When you're smiling.....

you know that you have a lot to be thankful for in your life. Not that everything in your life is going absolutely perfect, but that you can take a minute to look around at the things you have done, are doing, and are about to do, and just be thankful for the fact that God has blessed your life in so many ways.



After Monday and Tuesday of last week, I came home from Logan in somewhat of a stupor for the fact that the work and time I had put into the last two years had come to and end. I am happy that I decided three years ago that I would continue on in school and get a masters, even though I knew it was going to be hard, hard work, and even though after my first semester I didn't know if I was going to make it through the entire program. But, I stuck it out, and in the end I have realized how blessed I am that God has given me the ability to have the brain I have, to learn at an extended level past a high school education, and that He also gave me a great job to help me pay for school, great friends and family who supported me through the tough times, and a fiance' who has been nothing less than patient with me through the most grueling of assignments. And he even paid attention when I rambled on about class topics that were obviously of no interest to him, but he lent an ear anyway.



So now I am homework and paper free, and it could not have come at a better time. It has been in the works that my best friend, her husband, and their now three week old baby would be making a trip from Washington down here to Utah this weekend for a bridal shower. My mom is also here, and my dad and his wife Karen even decided to come out this weekend to spend some time with family and for Karen to come to the shower.
I cannot imagine what my life would be like without these wonderful, supportive and caring family members in my life, and feel so blessed that God has placed me in the family that I have and given me the friends I know and love so much.



Meeting Madison for the first time was nothing short of wonderful, she is a delicate, sweet, calm and enjoyable baby to be around. Yes she fusses a little, but only if she wants to be fed or maybe needs that stinky diaper changed. She spent all day with us (me, my mom, and Amy) yesterday and most of the time you would never know that there was a little baby in that car seat, and yet when you look into those eyes you know that there is a beautiful person in there waiting to be held and loved on, like we all so willingly love to do.



We spent yesterday enjoying each other's company, running errands, planning surprises, and getting trial runs done of the wedding hair, make-up, flowers, the works. It was so much fun. Sometimes, you just need to be a girl and it really helps you to feel pretty. That you really are the beauty of God's creation and that you are wonderfully made in His image and are nothing short of His best.



This weekend I will most likely be spoiled beyond imagine with a shower that Amy has planned and put together from over 800 miles away. I am so thankful that I have a friend like her that is gracious and willing to do these kinds of things for her friends, she truly is amazing. I am also so blessed that my mom gets to be there despite her own personal struggles and situations in life right now. She is an amazing mom and I know that God has blessed me with her greatly. I am also so glad that my dad and his wife made it out and will be able to share some time with us over the weekend as well, getting know Chas a little bit more, and hopefully just enjoying some good food and beverage together and relaxing.



One thing that I have been thinking about since Amy and John have been here for the last day and a half is that little baby of theirs. Though I have not spent much time with Madison since she has arrived, just spending the little time that I have with here these past couple days has really made me think about a lot of things. Most people know that I am a pretty content and happy person, and I know that God plans things for a reason at the seasons in our lives when he knows we are ready. And I know that should Chas and I never end up having children of our own that it would not mean because we weren't good enough to be parents, or that because we don't have children that we are whole people. But I do know that being around a baby just makes you think. You think about all the work that goes into that little person, and how dependent they are on your for every single need. And, I think that in my perspective of God and his relationship with us, that we should strive to understand just how dependent we SHOULD be on Him, for most things in our live. Babies are beautiful and wonderful, and as I spend time with this little sweet pea I can't help but think how incredible it would be, some day, when we are "ready", to have one of our own. Some day. Read it people, not in the next year, or even two or three years. God gives us so many blessings in our lives, that I can't help but just stop and thank Him for all that he has given, and possibly will give me, in my years of life to come.