We all struggle from time to time...

So here's the thing. I get that life isn't all sunshine and butterflies. No one ever expects to have things 100% perfect all the time. I've spent the past 2 weeks seemlingly only hearing/seeing/feeling all these negativities. It all came to a head a few days ago, but after a conversation with my husband (and another with a great friend), I was able to get some perspective and thankfully they helped me to realize that aside from all the baloney, I have so much to be thankful for. So while not everyone has an "ideal" situation, I believe that it is up to individuals (and only them) to create their own ideal situation. Being thankful for something....for anything....is so important. Being thankful should be like loving, unconditional. Entitlement is an ugly word, in my opinion. And it seems the biggest takers do the least amount of contributing. Negativity, as I've most recently learned, can fester like a nasty blister and have a dramatic affect on so many people. So sad really.
I took the girls to the aquatic center, and once we arrive Brooklyn and Bella are off and swimming, playing, diving, and sliding. Occassionally they come by me and say "watch this...watch me swim...watch me do a flip off the diving board..." The little ones still stay near me, Bradyn acts like she owns the place wanting to be independant and explore everything, and Brieyn is finally comfortable to where she will play without having to hold my hand the whole time. On the way home, as the kids sat exhausted in their seats, I was thinking about how thankful I am to have such wonderful daughters. Brooklyn is fearless in the water, and I cannot believe she is now doing front flips off of the diving board (she even showed up a 30 year old male friend of ours while she was there!). She is growing into quite the independant little thing! Bella isn't quite as adventerous, but is still swimming all over the place. She usually ends up making at least 1 new friend at the pool each time we go. She is so kind to others! Brieyn was freaked the first time we went to the pool, but yesterday when we went she was laying, swimming, flopping all over the place. She is good about staying with me as I have to hold Bradyn's hand, but will find ways to entertain herself while she's there. She's so adorable and has a twinkle in her eye that you can't help but love about her. Bradyn is very comfortable in water, for only being 14 months old. She will hold my hand, but only does it to humor me, I think. She'd rather I just let go of her, and let her walk, and climb, and explore all of the toys and wonderful parts of the pool. She does good for about 30 minutes, then wants out to warm up. She's growing up before our very eyes, and it's adorable how she manages to do all this water exploration while still sucking her thumb!
So, aside from daily "inconveniences" in my plan, I do have so much to be thankful for, and I am! I have an amazing husband, 4 beautiful children, and a great life. Instead of dwelling on the irritations, I'm going to regain my focus on the positives in my life and all of the hard work and it's taken Derek and I to get to where we are now. We will continue to work hard to give our children all they need, and hopefully raise them to strive for the best and know how to work to achieve that. I hope they listen to our teachings, and the direction we are giving them to be the star in their own lives. I'm confident, so far, and we've done our part to encourage our children to always work hard, and eventually become contributing, happy adults. But for now, I'm just going to enjoy watching them grow on a daily basis....and be thankful (unconditionally) that I was blessed with such great kids!