Counting My Blessings

Well the holiday has come and gone, and I have felt grateful for so many things. The most apparent thig that I am grateful for is to have the chance to help a family in the community out by our being foster parents. It is not easy, but I know that these kids need the love and structure we have to give them. Even as I discover that the proverbial "honeymoon" is over, it is helpful to realize the true reason why we are doing this. It is also a great way for Nathan and I to realize our weaknesses as parents, and hopefully will be able to improve upon them before we get to adopt the little angel that will one day be ours. That is the other thing that I am so grateful for this year -- being approved to adopt through LDS Family Services. It has been a process of about two years, but our file is now available as the various Service Centers and will be online as well. (So if you know of anyone looking to adopt out a newborn, pass our name along.) This process hsn't been easy, and we know that becoming parents will be difficult as well as rewarding. If there is ne thing that being a fosster parent has opened my eyes to, it is that parenting is a lot more work than I expected. Especially when both parents are working. My parents raised me to be a classic stay-at-home mom, and not being able to be with these children feels like I am working against the grain. But I was also raised to do what I have to do whatever the situation calls for. I am extremely grateful for my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that without that, I would be making even bigger mistakes than I do now. I am grateful for modern prophets and for their counsel. Our Heavenly Father knows that soociety changes and we need constant direction and correction to keep us on the straight and narrow. I am grateful for my husband, and for the Lord helping us keep our marriage together. He is so helpful with the children, and the housework that I cannot get to. He is also a lot better at getting all the paperwork done that needs to get done. I am grateful to both of our families and the help that they offer to us. We are truly blessed. Now the Christmas season begins! We put up the decorations last night. The kids were so excited to be able to help trim the tree. The kids are going to be greatly blessed as well -- three different organizations picked them to do Sub-For-Santa to. This has been an enormous blessing since we got a month behind on our bills (thanks to them being misplaced). We should be all caught up now, so hopefully things will improve financially. But we couldn't afford more than stocking stuffers and a couple gifts under the tree because of it. We also have Kjerstin's birthday to plan for still on December 21st. I got most of Jaden's birthday gifts from the dollar store, and I think I am going to have to do the same for her. I don't feel all that guilty about it, Jaden hardly touches his toys. Just another thing I am learning about children. Better go -- this has gotten pretty long! Take care of each other and keep in touch! Merry Christmas!