Grateful

I was laying on the couch last night after a long, tiring day of work (which gave me a headache), a short run on the treadmill (which took away my headache), and a delicious dinner of turkey burgers made by my awesome chef of a husband. Taylor was sitting on my tummy, playing quietly (which is rare) with a teething ring and giving me the cutest little jack-o-lantern smiles you can imagine (she's got eight teeth now, some more grown in than others, so she often looks pretty goofy).

And I was thinking.

Lately, I've been feeling sorry for myself. Sorry for myself because I am not a full-time mommy and housewife, as I've always dreamed of being at this stage in my life. I've been thinking about how hard it is to work full-time and still be a good mom, wife, and housekeeper. It's near impossible so, most days, this perfectionistic mommy feels like a big failure.

However, I've been given three very timely reminders that what I have right now is pretty amazing and special and I should feel immensely grateful, despite the challenges involved.

Reminder #1: A friend of mine recently discovered that the child she is pregnant with has serious deformities. Doctors believe the child will probably die at birth. She and her husband are devastated, but leaning on the support of loved ones.

I have a perfectly healthy baby girl without a single flaw in her little body.

I feel grateful.

Reminder #2: I recently rediscovered the blog of a local mother of four, Stephanie Nielsen. Stephanie and her husband were in a plane crash just over a year ago that nearly took their lives (see full story here). Stephanie now lives with a body that will never quite recover from the burns she sustained over 80% of her body. Her daily victories include opening a jar of peanut butter to make lunch for her kids and showering without crying out in pain. She is still unable to pick up and hold her children.

I may be away from Taylor all day long, but when I do see her, I have the ability to pick her up and hold her as long as I want.

I feel grateful.

Reminder #3: A very dear friend that I've known a very long time recently lost her 5 month old baby boy in a tragic and unexpected accident. There was no warning, no chance to prepare for his loss. She is absolutely heartbroken.

Taylor is very much alive and well. What a gift.

I feel grateful.

Even though our trials may seem to be more than we can bear at times, there is always someone out there who is struggling with something more difficult. I took a moment and stepped outside of myself and my own worries and discovered I have a lot to be grateful for.

So who feels sorry for me now? Certainly not me.