Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Do you ever pause for a moment to reflect on the life you get to lead?  I had one of those days recently in which I simply paused, took it all in, and smiled because I am so incredibly blessed.  Life is not perfect, but that's perfectly fine with me.  I am surrounded by blessings and that's enough.

My husband and I purchased our home two years ago, and although we love the home itself, the back yard left a lot to be desired.  I'm talkin'.....weeds up to our heads, a humongous hill that was only walkable in a couple of spots, and just a big ol' fat mess.

I saw it as an eyesore.  My husband saw it as an adventure!

Now here we are, two years later, and our back yard is so gorgeous I can hardly stand it!  And it isn't even finished yet!

I am blessed to have an amazing husband who can see beyond the weeds and dirt, and imagine a lush, green lawn where our family can spend countless hours together.

I am blessed to have a husband who isn't afraid to work hard.  This man of mine has poured himself into this project in so many ways.  He worked hundreds of hours of overtime so we could pay cash for all of this, rather than go into debt.  And he has worked even more hours to make it all happen - laid fifteen pallets of sod, over one hundred bales of pinestraw, hauled dozens of rocks, planted trees, built steps....on and on.

I am blessed to be able to support him as his help mate any way I can.  I pick up grass clippings, I bring him bottles of water, I hold stuff that needs holding or carry things that need carrying, I fetch tools, and cook a big dinner to feed this hungry man of mine.

The other night, a very special package arrived at our home.  Inside this package was a pink camoflauge compound bow - the only thing my daughter has been wanting for almost a year.  My husband, being a bow-man himself, researched and studied and Googled until he found the best junior compound bow for the money.  Then, he spent hours upon hours on Ebay finding that exact bow for the best price.  Finally, the day came when we were able to find that exact bow for just the right price.

I'm not sure who was more excited about the bow's arrival - my daughter or my husband.  By the time Marley and I got home, Mark had already opened the box and was fiddling with the bow and reading the manual.  (Yes, I am gifted to have a husband who actually reads directions!  Be jealous, ladies.)

We originally planned to do yard work, but my husband asked if we could take Marley to Academy Sports to get arrows and a trigger, instead of working in the yard.  Guess which one we did, y'all?  I'll give you a moment to ponder....

I am blessed to have spent our last few hours of daylight in our gorgeous backyard with my two favorite people.

I am blessed to watch my husband, a man who married this single mom and lovingly embraced a daughter not of his own blood, spend quality time ever-so-patiently instructing Marley on the inner workings of her new bow, from how to tighten the string, to how to move the sight, to how to load a bow, to how to shoot, and everything in between.

I am blessed to have had the calm spirit to just be present in the moment, rather than worry about dinner or laundry or anything else I normally do in the evenings after work.  It was all there when we finished up, but we only had so much daylight, and we squeezed every drop we could into our time together.

Just as our daylight hours are stifled by the setting of the sun, so too are the days that I'll have with my little girl. In just six short years, she will be leaving the nest, and nights like this will be forever burned into this momma's heart as one of those life moments when I was able to sit back and fully realize that this is where I want to be. This is exactly how I want my life to feel all the time.

I am blessed.