed Emmalee's desire to snuggle on the couch because that is so not typical for her.

4. I am grateful that all of the sickness forced me to wash all the bedding in the house. (And when I say all the bedding, I mean all the bedding...sheets, blankets, comforters, pillows, etc.) This is something I have wanted to do the past couple of weeks anyway. It was so nice getting into bed last night with everything clean and fresh. On that same line, I am grateful that we have a washer and dryer in our house. I can't help but think back to our first months as a married couple and having to go to the laundrymat. I can't imagine having to do that this past week with all the extra laundry.

5. I am grateful for an amazing pediatrician and his office staff. They are incredible people who truly care about our kids and our whole family. What a blessing!

6. And last, but certainly not least, I am very grateful for my mother in law. Today is her birthday. She is amazing. I simply can't express how much I love and appreciate her.