I'm not lucky, but I'm blessed

I am not a lucky person. I very rarely have won any type of raffle or contest. When I do something nice, it tends to backfires. (ie the snow shoveling incident of '08 when I was trying to be helpful to my husband and I fell on my tush and hurt for about 5 months). I have come to expect the worst in life because it seems that I've just had a lot of that.

But when I take my eyes off my fat self for just a few minutes and look at what I have and not what I don't have I can see the blessings of my life.

Although I have an overweight body, I have a body that works generally well for the most part with good blood pressure and cholesterol and free of cancer.

Although I have a husband who frustrates me, I have a husband who works hard so I can stay at home with my children, who allows me to go away for weekends and takes care of the children. Who does help with household chores when I ask him to. Who plays board games with me when I want (even if he doesn't like the particular game)

Although I want to pull my hair out of my head with my children often, I have two beautiful, smart children who express themselves well (sometimes TOO well) who know how to pray to God even at a young age, who find joy in simple toys like squishy lizards and frogs and who love to be read to. Who will cuddle at a moments notice and who make me laugh like no comedien on earth.

Although I have some friendships that hurt more than they help, I have some friends who are the bees knees. Who I can call for stupid things like the sounds coming from my dishwasher and who I can call in tears because I am discouraged. Ones who pray with me and for me. Ones who sing Bon Jovi in the back of a church van coming home from a conference.

Although our house needs some updating that is somewhat infested with ladybugs, I have a house on an acre of wooded land, with hundred year old oaks with so many bird friends we can't even count. We live next to another five year old who will start Kindergarten in the fall and are surrounded by nurses (in case some unlucky should happen)

Although I have a painful past, I have a hopeful future. Who I am at this moment doesn't have to define me. Who I have been doesn't have to define me. My past does not define me. This is truth I need to keep reminding myself of.

Here's some photos of our St. Patrick's day celebration. I don't need luck. I'm already blessed.