Blessings and More Blessings

Laughing children, smiling faces, noisy husbands and lots of confusion...I absolutely love it!  I love having company come to my home and taking care of them. I love to cook, clean, provide and help them to be happy.  I do that with my small home, but no one but me ever seems to mind.  It is so worth the memories that are created to have family in my home.  Right now, Chad and his three children are here from New York and it is awesome!  We only get the chance to see them about once a year, but missed them last year due to scout camp.  They choose to come stay with us for five days this summer though and it is wonderful. I so wish we all could have taken another week off of work but Boyd, Britt and I will be working while they are here.  Skyler left for scout camp today so he is gone too.  We had an awesome day with them yesterday though as we rented jet skis again and played on the river.  The weather was a scorching 125 degrees, but the water made it bearable.  Even the unplanned swim (the fall of the ski thanks to Rob) felt good.  I am so grateful for blessings that allow us the opportunity to spend time with our family. 

We truly have been blesses and I know it is mostly due to the fact that we are sacrificing our daughter being on a mission.  Everyone always told me blessings unnumbered would come having a missionary out and I so believe it.  I stress that something will break down and wonder how we will pay for it, but I know that all will be okay.  We were given a march larger "bonus" check for Rob at the end of the school year; his parents were generous again and sent us money to be able to rent the jet skis to play with Chad yesterday, and medical surprises came our way.  Boyd had to have his wisdom teeth pulled so we elected to do them before school started again. We were told our insurance would pay 100% up to $1500 since the were impacted.  We had to pay our portion of about $320 upfront.  We paid it and took it out of the extra money we got from Rob. We were grateful that was all it was.  However, last week we got a refund check from the dentist. The  insurance paid the whole amount - minus $30 - for his procedure.  It was way about the $1500 but they paid it anyway.  I started to cry as I opened the letter and saw the check.

I so know that it is because of Cortnie being gone.  Opportunities have arrived for us to be together as a family more and we are much happier.  My heart still aches for Cortnie to be gone (and honestly, truthfully, I would much rather have her here - who would not).  However, I would not trade her mission for anything right now. She has grown so much and is so happy.  She wrote a couple weeks ago that she has already been out for six months.  Little does she know that I totally keep track of that - sometimes too much.  I am already making plans to go pick her up next summer and trying to figure out how we will get in all our summer plans. We will have Boyd leaving next summer too so it will be a busy summer.  I already told my boss that I plan on taking the whole summer off - he just laughed.  I will be gone a good part of it though and won't even feel bad. 

I am so grateful for blessings.  I am grateful that I have a cool house right now and a working air conditioner.  I am grateful for a husband who is trying so hard to make my summer life easier by having the house clean when I come home and helping out more at night.  I am grateful for wonderful children.  I have been told many times by many people that my children are good examples and good kids.  I am so grateful for them and that they do not give us problems.  I am lonely having Skyler gone this week and will worry about him until Rob gets there on Wednesday.....sometimes he can be a handful.  I just wish I knew that they had made it safe tonight and hope that he will mind.  My family keeps my young and makes me smile.  I am so blessed to have them in my life and to know that we will be together forever.  Blessings....what a wonderful thing!