Insert Smile

Sometimes I really can't believe how blessed we are.  And I have a hard time understanding folks who don't think there's a God out there guiding our everyday lives.  I see Him in everything I look at and experience.  Cool.  I love the way things in life have a way of working out for the better even if the goodness of the beginning, middle, and end are hard to see.

Recently Tim and I made two very important purchases.  The first one we call Screamer and the second we call Spitter; otherwise known as Kota and Micah.  Although, Micah may soon be called Scritter since she's gotten pretty dang good at yelling her lungs out.  These girls were pricey little things, and although Tim sometimes says he'd like to get our money back, we love them like mad.

Since I've been home on maternity, I've learned patience.  Well, I stand corrected.  I've been given chances every hour of each day to learn patience.  I'm getting better.  I think patience must be one of my life's missions.  Seriously.  I've had to be patient with almost everything good in my life.  This summer with these chicas has been extremely difficult for me.  I haven't really wanted to hurt the babies as much as I've wanted to hurt myself.  Ha.  Seriously, though.  Maybe if they'd smile at me it'd be easier.  I swear they smile for others more than their own mother.  My boss says they scream the most where the feel the safest.  Let your colors shine sort-of-thing, where you know trust and love are unconditional.  I believe this but not as much as I believe they're the biggest trial of patience I've been given and it's to make me a better person.  I sing for patience and I get it; I pray for patience and I get it; I cry for patience and I get it. And I've been reminded that the very best things in life require me to sit back, breathe, and draw closer to Christ. Duh.  Why is this so hard to remember?

I'm not really a Bible reader.  The BOM, sure, but the Old Testament is hard for me.  It's just so... something indescribable.   But, there's a scripture I love and will always remember; Micah 7:7-8.  Not irony that Micah's name is Micah.  I chose that name.  The scripture says: "Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.  Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me."  This reminds me of patience.


I got promoted this summer.  While I was on maternity leave. An 11% raise, and doing the same job I've really gotten to love and appreciate.  And it came with eight weeks of back pay.  Tim's finally secure in a job he likes, with bosses that treat him like family, and advantages that supercede most other work he's had.  Since January, we've paid off our debt except for the said screamers and my student loans.  And managed to save over 6K just since June. I don't know how.  Last Saturday our awesome neighbors bought the third vehicle we don't really need.  So today we paid off our car, and just in time to learn the bank approved an offer we have on a house!  Financing was partly contingent upon the car payment being gone.  Awesome timing.  Divine, really.  Really.  Hopefully it works out but if not it's for something better, and then patience returns.

Last week our above mentioned neighbors offered to take the babies for a bit while I went to the temple. I don't think they had fun (well, I'm certain of it), but they were so willing to give me this time.  Embarrassingly, it had been almost 10 months.  It was sweet.  A bit sad to say, I did not think of the babies once while I was gone but had this very renewed perspective of life when I left.  I was reminded that He pretty much is everywhere, throwing blessings in my face and reminding me to be cool.

Insert smile for all the sweet things that happen in life.

As a reward for making it this far into the above novel, here's something else to smile at.  

I guess they don't always scream or puke down my shirt.