Blessings and Riches

This month my husband and I will celebrate our 14th anniversary. It seems like the time has gone much faster than I would have liked! Our first child turned 13 this year and I am not feeling like a young mother anymore! With this anniversary and my 40th birthday coming up I have spent a lot of time reflecting. This is the first birthday I have dreaded. I have prayed that Heavenly Father might bless me with a different way of looking at this mile marker birthday and here is what I have come up with.

When I turned thirty It was a joyful time. It seemed like I had everything I could have hoped for from life all at a young age. I married a wonderful man who has made life a joy for me. He is a wonderful father who has supported us in a way that has allowed me to be home with our children and also to home school. I truly enjoy his company I and have loved our 14 years together. We also had our 3rd child at this time and we were overjoyed with our growing family.

The next ten years flew by. We have had difficult things to deal with. Health scares with our children, Ken deals with the constant pressure of providing for a large family and I've wondered about my abilities as a mother at times! We have also had extended family that have had times so difficult it has made our hearts ache and kept us up a night. But at the same time I have looked back and seen God's imprint in every part of life.

I wake up with some aches and pains that remind me that I'm not heading in the direction of youth, but at the same time I wake up to another day with my  incredible children in our home, learning and doing wonderful things. The sinks might leak and the house may be small  but we have more than money can by. I may have a constant layer of clutter to pick up, but it also shows we have a busy family who are alive and well!  The other day my 13 year old told me that she knows who she is and never wishes to be anyone else. That was music to a mother's heart. Slowly I have realized that the years have given much more than they have taken away. I couldn't ask for more from life than I have received! I treasure the gospel and the blessings it gives us each day. I love my husband and considering him a gift form the heavens. I feel honored to have the children I have and love being with them and having them in our home each day. Maybe 40 won't be so bad. Maybe I can turn 40 gracefully knowing life continues to go on.

Happy Anniversary to my awesome husband! Thank you for making me the richest woman in the world!!!   And thank you for saying you will love me in my old age :)