Josh and I celebrated our anniversary last Thursday. It is hard to believe that 2 kids and 4 years ago I was single. I have been so abundantly blessed. We are settling in well here and getting to know people a little at a time. I am learning how to make our home environment a joyful and happy place. It has been fun (and sobering) to realize the effect my emotions have on my children and my husband. I am trying to make my attitude a decision instead of a reaction. Does that make sense? I feel like the last months of my pregnancy and then the months following I was just reacting... and rather grumpy/depressed. I heard a long time ago that how I feel is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I respond. I am praying that God will work a miracle in me and help me develop joyfulness and thankfulness. Doing a word study in the Bible on joy, joyfulness, thankfulness, etc made me realize that it is a BIG HUGE deal to God that we be thankful to him.

Check this out:
Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
(Deut 28:47, 48)


I am not thankful enough. So I am praying, and trying to change my reactions & attitude.

I did notice that when I decide to be joyful and thankful (and that is so hard sometimes because I can actually feel my emotions resisting) it rubs off onto my hubby and my kids. I have actually seen my husband's countanance change from sleepy/grumpy to happy and excited. The excitement that I have about our children and his work rubs off onto him. I have felt very grateful to see Aiden's whiny-ness change into laughter just because I chose to respond to him with joy. I would like to teach our children to be joyful and grateful also!

Not that things are any easier. Josh is busier/ gone from home more and I have all sorts of things that I need to do. We are trying to figure how to live in a new place and dealing with an income for the first time in our married life together. But we are really so blessed and I have so much to be thankful for!