Can't complain!

When someone asks you "How are things going?", how do you respond? Honestly, the first thought that always pops into my head is, "I'm tired." Such is the life of 3 small children I suppose. But the other day I met an old friend and asked her how things were with her family. Her response....."Can't complain!". I heard that resonse once again last night from someone, and I've decided it's my new favorite saying!

Frankly, there are a LOT of things I CAN complain about in my life. But then again, isn't everyone's life that way? Couldn't we all find things to complain about? At Stake Conference two weeks ago, the Stake President talked about hope. He asked every person who had recently had something happen in their life, wether it be a death, or a financial burdon, an illness or some other struggle that had caused them to feel despair to stand up. Guess how many people stood up?

About 95% of the congregation stood up. What does that mean? That we are all a miserable, desperate bunch? No. There are the can't-complainers out there. They experience the same feelings of despair, exhaustion and frustration that I often feel. So what is the difference? I would guess that it is probably that they don't let those frustrations define what their life is.

So I'm tired a lot. Does that mean that is the definition of my life? Is that what I want my life to be about? I think I want to redefine my life experience. I'm going to start answering "Can't complain!". Because I really can't. I have been blessed with 3 beautiful and healthy children. My husband has a job. I could complain all day about his job, but can I complain that the Lord hasn't looked out for us when my husband HAS a job and so many don't? A job that truly was an answer to prayers long ago, even if it doesn't seem so now? To complain about all that I have probably makes me seem like an ungrateful little brat. I lecture my children when they get to go to the fair and they complain because they can't go on just one more ride. Is that what I'm doing when I focus on my frustrations and my trials instead of all of my blessings?

So how are YOU doing today? Me? I can't complain!

Wonderful Husband of Mine....

Yesterday my friend was having what we were pretty sure was early labor, so I was preparing to spend the night at a birth. I was absolutely beat, but my husband encouraged me to take a nap (which I promptly did about 30 seconds after that sentence came out of his mouth!). He let me nap for 2 hours and wrangled the kids. He gave them baths and got them ready for bed. He did a large portion of the enormous laundry pile we'd been picking at all day. Then, when I left for the birth around 11pm, he supported me and wished me well. When I arrived back home at 6am, exhausted and sleep deprived, my dear sweat husband went into work late, so that he could get up with the kids and let me get a few hours of rest before he left to take my oldest to school.

The entire time, he never once complained or seemed short or put out by the demands that an on-call job can have on a family. He supports me whole-heartedly and sacrifices to help me do something that I love.

It is an act of love that he will never have any idea of how much it means to me. I can say it means the world to me, but that really just doesn't even begin to explain how much it truly means.

It will be my turn to support him soon, as he begins school again for the year and I become a school widow. Those qualities of understanding and sacrifice do not come to me nearly as naturally as they seem to come to him, but I only hope that I can support him as well this next year as he has supported me through my doula work.

Love you, Hon!