Life is pretty beautiful

Lately I'm really feeling it.  Loving life.  Enjoying the moments.  Happy.  Shrugging off the small stuff and embracing the little moments that put together create a bigger feeling of  happiness and love.  Our house is a happy place these days and I love being there and spending time with, or even just listening to my family interact with one another.

I've stopped putting so much pressure on myself about things.  The laundry isn't caught up (often), the house isn't perfectly clean.  I don't host as many get togethers as I'd like.  But I lay in bed with my girls and snuggle all the time.  They sit on my lap and rock with me.  Betsy tells me about her day, and who she played with, and if playing inside or outside was more fun.  Every day when all of us get home we sing the Bralley family song and have a little circle where we take turns dancing in the middle. 

Ben and I hang out most nights together.  He does things for me that make me happy without my asking.  I think he enjoys seeing my joy.  And I feel the same way for him.  One of my favorite parts of the day is talking about our day "What cute things did your kids do today?" we ask each other. 

Sound cheesy?  It is.  We are a cheese loving family.

I'm so happy December is back, and while everyone else just celebrated Thanksgiving with 30 days of Thanks, I feel like for me that belongs in this month.  Because December last year God gave me the greatest blessing in the form of a scary medical condition.  A medical condition that forced me to slow down, change my life, and in the process showed me what's really important.

So I'm a wee bit late, but I'll share here.  My 31 days of thanks!

Day 1- I'm thankful for my struggles.  I'm thankful for my Pseudo Tumor Cerebri.  I'm thankful for God's plan in my life.  I'm thankful that God gave me the opportunities to rely on him this year for my strength, because all things can be done with God holding me up.  I'm thankful for the trips to the doctor's office because seeing small children being treated in the same facility's I was reminded me that my problems are small.  But God is big. 

Day 2- I'm thankful for my HusBen.  I say sometimes that Ben is a saint, but he's not.  He's a better combination of my BFF, my partner in marriage and parenting.  He's a wonderful example of what a friend should be, and how a father should act.  I'm thankful that my daughters adore their father and that he has certain things that HE does with them every day.  I'm thankful for God giving me such a wonderful partner.  I would have asked that God gave him better taste in movies but I'll take him with his flaw too I guess.

Day 3- In honor of her birthday today, I am thankful for ELLA!  My baby.  She's a sweet and happy girl and is showing more of her personality.  She loves to sit in my lap and nuzzle her head under my chin.  She likes to give kisses, and hugs. She wants to be EXACTLY like her big sister.  She will not leave a table if there is more food to be consumed.  I'm thankful for the beautiful two years I've had with Ella Coy.

I'll be back tomorrow with more thanks :)