I LOVE My Life!!

I'm sitting here to share with you that I love you.  I've been walking around for several days thinking about how much I'm blessed and how much I love my life.  I am sharing this with a few of my dear friends because they inspire me.  I've had this blog up and running for a little while now, using it as a tool to capture my life moments, keeping it rather private.  Reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp has given me much to reflect on and clarified many things in my life.  I recommend it to anyone, everyone, it will open your eyes to the world around you.
I was out on Saturday with friends.  Oh, my word, what a night - I won't soon forget it!!  Somewhere in the middle of all of this one of my sweet friends pulled me over, wrapped me in a tight hug and told me how much she loved me.  She told me that I am an amazing mom.  As I sit here and begin to cry again, those words stir a lot of emotion in me.  We talked about how we rarely ever see each other but even through that, our friendships are priceless and so absolutely important and vital in life.  I looked around in that moment as everyone watched me cry and I couldn't tell them why.  I can now, I was surrounded by most of the important people in my life.  Not everyone that holds that status in my heart was there, but of those that were I could look at each of them and see the beauty of why they're in my life.
I feel that way about several of my friends.  One whom I've met only just over a year ago, we connect and can be candid and support each other with just a few words.  Others whom I've met because they married dear man-friends (aka adopted brothers) of mine.  I can remember when one of those 'men' had asked for yet another jump start to the dead battery on his truck that he had left the lights on (at least once a week when he was driving home from his girlfriend's in the early morning hours) when he got home.  He said he had something exciting to show me, leading me to his gun case (yup, redneck) he showed me that he'd bought a ring and was planning a special evening during which he'd ask for her hand.  I was thrilled, over the moon.  I didn't know her real well yet, but he loved her and she'd put up with him and his redneckness plenty long, so that was enough to deem her a sister in my heart, and I'm thrilled that she's part of my 'family'.  There are so many stories to share.  I could write pages upon pages about the people in my life.  The ones that live so far away that I see them twice a year, chat on the phone occasionally and love everyday.  Whether you're stuck in/on the muddy/ice yard after an attempted book club night, playing card games, making redneck slip 'n slides in your back yard or attempting to tee pee someones house while I scare the bejeepers out of you, camping or sitting around the bonfire, the memories are priceless and precious.
Thank You Lord!!
I love my family!!  My husband and kiddos are all that I need every day.  I know this.  I know that I am right where He wants me to be.  I don't need to be anywhere, doing anything, being anything else.  A wife, mom to five (plus three in heaven), daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend - this is who I am.  My friends are my family too.  I learned a long time ago that I needed them very much because my actual family is what it is.  God gave me them and God gave me my friends, He is AWESOME!
I reference Gitz's blog a little farther down, specifically her recent post - Really?  Because her words are true.  I've been walking around with these words in my heart and her post pushed me over the edge to share it with you.  Her story is beautiful.  It's not easy, it's surely not what she had planned for her 'ideal life', but it's hers.  God has her right where He wants her, me where He wants me and you right smack in the middle of the plans He has for you too.  His love is shining through her to me and hopefully on to you.  We can't control what happens today, tomorrow or ever, I need not control it anyway, because He is.  So, let me take this moment to tell you - I Love You!! 


Thank you Lord, for loving me in all my crazy, defective, weird ways.  Thank you Lord for giving me so much in life, the easy, the hard, the beautiful and the ugly.  You truly know that some days are hard when it comes to life and yet, You ALWAYS have my back and the shoulder to lean on when I need the strength for the right now moment that I'm in.  Thank you Lord, now let me be the blessing, let the love you give me overflow to those around me.


I love my life, yup I do, and I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!  Thank you, my dear sweet friend, for always being there for me!!
DV - NMV

God dwells within you, as you.

http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/2011/04/really.html