Having it All

There used to be a catch-phrase about working mothers trying to "Have it All". People have debated what that really means. I think "having it all" begins when you realize that you already have all you need. I am not lucky...I am blessed. I never win anything. But I have been given gifts whose worth are unmeasurable.

1. Salvation I have been chosen to be a child of the most high God. WOW!

2. Parents I had two parents who loved me without end. They worked their whole lives to give me security. And my daddy thought I hung the moon. Pretty cool, huh.

3. My Namesake I am named after my granny. She was a 4 ft 11 1/2 inch spitfire. She was an amazing cook, kept an immaculate home, and raised 6 kids, including my daddy, without pulling her hair out. And I was her Punkin. She washed my long blond hair and brushed it til it shined, she laid in the twin bed beside me talking for hours, and she loved me the best way she knew how...by cooking for me every day while I was recovering from a devastating car accident.

4. Marriage I have been married for 18 years to a man who will do anything for me...as long as no one else knows how sweet he is. He has put up with so much on my end, including people thinking that he is the hard one to live with! I love him more now than the day I married him. I've spent half my life with him, and know that I will spend the rest of it being continuously surprised by him.

5. Jacob He is the oddest combination of Frank and me. Amazingly smart, very witty, a bit stand-offish...a doggone good lookin' boy! And then from Frank he gets...haha, just kidding! Jacob is a son anyone could be proud of. He is a good boy, a really good boy. He picks on his sister, and he can be quite a pig, but I know that I will never be embaressed by his behavior when he goes somewhere. He is respectful and kind, and my very favorite son!

6. Paige My angel baby. She is growing up so much. She is as tall as I am, and has bigger feet than I do. She considers herself a fashionista, and loves doing anything artsy crafty. She is all drama, and life is never boring around her. She is a Daddy's girl, and loves the one on one time they have together, but she also loves to shop and decorate and cook with me. She feels everything very deeply, and loves being with the girls. She is full of life, and full of spunk...and she is my very favorite daughter!

7. Friends I've learned it's not about the size of your circle of friends, but the depth. Frank and I have been blessed with lots of friends who have been like family to us over the years, but we are truly blessed now with friends that ARE family. Gene and Cindy have loved on us through the worst of times, and the best of times. They love our children, they love our dogs, they even love us. I know if we needed anything, all we would need to do is ask....and I have, over and over. When I grow up, I want to be as good a friend as they have been to us!

8. Job Oh I whine about working, but I have a great job. I make good money, I have great hours, and I work with some awesome people. But most of all, I have 23 little children who think I hung the moon...sometimes. In what other profession do you get a continuous stream of love notes? The best part of my job is when I see a former student tell my current students how lucky they are to have me. Or when I see a parent years later tell their friends how much I meant to them. Wow, what an ego boost! (I've also gotten some preferential treatment and great deals from being a teacher lately...can't hurt!)

9. My Home I am a house mouse. A home body. I am all about my house. It's my hobby, my passion. I love making the place my family lives beautiful. Especially when I can do it for cheapness! I know that home is where memories are made, and I feel like having a warm, inviting home for my family gives them comfort they can't get anywhere else. I put a lot of effort into our home, and so does Frank. He hears my big ideas, and then he makes them reality. Our home is filled with love, chaos, laughter, noise, and pride.

10. Church We are getting more and more comfortable at our new church home. It is so welcoming and loving there. Bro. Tim is a pastor first, preacher second. I love to him her preach God's word, but I also can feel his love for his fellow Christians. Without a pastor's love, the words about God's love don't sink in as deeply. I hope that makes sense. I know this will. All four of us are excited to go to church every time the doors are open. We are excited to worship with others, to learn more about our Savior with other Christians, and to fellowship with good people.

Wow, what a long post! And that is just 10 of the many, many things I have been blessed with in my life. Have it all? Way more than I deserve!