I love my kids!

Tonight I'm thanking God for my great kids. I've been trying to climb out of this valley the last few days, unable to concentrate on anything but how much I don't like this life without Todd, and I remembered a good friend telling me how I need to count my blessings. God has blessed me with six great kids.

I thank God for my eighteen year old, who is having a great start to his second semester of college. He stands up for what is right, encourages good behavior, and reminds me often that "it's all about God, Mom, not us."

I thank God for my sixteen year old, who is a junior in highschool and has been such a huge help around the house fixing things, replacing light bulbs, and even repairing his younger sisters' toys.

I thank God for my daughters as well. Our little girls seem suddenly so grown up. They take on responsibilities of helping to take care of their younger siblings, they help me a lot around the house, they love each other (not without their squabbles) and are always playing games together, and they keep me laughing and smiling. Tonight Toby (four years old) told me she wanted to be a gladiator when she grew up (we were watching American Gladiators and she loves "The Wolf"...btw, go Toni! Did anyone see that awesome older-than-me Mom take on that 26 yr old cheerleader and BEAT her?? Yes! It inspired me to get in shape and try out for the show!! I could take those gladiators!); my kids got a good laugh tonight at my dreams. They're so encouraging, laughing at my probable heart attack and/or embarrassing failure. Thanks kids. I'll show them one day...you would think they would have more confidence in their Mom, who can STILL beat them in basketball!

Anyway, back to what I was writing about: I love my kids (even when they laugh at me). My kids keep me moving. God has used each one to help me get out of bed each day and give me many reasons to push forward. I often wonder where I would be without them.

Thank you, God, for my wonderful children. I love them so much.

[About the picture above: I don't like that picture...we're missing a huge part of our family and it just doesn't look right without Todd in that picture. But we did our best to make him present there. Toby is holding Daddy's teddy bear, the girls are wearing jewelry given to them from Todd, and the boys are each wearing one of Dad's ties.]