Things I've learned

First moment I saw her. 

I am thankful every day for the precious gifts God has given me. I like to think that in that moment all of heaven was smiling.  Life is so precious. He has been teaching me so much about that. I have a lot of pictures like this with my 3 kids. That moment when your whole life changes in an instant.  It doesn't matter if it's your 1st or your 6th. They all change you. They change your schedule, your trips to walmart, your 9am wakeup time, your body, your passions, your temper, your faith, your fears and your ideas of what you thought life would be like.  Always for the better...although I have seen some things come out in me that I didn't really like. 

My faith has been stretched so much in the past 9 years. I guess 3 kids will do that to you.  It's a  beautiful experience that can be hard, tiring and challenging.  A tired mommy and daddy makes for a cranky & snippy wife and husband.  Each are such a gift and joy to our lives, but I've learned that through them He will test my faith and show me what it means to be selfless.  Learning to live on a tight budget forces us to be faithful with what we have, but even more so to trust God with what we don't have.  Having a family has forced me to look outside myself.  To think about others and not myself. 

This picture is humbling for me because of it's reminder that God uses everything to bring us closer to him.  On so many different levels I love this picture. 

Thankful for life changing moments.