the Kristen carol: feeling blessed

Before the fireworks show even started I got teary. Sitting there with so much family and friends in my town that I love. My little girl on my lap. Thinking of my grandfathers who have served our country. There are times when I realize my life is perfect. I have everything I have ever wanted. I am surrounded by love and blessings and opportunities for more love and more growth.

I just feel so blessed.

Let me count the ways.

I feel blessed because my AnnaKate has opportunities and teachers and church leaders that are helping her discover her talents, and the true desires of her heart. Above is her acting teacher. She is growing into herself and growing out of childish ways that only hold her back.

I feel blessed to be a witness to this beautiful girl's life.

She looks older and more feminine and lovely every day.

She was in a play in May.

Thoroughly Modern Millie.

There she was, singing and dancing and shining like a star from heaven!

She will start her last year of junior high in the fall.

Time is moving fast for her and me.

I hope I'm teaching her what she needs to know. She is so wise and good she is practically raising herself.

I feel blessed that my kids get to do so many of the things I got to do as a kid and so many other things that I would have loved to do. It's wonderful to see the American dream still exists even though our world can be so crazy.

I feel blessed because I can send my children to school down the street with great friends and teachers.

Here my twins are in their Kindergarten graduation program.

They are just so sweet.

AnnaKate is moving on to junior high. She seems too small and young. It is so exciting and a little scary to watch my children grow up.

Last day of school joy!

So many cousins on both sides of the family.

Here they are with my side of the family. We had a surprise birthday party for my sister's daughter at my house. It fills my heart up to see my kids with my siblings kids, loving each other and having fun.

I feel blessed because I live in a neighborhood where kids still know how to play and entertain themselves with the simple things of life. Like a plastic pool filled up with cold water from the hose.

9 kids in that little thing!

I feel blessed because I get to be a mother. I get to record and witness everything from loosing a tooth to performing in their first play to scoring their first goal to reading their first words.

I get to be the one they want the most, to watch them.

I'm the one they want to tell about all the little things in their lives.

I feel so blessed because my twins and I had the funnest time at the water park last week.

I felt so proud as I walked around the park, me in the middle with a little girl on either side of me.

The three of us holding hands.

It brought back all the feelings and memories of when they were my little babies that never fought, that I could parade around and dress the same.

For that day at the park, the three of us were as in love and harmonious as we were when they were babies.

It was wonderful to have those feelings rekindled because I'm telling you, life can't get tiresome with 2 feisty, stubborn 6 year old girls who have strong vocal chords and know how to use them.