Silver Linings and Munchkins

I admit my last post was pretty negative. If it didn't help me catalog my life, I'd delete it. But I need to take the bad and good together. But in spite of my negative outlook yesterday, I am a very blessed person. I have two great kids. I mean, they really are pretty awesome. Ethan has always been a great sleeper. He takes naps for me and stays in his bed all night long. Occasionally, bedtime can be challenging, but overall, he really does well. Riley is a great sleeper, too. I have so many girlfriends who still have infants and toddlers who won't/can't sleep all through the night or by themselves. I think it's wonderful that my friends can take their kids to bed with them and snuggle and it not bother them. I can't sleep in the same room with Ethan or Riley. It keeps me awake, so I've always kept them in their own rooms. From about five weeks until now, Riley has been in her crib. Charlie's and my bedroom is ours. We sleep and have sex in there. Our children have no business sleeping with us. But that's just our personal mantra. It seems to work though. It wasn't easy getting to it. I didn't just happen to have two kids who are great sleepers. It took repitition and work. LOTS of work. But now they both are doing really well and I'm lucky I have time to myself after they are in their beds. It makes a difference to have a well-rested mommy.

I am lucky to have enough money to pay our bills every month and really not have to worry about crunching numbers. Charlie does that in his spare time just for fun, but we don't have to worry about where the money to fix the car or patch a leak in the roof comes from. It's definitely a blessing to have married a man who is so good at saving and investing. He's rubbed off a lot on me in that way. Of course I still don't check prices on groceries and such. If I need it, I buy it. I'm not a bargain hunter. I'm sure Charlie wishes I were, but small steps. I'm starting to use coupons, at least!

I have a great family/friend support system. I can't say I've always made the right choices when it came to friends, but I think I have a great group of girls around me now. My extended family is always so great and upbeat. We all get along really well, and I'm sure having God at the center of the whole family is key in this.

I have the luxury to stay at home with my kids. Some days I can climb the walls, but I really do love staying home with them. It's a learning process for me. I definitely think I'm more patient with Riley than I am with Ethan. But he'll be in preschool next year, so I keep trying to tell myself to enjoy him while I have him. He'll be an adult longer than he'll be a child. :(

I have my health. There are a few things here and there that I wish would change. My skin being the number one thing, but until I find a dermatologist, allergist, endocrinologist, etc who can diagnose me, I will have to live with it. But in the grand scheme of things, the Pauls are healthy. We don't have any congenital birth defects challenging our every day life, we don't have to deal with special diet restrictions, nor do we have an physical disabilities. Of course, this can change in an instant, so I need to focus on all four of us having our health. With a husband at war, the chance of him getting injured or losing appendages is always a possibility.

So I just wanted to remind myself that there are always things to be thankful for. And even if I'm not in the holiday spirit, I need to remember how blessed our family really is.