Name them one by one

In case you didn't gather as much from the previous post, yesterday was kind of a hard day. This is the hymn that kept coming to mind:

Are you ever burdened with a load of care? (YES!)
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? (Uh-huh.)
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly. (Sounds good!)
And you will be singing as the days go by. (OK!)

So here goes naming those blessings one by one. (In no particular order.) When you start to think about it, there really is more to be grateful for than you can count.

1. I'm grateful for Jesus. (When things got tough yesterday, I told Xander and Elodie we were going to play the Name-What-You're-Grateful-For Game, and this is the first one Xander said. Anyone wonder why Christ admonished us to be like little children? And Elodie's first one was, "I'm grateful for Mommy." Both of those answers melted my heart and put things back in perspective.) I really am grateful for Christ's loving mercy and generous offering of forgiveness. It's pretty easy to see your weaknesses when you're under pressure, and I've been reminded daily how much I need Christ's Atonement.

2. Xander. As I just mentioned, Xander is such a blessing to me. As I was filled with concern looking at Dexter, tears were starting to form and Xander asked, "Why are you sad, Mommy?" I told him I was worried about Dexter, and Xander gave me a big hug and said, "I'll say a blessing for Dexter" and then offered the sweetest prayer. "Aaaaah" (in your best baby shower gift opening tone) is about all you can say.

3. Aaron. I could devote a whole Monette-lengthed blog to this one (which I may do one of these days, so remind yourself to skip it if you can't handle the sap), so I'll just say that he is the strength I need. I feel so blessed to be his wife.

4. Bananas. Ever heard that they get rid of headaches? They really do work.

5. Technology. Like the means to pump milk out of me and into Dexter since he can't do it himself.

6. Aaron has a job that lets him work whenever he can and they pay him good money for it. And he's in school to learn the profession of his dreams.

7. Dexter wriggled his back a little when I was holding him and massaging him today--he's a touch (pun intended) more responsive today than yesterday.

8. Aunt Melayna lives close.

9. Grandma and Grandpa live close.

10. Generous, supportive, thoughtful friends.

11. Chocolate that's 75% off after Valentine's day.

12. Tax returns that return more than you paid because you're in the starving student phase of life.

13. Elodie ate her vegetables at dinner without a fight (and without chipmunking them for an hour or more after dinner).

14. The young women I teach at Church thoughtfully participate in the lessons every week. I love them!

15. The Comforter.

16. Elodie's positive attitude when she was out-both-ends sick for 5 days last week. Every time I asked her how she felt, it was, "I'm fine, I'm better, I'm not sick anymore." Although hearing "Mommy, please hold me" for the 200th time that day reminded me that she really wasn't feeling as great as she claimed.

17. The motivation I needed to keep one of my New Year's Resolutions: writing in my journal at least once a week. Meredith told me that blogs count as journaling back when she was convincing me to start one, so woo-hoo! Unfortunately my goal about being a better housekeeper hasn't come to fruition quite yet.

18. Weather warm enough for a picnic at the park last week.

19. Ice cream. Mmmmmm.

20. Uplifting music.

OK, like I said, there are far too many to count so I'll stop there to enjoy the blessing of a cozy bed so I have the energy I need for the week!