Perspective

I've been feeling a little down lately.  The past few weeks have been bitterly cold (I've heard the words "minus 40-something with the windchill" far too often), and I have a cold that just won't go away (today is day 10 - Kleenex's stock should be going up by now from how often I've been blowing my nose).  It's easy to start complaining, or thinking "poor me".  But...

• I have a nice warm house, which is also large enough that we don't feel like we're cramped when we have to spend long days inside.
• I have warm clothes for when I do venture outside, and I have a reliable car to get me safely and warmly where I need to go.
• Cold weather = sun dogs, which always make me smile (I wish I had a picture to share, but I always seem to see them when I'm driving!).  They're like a special gift from God for those of us crazy enough to live in these cold places.
• I have a cold, which is annoying and frustrating, but it is not life-threatening.  It will eventually go away, likely without any medical intervention.
• Despite the fact that I've been hugging and kissing my kids (and sharing my germs with them), they are still healthy and happy.
• I've had several opportunities (when the kids were with Grandma or Annika was at school and Emmett was napping) to take some "sick time" and just rest and baby myself a little.  That doesn't happen very often for most moms.

So, I'll try not to complain, because really, life isn't so bad.
(1000 gifts #221-226)