Count Your Blessings

I love the hymns of faith. Call me sentimental, but they speak to my heart so often. This one has been ringing in my ears this week. So... I'm taking a pause from the way too many details of life and counting the blessings of the past week.

1. My wonderful husband who calls often to see if I need him to come home and has the flexibility in his work to do so.
2. Swine flu - because of it, children are currently banned from the hospital, so they were not with us when we received the difficult news "spina bifida."
3. Rebecca who stayed with our kids that day, which ended up being a LOT longer than any of us expected AND she mopped and vacuumed all our floors not knowing our whole world was being shaken. I've been so thankful this week that at least my floors are clean.
4. Carla (who lives with us) who watched our kids so Kevin and I could take a walk and procss that first day AND who has also volunteered to clean our bathrooms!
5. Trina who came and stayed with all our kids during amnio and helped with their school work.
6. Lisa who came and stayed with us after amnio and helped with dinner, dishes and bedtime.
7. Jesse and Melinda who took our kids out for Coldstone so I could rest after the amnio AND filled the van up with gas. I cried tears of joy at having gas in the van the next time I had to go somewhere.
8. Our kids who are so excited about their new baby sister and don't really care what special needs she will have. They are looking forward to the likelihood she'll be in a wheelchair and get them to the front of the amusement park lines! Elizabeth has already rearranged the girls room so they can fit her crib.
9. The MANY friends and family who have encouraged us with their prayers, words, email, phone calls and love. We wouldn't know what to do without you.
10. For the Lord who helps us to "keep on singing."

Count Your Blessings
Ephesians 1:3

Words by Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1856-1922
Music by Edwin O. Excell, 1851-1921

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.