Under My Nose: Appreciating the Blessings Right in Front of Me!

As a little girl, I always imagined what it would be like to be a mommy some day. I just knew that I would have ALL baby girls-5 of them! And, these little beauties would all be just like me. We would be the best of friends. I had such big plans for these imaginary “daughters” of mine. We would do our nails together, bake cookies every single day, go shopping and play Barbie’s or house at least twice a day! At this time, “doing dishes” and “changing diapers” was a fun task because it involved imaginary dirty dishes rather than dishes caked with last nights leftovers and I used imaginary diapers that didn’t smell like…..uh, you get the idea!

Motherhood was something I wanted MORE THAN ANYTHING! In my mind, being a mom was ranked as high as being a Disney Princess-maybe even higher! I was going to be the coolest mom when my 5 daughters were teenagers. I would be invited to hang out with them and their friends. Actually, scratch that! They wouldn’t even need other friends because they would have their mom who would be cool enough that they would ONLY want to spend time with me!

Fast forward a few decades to 2017…

Today, I asked myself, “when did this change? When did doing dishes change from the ideal “task” to something I dreaded? When did cooking dinner for my family become such a chore? At what point did I become so ungrateful I couldn’t see the blessing that God put right in front of my nose?” Cooking a meal for my family is an honor because it means my dreams came true and I have a family to cook for. Cleaning my house is a blessing because it means I have a home to take care of (it may be base housing but it’s home and it’s ours). These tasks that I do daily (oftentimes without feeling appreciated) is part of the motherhood that I prayed so hard for as a little girl.

I decided that it was time for a change in perspective.

Today, as I cut up the watermelon my daughter has been begging me to do for days (a task I dread because it’s so messy) I will do it with a cheerful heart. I will do it knowing that it brings joy to my daughter’s life.

Today, as I build LEGOS with my son (a task I usually get distracted doing and try to “organize” them all by color) I will ignore the pile of LEGOS on the floor and actually build that Batman lair with him.

Today, when I have to load up the kids and leave my comfy house to go pick up my husband from work (a task I dread because I can never find my military ID card to get through the gate) I will do it with fresh eyesight knowing that THIS is the man I fell in love with and need to appreciate his service. Me picking him up is just a small sacrifice I make as a military spouse to support him.

Tonight, when little Lexi (our Yorkie) decides she needs to go outside ONE MORE TIME when I’m ready to go to bed, I will take her out knowing that she has been by my side since the beginning of this cray-cray life of mine! In many ways, that little bundle of fluff has been my rock through it all-before marriage, before motherhood…

We aren’t promised tomorrow.

Today, I am going to ENJOY, APPRECIATE and MAKE THE MOST out of this season of motherhood! Before I know it, my daughter will be able to cut her own watermelon. My son won’t be asking me to play LEGOS with him anymore. Lexi won’t be around for me to take on a walk at 10:30 at night. My husband will be deployed soon and I won’t even be able to see him let alone pick him up from work.

Today, I will appreciate the blessings right in front of my nose!

With Aloha,

Lacy