Everyday blessings...

This past week I was given many opportunities to count my blessings. I'm not gonna talk about it all, mostly because I don't want to dwell on the negative, but here are a few things I am thankful for this week...

I am thankful for gainful employment...For Ben's Job(s) as well as my job that allows me to help bring in a small amount of income while working from home. Even though it has lots of surprises and tricky things to deal with, and LOTS of up and downs I am SO thankful that I am able to contribute to our income as well as stay home with my boys.

I am thankful for reliable transportation...This last week our thermostat went out in the car and it kept over heating. I would have to drive with the heater on and with the windows down when it was 115 degrees outside and then the very next day the battery died. I am now more aware then ever how lucky I am to have a running vehicle that even has air conditioning.

I am thankful for good friends...After running some errands in the above mentioned conditions and with two grumpy children, I stopped by my friends house (who is also my boss) to report on what I had done that day for the business. They had company so I was just going to make it quick when my dear friend Brooke asked. "Are you ok?"  I was so tired and hot and exhausted and worried about the car and how much it was going to cost that I just broke down and started to cry and I had to leave. A little later my boss called and asked me to come back to his house. He then proceeded to make the necessary calls and get the necessary parts and he fixed my car. AND he paid for the part. Thank you Dave. You are great. And thank you Brooke for being there for me.

I am thankful for home teachers who act upon their promptings...Both boys had been up several times each, every night last week. Jackson because of a virus and Dylan because of teething. Dylan had not let me put him down all day and refused to take any naps. The house was a disaster because this was the third day of very little sleep and 2 very needy children. I had just found out that Ben was going to be working late (AGAIN) and I was at my wits end. When all of a sudden....I see the hometeachers coming up to the house. UGH! I was horrified! I was in grubby clothes, no make-up and my hair was a disaster, the baby was screaming his head off because i had set him down to pick up some of the laundry, and Jackson is in his underwear answering the door. But Of course, I let them in and apologized profusly for the condition of my home. When one of them asked..."so how are you guys doing?" and I lost it. I began crying my eyes out about how the week had gone with the business and with the car and with the kids. Thirty minutes later Ben arrived home and saved them, from me and my blubbering. Brother Davenport who lives just across the way from us TOLD us he and his wife were going to keep the boys while we ran and got a new battery and so we could also steal a few minutes for ourselves. He and his wife probably don't even know how incredibly grateful I am to them for that hour break. It doesn't sound like much but at that moment their small act of kindness meant the world to me and gave me just the little boost of energy I was needing to get through the rest of the evening.

I am also thankful for my Children who are usually pretty healthy and happy. I'm thankful for my husband who steps in when he gets home from work and recongnizes when I've had a rough day. I'm thankful for the many prayers that I have felt on my behalf lately. What an incredible thing it is to be able to FEEL the prayers of others for you. I'm thankful for jackson's million questions each day and for Dylan's sweet smile that always reminds me that its all going to be ok.

I have so many "everyday" blessings that I forget to recognize and though I'm not grateful at the time, I am grateful now for the opportunity to look back on days like last week and know that Heavenly Father loves me.