I am Blessed!!

We always talk about being rich, poor, or indifferent. Some people want to have oodles of many and nice things, while others want just enough to live with?

It bothers me when people say that they aren't that rich, or they had more riches or stuff! I've been know to turn to my sisters and tell them that they ARE rich and blessed beyond they're wildest imaginations! After all the have TVs, running water (warm mind you!), and oh, yeah heaters & cars! There were some kings that didn't have half of that & thought they were rich! And That's not to mention their family & friends that they have been richly blessed with.

I look back to a year ago right today and feel doubly blessed with all that God has given me! A year ago today I posted this. In which I talked about the things that had been going on in our life the first month of 2010....

When mom had headaches so bad we were worried about how it might affect her pregnancy, our washer had died, then our dryer started eating our clothes (at least that's what it looked like), our water heater broke, our stove broke, and both monitors for the computer broke.

So, now when a sister complains about not being rich or a brother talks about wishing they had something that they don't or can't have. I remind them about last year....Where we couldn't take hot showers during a cold spell, when we were limited by what we could cook--It had to be cooked in the oven or on one hot plate--Or the not so minor things, such as having to help mom who wasn't feeling well.

Again, I can look back to it and see God's hand in it all! And use it to remind myself on those days when it's not my siblings wishing for more then what they have, rather it's me who is wishing to be rich & travel the world. That I am greatly blessed & that God has a reason for what he has me doing at this time or dealing with.

It's not always an easy lesson to learn or remember, but it's there for me to learn anyways. And I AM greatly blessed! I have 11 younger siblings, as well as a dad AND mom! I have a washer & dryer, a bed & roof over my head. A stove to make hot chocolate on & warm clothes for these horridly frozen days.

I may not have money a plenty to travel the world with or tickets to every Astros' home game, but I have been blessed with books to read & a TV to watch, so that I can learn about the world & watch the Astros' games on.

I may not have grandparents in this world with me now, but I did in the past and even though they may have driven me crazy, I can still cherish the great memories I was able to make with them while they were here with us.

Now...I've just finished two things in which I was blessed with & about to enjoy some more. :D Now I've finished my hot chocolate & my laptop about to die (something many a President wasn't able to say) I'm off to bed in a warm house with blankets & Seth to keep my warm on this frigid night!

Y'all enjoy your snow or warm weather & all the blessings that God has given you this day...
Errr...Night!!

This Year

So, how has everyone's year been so far? Is all going well? Those North of us, are you enjoying your snow?

How are those of us at Swede Farm doing? Well it's been one hectic year (I can't believe we are already in February!!) One thing after another happening to cause it to be very hectic. I believe that more ten one person in our family has been caught muttering "When it rains it pours!” It all started with Mom not feeling well for a week thanks to killer headaches, to the point where I took her market! Thankfully after a week they went away, she thinks it was a combination of a couple things to make it a really bad headache. Then my Grandfather is in the hospital.

Three weeks ago our washer decided that it did not have to start, followed the next day by our dryer deciding to eat our clothes. Thankfully it was nice enough to hang laundry on the line and I now know where all the laundry mats are within thirty minutes of us. :D

The following week our followed by our water heater died on us. Let me tell you, we are a bunch of wimps when it comes to losing the water heater. Three days later our stove finally bit the dust. Talk about trying to plan what to cook and where! lol Dad went out and bought a hot plate that with the turkey roaster, oven, and grill has made for some great meals.

And then yesterday our main monitor died yesterday and the backup gives a red hue to everything. It's been a little weird trying to do computer work, not mention a little creepy as everything from a dog to people are reddish looking.

But through it all we have seen God working to help us live through each trial and to keep us afloat, eating hot meals, wearing clean clothes, keeping mom out of the hospital, etc. This past month has been one trial after another causing us to have a very hectic life, but through it all God has shown us he is in control and he can take care of things and help us!

A Few Things

I am greatly blessed!!

• I'm alive!
• I have a family that loves me. :D
• It's below 70 degrees here! (64 to be exact!)
• Both the washer and dryer are working!! (Before earlier this week either one or the other was broken for the past four weeks. :-S )
• It looks like I will be able to have a laid back Friday night watching the Red Sox and Angels.
  

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WARNING:

When helping a young child pick out how the decorations for their cake, try to lead them away from black. lol

A few years ago for Christmas Christin and I got a cake decorating kit and our parents paid for two classes, and then drove us to our classes every Saturday morning, missing out on sleeping in Saturday mornings. Now, that we both have an idea on how to do decorate cakes and the tools to do the job, I always get stuck with the job. lol

last night I had to make a cake with a race track, since Noah wanted a Mator and Lighting McQueen cake. Thankfully I came out of the task without black hair (I've been known to accidentally 'color' my hair with food and candle dye), but my brothers have not been as lucky. lol Noah, Judah, and Seth have been sporting black mouths all day. :D It's kind of cute but a good reminder of why I don't like using black frosting.

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We start a new market tomorrow. We had a break for a month from three markets; in that time I went to Austin twice with dad and filled in for mom at Urban Harvest twice so that mom could go to Austin. Now it's back to three markets again. :D

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Much as I am glad that we have technology there are times I want to kick some of it to the next planet! Like when for some reason I can't log into my e-mail, or when my MP3 player goes dead, due to lack of charging (can't they make these things run forever?), or when the printer either decides not to print or to go into "cool down mode" after printing three pages!! All of which have happened today! Grrr.......

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Please pray for mom as she continues to fill "green". Her morning sickness has been much worse this time, so much so that she is sending me out to run her errands and flavor the cheese (which she likes to do and had a hard time letting got). Much as we love that there will be a new Carlson next year it is very hard having mom sick (and it's not hard just for me). Thank you!

Just To Let You Know

There is very little in the world that is cuter then a 17 month old child running!! Their little toddle as they try to stay up every other step is one of the blessings God has given us, and it amazes me to no end that there are people in this world who don't want that blessing or who don't see it as a blessing!!

Now, of to grab that toddler so he doesn't wake up mom who needs all the rest she can get so that in 26 months we will have another 17 month old running up and down the hallways laughing! :D