Each & Every Day

CHERISH

This is our family word for the year.

It only took us til February to decide.

Better late than never.

Why this word?

For many reasons.

First and foremost, we plan on Cherishing every moment we have together. We don't want anything to slip by and have regrets that we didn't make it the best day possible. We want to smile more, love more, help more, serve more, dream more, cherish each moment more.

More More More.

We have had several "wake up" calls over the past year or two that have made our family realize that we need to cherish each other more. We need to live life to its fullest.

Our recent "wake up" call was hearing that Parker's friend Dax is back in the hospital. The doctors have found another brain tumor. The chemo that he has been doing didn't work. We are all heart broken. Our prayers go out to Dax and his sweet family. Our hearts our so heavy to hear this news. During family and personal prayer last night, Parker prayed for his friend. He cried this morning before school wondering if Dax had enough in him to get through more chemo, more brain surgery, more therapy....I told Parker that all we could do was pray and have lots of Faith. Parker turned to me and said, "I have faith, but my heart is still sad." I looked at this sweet little 8 year old boy of mine and thought to myself, "I am one lucky mommy."

This is such a learning experience for my children. They are confused and sad. They don't understand why little kids get sick, they think just adults get sick. We have had many talks about being positive, having faith, saying prayers, showing gratitude and love to everyone you care about.

I think though, that this has been a really big wake up call for me. I woke up this morning feeling like I needed to start over. I needed to realize what matters most, what I cherish most in my life.My little family may not have it "all" , whatever "all" is. But, we have enough.

We have enough to make us happy. But there is one thing we could work on and get more of and that is LOVE. We need to cherish each other and LOVE one another deeply from the heart.

I cherish my life.....

I am thankful for a husband that is giving and loving. We have had our struggles, but what couple doesn't. But we love each other enough to work through our difficulties and come out better on the other side. We LOVE each other, We cherish our marriage. We will work on it daily to make it better.

I am grateful that I am a mother. Some days are difficult, almost unbearable. But, I have to remember what a wise man named John L. told me...you chose to have these babies. You chose to be their mother. You chose them. You gave them life. They are your gift from our Heavenly Father. They are YOURS for only a short time. Cherish them.

He was right, they are mine. They will only be little for a short time, my attitude, my actions will influence them daily. I need to choose what our days will be like. Do I want my children to know I cherish my life...YES! Than I need to act like it. I am their example, I am the one they go to for love, to learn and to grow.

I am thankful for my body. It may not be perfect in my eyes, but it is perfect in my Heavenly Fathers eyes. I am thankful for hands that can tickle my baby, can make dinner, fold laundry, squeeze chubby cheeks, craft the night away, hold my husbands hand. I am thankful for eyes that can see my loved ones, watch my children dance, read a book. I am thankful for ears that can hear my children laugh, that get to receive whispers about princesses and legos, that get to hear the words "I love you."

I will cherish this body that I have and be grateful that it is mine.

I am so very thankful for family and friends....for good parents who love no matter. For in laws who are like my second set of parents and also show so much love. For my Nana who is wonderful and beautiful inside and out. For siblings and sibling in-laws who are funny, kind and always make me smile. For my nieces and nephews who are so precious and special. For my girlfriends who are always caring and make me laugh. I cherish these relationships, each and every one.

I have told myself that it doesn't matter if the laundry gets done, if the house is vacuumed, if we have dusted, if the dishes are cleaned...what matters is that I didn't waste a moment. I stopped doing a chore or paying a bill to dance with my daughter in the kitchen, to build a lego dinosaur with my son, to cuddle my baby when she needs some mommy time, to kiss my husband so he knows how much I love him. Those are the moments that matter.

This is why I am here. To Cherish these times, to not regret any time I have here with this sweet little family of mine.

Because they are mine, all mine.

Oh how lucky I am.

Find this print, here.

To help Dax and his family, click here.