The Hash House: February 2011

No, this is not for Everett. However, I did fool a few people with this one including my husband. One of my favorite things in the world is surprising people! I have been more than excited to help people surprise their co-workers and families with the news that there will be an addition to their family!

This little number is for a friend of mine that I have known for a VERY long time. We're talking elementary school. However, I will not reveal who it's for because I have been sworn to secrecy. She's going to dress her little cutie in this shirt to let her family know that there will be a new little one coming soon! Thank you mystery friend for including me in your special surprise! I loved that I could help you celebrate your new little one!

So I am a person who is constantly trying to make her life and herself better. Yes, I am that person in the "Self-Help" section of Borders. Every time I go there I think about that Sex and the City episode where Charlotte is searching for a book after her divorce only to find a woman who is weeping on the floor telling her, "That's a good one. It really helped me," to which Charlotte starts saying, "Travel? Travel?" and pretends to be in the wrong section.
I however am never really that embarrassed to read books on how to be a better wife, mother and all around person. If it's out there and not too over the top, I've probably read it. Will and Jada Smith do it and they seem to be doing all right!
Stay with me, but I have to explain more...
To all those people who work with kids, especially the teachers, you know what I am talking about when I say you have your "great kids" and those kids who need a little more love. I have done a little informal research and have found that the kids in my classes who are responsible, kind, caring and get their work done, also happen to be the kids who attend church regularly, attend the Fellowship of Christan Athletes meetings and talk about being in Youth Group. Now, are there kids who behave themselves and aren't in this category? Of course! However, I have found that a lot of my top kiddos do these things.
One of these kids happens to be the child of my co-worker (I won't say her name because she may be embarrassed). This leads me to my team meeting today where she and my friend Jill are talking about K-Love Christian radio and how it is all their kids listen to. Okay then, Good Kids=This radio station. I also think good kids=doesn't hurt to get them involved in church and youth groups. I decide to give K-Love a whirl on my way to Target this afternoon.
To bring this story even more off topic, I used to attend Life Church in Olathe and LOVE LOVE LOVED it. Grant, not so much, so we now are members at Grace United Methodist. Anywho, I tried to get into Christian rock because Life played about an hour of it before each service. However, I couldn't really find a lot that I liked so I kind of gave up.
Okay, back to listening to the radio on my way to Target. So the DJ's come on and talk about the church in New Zealand that was hit by an earthquake and how people were still trying to get their family and friends out from under the ruble. A woman called in from Minnesota and said that she was "griping" because of all the snow and how she had to dig her way out today so that she could get to work. Then when she hear the news about people having to dig their family members out from under a destroyed church, it made her realize that she may "gripe a bit too much" and she needs to thank God for all her blessings.
Never thought this post would end? Here's the point.
This got me thinking a couple of things. One, even though every night when Everett and I say our prayers together I say, "Thank you for our blessings," I realize that that is a pretty blanketed statement that I overuse without really thinking about it. I am VERY blessed. I have a beautiful family who loves me and even though I may get frustrated with my husband or could use a little more sleep when Ev is ready to go, I really live a dream life. I live in a house that is not my ideal house, but I'm sure it is a dream house to some people. I have everything I could ever want. Sure I would rather be shopping at Pottery Barn or Express instead of Target, but who really cares? At the end of the day the only things that matter are my family and my friends and I could not ask for better ones. For now (because age 3 hasn't hit our house), my son is the ideal child. I always say that, but I am not kidding. Every day with his is better than the day before and this kid sleeps through the night, can play by himself, is sweet and gentle and most of the time does what he is told. He's my everything and it doesn't matter what brand of shoes he's wearing. He doesn't care and I shouldn't either.
My husband and I have worked hard to make our marriage what it is today and it truly only gets better. I told him on our anniversary that I love him more today than I did the day we got married. My close girlfriends know this to be true! We have a great partnership and we have fun together. I love that he listens to me about certain topics that I feel strongly about and I am slowly learning to listen to him because yes, he sometimes knows more than me (that was harder than you'll ever know:). He's really good at complimenting my cooking, my mothering, my hobbies and how I do my job. When I look at us as a couple, I really do think we are stronger together and each day we are together does get better and better.
My family and friends have always had my back 100%. I could not ask for better people to surround me with their love and support. Mom, Dad, Amy and Jim, you guys are amazing and I love you! To my girlfriends, you all are my soul mates. Maybe I'm watching too much Sex and the City on CBS because that is what Carrie just said about her girlfriends, but it's true. I can call any of you anytime and I know you would be there to hold my hand or make me laugh and I love that.
So to make a long story longer. I just had a realization today that I am very blessed and I knew that before, but it really profoundly hit me today. I live the ideal life for me. I may drive a Honda, still have the same furniture I got when I moved out of my college apartment and buy my clothes off the sale rack, but I have more than money or material possessions could ever buy me and I need to look at that every day and realize that no matter how crappy my work day was, how I need that power nap, how that jerk cut me off or how I can't get my to-do list done, none of it matters and I need to look at what does. Oh yes, this is not a declaration that I will never have a bad day again. It is just saying that I will be trying to stop, slow down and realize there are other more important things to focus on. I challenge you to try it today! It makes the sun shine a little brighter:).

PS- If there are typos in this post, please excuse, no time to proof because it's make-your-own pizza night!