Last week I didn’t have a Gratitude Post due to my father-in-law being hospitalized unexpectedly. It has been a long week for our family with ups and downs. As I am writing this we still do not have all of the answers we are looking for, but we will soon. We have been blessed with wonderful doctors that have taken every measure to make sure that he makes a full recovery and that we eliminate the possibility of cancer and he can COME HOME! Prayers welcome!

In addition to spending many hours this past week at the hospital, the stomach flu made a round at our house. Six of the eight of us caught it and BOY was it terrible! I can’t remember a time when I felt so miserable….thankfully; we are all well now and back to our normal routines.

I was sitting at the table during homework time surrounded by the kids. I was helping Payton with her Spanish and my husband was helping Caden with his spelling. I looked out at our field of alfalfa behind our house and thought to myself how much I love that view. I also thought how much I love the people surrounding me right now! It reminded me of the Lone Star song, “Front Porch Lookin’ In”…

The only ground I ever owned was sticking to my shoes
Now I look at my front porch and this panoramic view
I can sit and watch the fields fill up
With rays of glowing sun
Or watch the moon lay on the fences
Like that’s where it was hung
My blessings are in front of me
It’s not about the land
I’ll never beat the view
From my front porch looking in

I am so grateful for my family. My mother and father-in-law are very special to me, we are close….real close. I love how excited my kids get when they see them, even if they had just been with them the day before 😉 This special blessing has been heavy on my heart this past week and it has reminded me of how important it is to cherish all life has to offer.

During our sick days at home my daughter and I were watching HGTV and oohing and awing over the lavish homes on Million Dollar Rooms. Some were nice, some were amazing and some were just plain weird! As I sat at my kitchen table surrounded by a few of my favorite people I thought to myself how truly blessed we are with our simple little life. It is easy to dream and wish for more, but I truly believe that if you are not grateful for the gifts you are given, you will not ever receive more than you have.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
— Oprah Winfrey

So, as we do each night we will thank God for the MANY blessings and special people in our lives and we will pray to be a blessing to others each and every day. Look around you today and be grateful for every breath, every tear, and every warm embrace.