Being grateful

I am trying to see things from a new light since it can be so easy to allow "hardships" to get us down. See, we don't really have real hardships, we are never hungry or cold or unable to afford the things we really need...want yes, but need, those are always covered.

So...today I went to the foot/ankle doctor since the ankle I sprained in October when we were at Disney is still hurting.  The negative view-poor me, my ankle hurts and I have to wear a brace and may need surgery.  The positive view-How lucky am I that we got to go to Disney with the kids and that I have excellent health insurance so that I could go to the doctor when the pain got to be too much.

I, as usual around this time, am stressed about money after paying for Christmas.  Negative view-why don't we have more money so that I don't have to be stressed for no good reason.  Positive view-how lucky are we that we worked hard and saved and this year made enough to get the kids all their needs and most of their wants paid for in cash so we don't accumulate debt.

I also wish we could move, but sadly the market is just not there yet.  Negative view-Stupid housing market, we want to move and are paying an absurdly high mortgage for a house we don't want.  Positive view-How thankful I am that we bought a big, yet in need of major work, house when we only had two kids in a great school district.  Then we fixed the house up and made it a home, and while not ideal, it is ours and we are comfortable.  Also we are not terribly underwater like so many friends and even though our mortgage is very high, somehow we manage to pay it.

Another huge stress right now is work since it is the end of the term.  So much to do, grading out PT school and getting FT school tucked away for the week off.  Then there is my school that is demanding and Ryan's job that has been on the edge for two years.  Negative view-I am so overwhelmed, there is too much to do.  Why don't we know about Ry's job will they ever tell us if layoffs are happening?  Positive view-We are so lucky to HAVE jobs!  I have a FT and a PT that are consistent and reliable.  The PT gig even has me developing online courses for them so I can teach more, so very lucky!  Ryan has a job still two years after layoffs started and we know that if he gets laid off we get a good severance package and I can switch us over to my company for benefits.

These last six months with waiting on Finn's results and navigating the possible outcomes have taught me to look at all we do have, and when I do, we are very lucky and blessed.  I hope you are lucky and blessed too and can see all you have and not what you don't.