Counting My Many Blessings

Over the past several weeks I have felt had the feeling of being so blessed. Not that I haven’t felt this before, but in my prayers and throughout by day to day activities I have been realizing how truly blessed I am. I have a wonderful husband who has been my friend for more than 13 years and has been there for me as a friend and husband for the past two and half years. I have amazing parents who have taught me really important life lessons—love, patience, work ethic and how to live a faithful life for God. I am happy to say that I have a great relationship with them which has evolved into a friendship as I have grown into adulthood. I am also happy to call my brother my friend. Growing up I remember some friends thinking it was odd because as brother and sister we always got along. We looked out for each other and always had fun playing together. Although we don’t get to see each other often, we have a great friendship and enjoy the times we do get to spend together.

Because we have moved so much over the years, I have friends from different points in my life. During my young childhood days in St. Louis, Missouri, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, my middle school and beginning of high school years in Aurora/Naperville, the rest of my high school years in Champaign, college in Charleston, my first job at a newspaper in Ottawa and finally here in Elk Grove Village. I have not kept in touch with all my friends in each of those areas, but I do have some friends from each part of my 28 years. It is so great to reconnect with friends and I believe you know you have a good friend when you can pick up where you left off.

Let’s take for example my friends Chrissy and Laura from Ft. Wayne. After we moved away, I lost touch with many of my Ft. Wayne friends, but Chrissy and I had kept in touch through mail, AIM and email. I was so excited to be invited to her wedding a few years ago. Before her wedding, we hadn’t seen each other in over 10 years. At her wedding, it was like no time had passed and we just picked up where we had left off. It was at Chrissy’s wedding that I reconnected with Laura and we started talking again via email. A few years later I got to see them and spend a little time with them at my wedding (I wish I was able to spend more time with them, but the day was a little busy!) and then this summer in June we all were able to visit again at Laura’s wedding. Two weeks ago, Laura and her husband, Tyler, were able to visit and we had a great time! We had a pretty low-key weekend but it was a blast because we just got to visit and catch up on everything! Chrissy and Adam weren’t able to make it but I’m hoping all six of us (the three girls plus husbands) can get together again soon. They are truly great friends and I know we will be friends throughout life because they know what matters—it’s not the amount of time you spend together, but the quality of that time.

I have found this to be true with many other friends as well. My friend Jenny who I knew from Naperville now is in Texas and we have phone dates where we nearly talk for 3 hours! I keep in touch with my friend Erika from St. Louis via email and love catching up with her when I have the chance. I am lucky that I live close to my friends Mindy, Katie and Michelle so we try to get together often. I also made some great friends from my time working at the newspaper in Ottawa and really enjoy the times I can get together with them.

I’m not sure why exactly I have felt particularly blessed at this point in my life. Obviously there have been plenty other times that I have had joy and have felt love. I think I really have realized what a great season of life I’m currently in and have so much to be thankful for. I’m going to continue to thank God for all the wonderful people and blessings He has given me and try my best to continue live a life for Him.