For health and strength and daily food...

It is so easy for me (maybe for all of us, but I'll just speak for myself here) to get caught up in all the things we don't have. Lately I have been thinking of, yes, myself, and how flawed I am in so many ways, especially the shallow ones. As I find myself morphing into the pregnant version of me, it is easy to mourn the loss of whatever waistline I once had. It is also easy to be jealous of people with perfect skin, who actually do glow when pregnant. My skin just does a repeat of 8th grade for 9 months. (Owen has had to ask me, "What are those big red bumps on your cheeks, Mom?") I want to shed a tear when I think that I will never again wear my favorite jeans, and when I think that after this baby I may have to special order shoes. Okay, I'm getting silly here, but really, it's easy to get a little down during these months, and become preoccupied with things that frankly don't matter in the long run, but seem to matter a lot when you're in the middle of it.

So, I have found a solution. A way to take my mind up and away from whatever petty personal problems I might be suffering from on any given day. Here is how I discovered it (not for the first time, I might add, but it seems that I have to be reminded of it often).

My dance group was invited to provide the floor show for the Special Needs Mutual group at their Gold and Green Ball on Friday night. These are sweet people of all ages from around Cache Valley who came dressed up and ready to boogie. We just performed a few dances, and probably did entertain and uplift those in attendance, but not as much as they uplifted us. All it took was to watch a girl with multiple physical and mental problems out on the dance floor with a huge grin on her face, twirling and swaying to the sound of Leaping Lulu's version of Danny Boy to make all my problems melt into a puddle of pathetic silliness. I have nothing to complain about. Nothing at all. I am so grateful for a healthy, strong body and mind, and healthy, strong children. I have plenty of food to feed myself and my family, a solid home, a safe community, incredible family and friends, and the list goes on.

Brittney and I shared teary moment together watching the Special Needs kids take over the dance floor while two of our dancers were up performing a dance on the stage. Those on the dance floor were stomping and twirling all over the place, with eyes closed, faces upturned, loving every moment. What a timely reminder just before Thanksgiving about how much I take for granted. Just wanted to share.