I Am Surrounded

On Monday, you may have noticed that I neglected to include friends on my 10 Things That Make Me Happy list.  Well, the truth is that I really don't have any friends.  No! Wait!  I mean I don't like people.  Not true.  What I meant to say is that nobody likes me.  Okay, those were all complete falsehoods.  The fact is that I am surrounded!  Surrounded by great friends that is! 

In my life, I have relied and leaned on some very special people.  Without these kind hearted souls, I would not be the person I am today.  As I experienced difficult, and even scary, times in my life, I would look beside myself to find a faithful friend. 

Sadly, I must admit that I can't always count on everyone in my life.  It's a priceless feeling knowing that I can call a true friend when I need an ear, a simple "it's going to be okay," or a swift kick in the rear end.  With my strong streak of loyalty worn proudly on my sleeve, I'm certain the same people know they can count on me as well.  I am so grateful for the circle of friends that surround me.

The Circle of Friends Award was bestowed upon me recently by one of my besties.  From what I've gathered, you must pass it along to your good blog friends.  As I am still relatively new to the blog-o-sphere, I feel as though I'm just beginning to bond and become friends with many of my fellow bloggers out there.  To those of you on my list of fellow bloggers, thank you for extending your hand of friendship in the blog world.  Beyond that, I must give a personal shout out to the following blogger friends who I keep in touch with through Facebook and life:  Marybeth, Jeni, Allycat, & Diane!

Where would I be without my friends?  It's a question that pops into my head quite often lately.  Stop for a moment today and ask yourself that very question.  Where would you be without your friends?

What do you bring to the table of friendship?  Do you have a friend, or more than one if you are very lucky, who is loyal and true?  How does it feel to have a friend(s) like that?  Now tell me, are you going to pick up the phone or send a quick email to your BFF(s) now just to say "I was thinking about you"? 

*****

Thank you to my dear friends, and family members who are more than just family, for being there for me. I truly love you for your lack of judgment, constructive criticism, hugs, conversation, and everything else that goes hand in hand with friendship!

Think Of The Happiest Things...

For some reason, it's easy to think of the negative things in our lives and we often struggle to see the good.  I think we all do this from time to time.  We feel burdened by these thoughts, big or small, and sometimes let them affect our day.  Life is not easy, simple, or perfect. We are meant to have challenges to help us grow and learn, if we choose to do so. It's important to remember these things as we begin to get overwhelmed.

This morning I woke up and I said a little prayer, asking God to help me think positive thoughts today.  At that moment, as I handed my worries over to Him, I felt a release.  My patience seemed to grow and the stress of the morning rush melted away. 

In the spirit of thinking happy thoughts, I would like to share a few of my blessings...

1.  My husband is my prince and the love of my life.  In him, my boys have a wonderful dad.  I'm grateful that my boys can see a marriage, while not perfect by any means, that is full of love and respect.  If you listen to Christina Aguilera's song The Right Man, it speaks volumes about how I feel on this topic.

2.  M & O bring me an endless amount of joy, laughter, & smiles!  To me, there is nothing more uplifting than a smile, kiss, hug, or "I love you" from one of my boys.  Another part of my heart was unlocked when these two came into my life.

3.  While growing up was no picnic, I am grateful I had an incredible mom.  When I see her interact with my boys today, I feel so blessed that they have the best Grandma in the world.  As a mother-in-law, she's very accepting, loving, and kind.  In fact, my husband loves her almost as much as I do.  We are very lucky to have her in our lives.

4.  I have great friends!  Over the years, I've been very blessed to meet and become friends with some wonderful people.  While we don't always agree on politics, clothes, cars, or other random things, I find such a great level of respect for my friends.  I have friends in various states and miss those who live far away a great deal.  To those special people I would like to add...  Thank you for always being there, even when you aren't here!

5.  Many members of my husband's extended family welcomed me without hesitation, at least none that they showed. *wink*  Although we live far away now, I was able to spend 6 years in Maine getting to know them.  For me, seeing 6 brothers and their families getting together, because they actually like each other, is truly a blessing!  Honestly, as much as I tease them, I am proud to be a member of the family. 

I only listed 5, but there are countless blessings in my life.  What are some of your blessings?