"There is Beauty All Around...."

How does that hymn end? Oh yeah...When there's Love at Home!!! We'll there hasn't been too much of that in our home lately! With sick kids and sick parents we have been a little bit on the snippy side! Emmy got sick first a week and a half ago for only a day (or so we thought, it all goes around and around and around in our family!!), followed by Brooke the very next day who was sick for two days but lapsed with both Cora and Anna but the last two girls were both sick for five days (yes, poor Cora had to miss a whole week of school!), JayDee got sick last Monday and is still gurgling apple cider vinegar to help clear his throat. Me, I started getting sick Friday night but by Saturday it was full blown, and then Jayden, bless his little heart, (thanks Kirsten) was trying to be so brave but finally admitted today that he didn't feel so good. Let's just say that this has not been a productive week for us Dutch John Guymon's by any means. Last night as a full week of lows started catching up with me I started playing the poor me, poor us game and started making bargains with the Lord. Yes, I did repent later because I do know that that is not the way He works. I forget all to fast that everything has a time and a purpose. Maybe with us all getting sick now with prevent us from getting hit with the BIG flu later this year!! Who knows!! I do know that last night I went to bed with a prayer in my heart that my eyes would be reopened to how blessed and lucky I am. And you know what - I did learn somethings today...

First I woke up with my husband next to me, we did have ONE little three year old who was frozen who had found her way in but the thing I realized is that we are blessed to have a warm place to sleep. Helps to have the same incredible husband sew by hand cuz' his wife doesn't have a sewing machine, I guess maybe that is what I could get him for Christmas!! :)

Next, Brooke had gotten up and fixed her own lunch and Jayden's (even though he didn't go to school today!) helped Cora with her snack, got breakfast for the kids that would accept it (not Anna, nothing works except for when Dad does it), all without being asked. I noticed this morning that even though my babies are growing up they are growing up into people that I can be proud of! Thank goodness they aren't perfect or they would be taken away from me but you know what - for the oldest being only 8 years old I would say we are doing alright! No big head here, just the knowledge that we are all given the same tools to teach these special children and we happen to use that knowledge!

As we start into the colder days the first thing we like to do is check our thermometer gage outside and compare it to average according to the news or even just to compare it to what the weather was like yesterday. Well, today it read a WHOPPING 43* a WHOLE 13 degrees above freezing! So yes, I even learned from that. We should all be greatful for those extra 13 degrees of warmth or the rain we got very easily could have been SNOW!!! When Jayden told us that he was sick we decided that now we could go to Vernal and all be treated if need be so off I went with the kids (yes, JayDee had to go to work!), as we got to the summit we had hit snow. There was snow on the ground on the side of the road and still snow flurries falling on my car!! As I got a little bit lower toward Vernal Mr. Sun came back through shinning down on ALL of the beautiful fall colors that we have being in the mountains!!

I want you to know that it was on the way back home that I realized that my eyes were open and I was seeing things as clear as I ever have. I sat fighting tears the entire way home, good thing cuz I so wanted to just go to sleep - I felt so GREAT :( But I would do it again just to see all the beauty we have but take for granted so often, and to be reminded of some of the many blessings that my family and I enjoy!! I love that I know about our wonderful, loving, and forgiving Heavenly Father who did forgive me for my grips and groans and just loved me by opening my eyes and heart - let's not forget about that very vital organ!!