Wordless Wednesday (Family)

Here are some pics of my great family! Love them!

Momma the Juggler

I know I am not the only momma who feels this way, that they are juggling not different sized colorful balls, but different objects entirely. A baseball bat (kids' sports), a pot (dinner), smartphone (line to work and friends), wedding ring (marriage), toys (time with kids) and a tennis shoe (exercise). Sometimes I feel like I cannot do one thing well without the other areas of my life falling to the ground while I am expected to juggle them.

I have to say though, because of different circumstances in my life right now, I am grateful for all that I have.

 I have my family around to help me shuffle kids to and fro while my husband and I work to get the bills paid.

I have healthy kids that are involved with sports that they want to be involved in, and activities they want to do.

I am blessed with a job that allows me to spend time with my kids and go to their activities and also be out of school when they are most of the time which allows me to spend even more time with them.

My house right now looks like a tornado went through it with laundry, toys, half empty glasses on tables, and  cat fuzzballs on the floor where I vacuumed just 3 hours before. But I am blessed because my house may not be ready for a magazine to come photograph it, but it is a home, and is a great place to make memories with my husband and kiddos.

I have a body that isn't very happy with the way I've treated it lately, but I'm so grateful every day for my lungs that breathe oxygen and heart that pumps.

I have been blessed with a loving, handy husband that can fix "anything" according to the kids and always seems to ground me when I start spinning in circles and dropping things. 

As summer officially starts in a few weeks, I want to take the time to remember to slow down and appreciate all the blessings that are in my life and take care of these blessings that the good Lord has given me. 

Take a moment, make some coffee and count your blessings in the middle of your juggling act!

Blessings,

Harmony 

It Ain't Pretty..But It's Beautiful

This week has been a rather emotional week for several of us around here. There was a family that lost their baby at 20 weeks due to a rare genetic disorder. They got to say goodbye to their dear son, but it absolutely broke my heart.  Then yesterday, a girl that graduated with me, posted on Facebook some news that again made my heart hurt.

Today we received the hardest news of our lives. Our little Avery's MRI showed that her brain has not grown since birth and according to the neurologists she has become completely blind. She will also never play, walk, sit, talk, eat, or perform any other basic life skill. Therefore, she will not be receiving any future surgeries or treatments. Avery's doctors have suggested that we have anywhere from a few days to a few weeks left with our little angel which we intend to cherish every moment of. Thank you all for the time and effort that has been put into praying and thinking of our little princess. I truly cannot express our appreciation. Our baby girl will be loved and missed dearly.

My heart ached as I read that post. Many of us on Facebook have prayed as this family struggled with little Avery's health complications since her birth six months ago. We asked God for a miracle as we followed her story. And maybe we did receive a miracle, it may not have been the miracle that we wanted, but it was a miracle just the same. Little Avery has done more with many people's lives in the short six months she has been here, than some people have done in sixty. She has been a fighter, a muse, an inspiration. And the grace of this family and the one that lost their son during this time shows me the strength and mercy of God's grace. I've always loved a song by Clay Walker "It Ain't Pretty (But It's Beautiful)" and I think the lyrics fit these times of our lives. Life isn't pretty, however, it is a beautiful ride. A dance that we all participate in. This life may not always turn out like we want it to and the miracles we pray for may not be the miracles that we receive. But this life is always beautiful thanks to the Lord above who has given it to us. Hug your family a little more today, smile at a stranger walking down the sidewalk, text or call a friend or a family member. We are not granted tomorrow, each day is a gift. It may not be pretty, but it is beautiful.

Little Miss Avery and Baby G and their families are on our hearts and minds right now. Know that we and God love you all and although we can't wrap you in our arms right now because of physical distance. God extends our love to you, and wraps you in His arms during this time.

Blessings

                            "It Ain't Pretty (But It's Beautiful)"

Driving home from work just yesterday
impatiently waiting for the light to change
I noticed a homeless mom and her two kids
She reached out and lifted up a trash can lid
Her face lit up when she looked inside
And pulled out a broken armless doll
knelt down and gave it to her smallest Child
And God you should have seen her smile

[Chorus:]
It ain't pretty, but it's beautiful
Life ain't perfect, but it's wonderful
We're all broken, but we're loveable
It ain't pretty, but it's beautiful

Got home and told my wife bout what I'd seen
She grabbed her purse, took me by the hand and said come with me
We drove around until we found the three of them
I wondered who was blessing who when they got in
We bought them food and clothes and drove them to a toy store
And the little girl said "I don't need a brand new doll"
as she hugged the broken armless one they found before
she said "this one needs me more"

[Chorus]

She ain't pretty, but she's beautiful
She ain't perfect, but she's wonderful
She might be broken, but she's loveable
She ain't pretty, but She's beautiful

Last night my wife and I talked till the sun came up
About how we fuss and fight sometimes,
Say ugly things act so unkind
But we think God we always find our way back to love

It ain't pretty, but it's beautiful
Our love ain't perfect, but it's wonderful
We're still learning to be loveable
It ain't pretty, but it's beautiful
We're all learning to be loveable
Ain't always pretty, but it's beautiful

Wordless Wednesday

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