"Live Like You Were Dying"

        Many years ago, Tim Mcgraw came out with a song called, "Live Like You Were Dying". In this song, he talks about a man who was told his time here on earth was short. It talks about the things the man went to do before he passed. This is a song that a has gained a greater meaning in our life over the past year and has become a motto that is constantly in my mind.
         No I wasn't told by a team of doctors that my time on earth was about to come to an end, but one year ago today I WAS told by a team of doctors that "there was nothing more they could do for my almost 6 month baby boy" and he would soon be leaving our arms and this earth. There is nothing in the world that can prepare you to hear those words. We had spent over the past 2 months in the hospital fighting for our boy's life. We had heard the words, "he can't get much worse" or "there is not much more we can do" but never those words. Jordan was at work that day, and if you can only imagine the fear & heartache he felt when he heard those words over the phone and was still 2 1/2 hours from the hospital where his wife, little girl, and sweet baby boy were. I don't want to know how fast he drove that day, but all I can say is he made it to us in record timing that day. We weren't told an exact timeline of when Tytan would go. They said it could be hours, days, or maybe even weeks. With Tytan's fight and determination nothing would surprise them. So for the next four days as a family of four we were given the opportunity to "live like we were dying" and in fact one of us was. Our perfect baby boy would be returning home shortly, and we decided to make the most of what we could with what we had been given. It wasn't the life we chose, but the life that chose us. Tytan at this point was very ill, so of course we weren't able to fly cross country and complete a bucket list for him. Part of me wishes so badly we could have, but I have realized most of our bucket list items are nothing more than worldly things. The most important thing in this entire world is FAMILY. So for the next 4 days, we did just that- spent every minute we could as a family. We cherished them then and we still cherish them today. We will always cherish our last moments as a "family of four".
         One of the hardest things for me to accept was Azleigh would soon be losing her best friend. People have a hard time understanding the connection and relationship they shared because Azleigh was so little, but it was something you just had to see to believe. They were buddies from Day 1 and that girl NEVER missed a day seeing her brother. Thank heavens for my wonderful mom who made it possible and brought her to the hospital each day to spend time with Tytan. She would read him a book every day, give a million kisses, and in the last days spent rocking and singing to him "I am a Child of God. Tytan couldn't asked or picked a better big sister if he tried. She truly is the best and loved him more than anyone I know. She was such a trooper through it all and just seemed to "get it". She was there within minutes of him being born and was there as he took his last breath here on earth. Here are some of the special moments our sweet babies were able to share in Tytan's last days.

   Tytan had been so sick and hooked to so many machines and wires that he was pretty much on lock down in his room. It was a chore even to untangle everything to hold him in the chair next to his bed. The day before Tytan passed we got permission to take Azleigh & Tytan on a ride in the wagon. We went around the CICU halls multiple times, and Tytan even got to feel the sunshine on his face for the first time in over 2 months. He just looked around and loved every minute of it. This is a memory engraved in my mind forever, and I'm so grateful we were able to do this.

     We also had 2 family photo shoots thanks to very generous people at the hospital and also friends. I was able to get some of my babies together, us as a fam of 4, and Tytan in his blessing outfit. These pictures are some that are far from perfect. We're not dressed up for either of them, but in my eyes are beautiful and will forever be in our home. Tytan's last photoshoot :]

The nurses at PCH are amazing!! 90% of them go above and beyond to make things a little better. Everyone up there knew I slept with Tytan when he was home. This is something I had missed terribly since he got so sick. For Tytan's last 2 nights on earth, I was able to make a bed next to him and hold him all night long. Tytan and I loved it! He slept so good and was so content. You could just tell he felt safe in the arms of his mommy. I am so grateful that the nurses cared about both of us enough and knew we both needed those nights together!!

Lastly, we knew Tytan would never live to see his 1st birthday, and the thoughts of him never having a party seriously killed me. Jord and I decided we would throw him a half birthday party on Sunday, October 20th when he turned 6 months old. We decorated his room, invited all our family, and my sister in law even made him a cake. We sang to him and celebrate his sweet little life. Little did we know Tytan would enter into Heaven within hours of his celebration. I am so grateful we were able to do this and all of our family was able to be there to love on him one last time. If Tytan knew anything- he knew he was loved, SO LOVED!!

     Part of me feels fortunate that I never EVER took advantage of Tytan or the time I had him here for granted. I guess that is one of the positives that come from the heart world- you learn just how fragile life is.  From the time he was born, I didn't know how long I would have him. To be honest, I truly felt like he would be around for a long time, but now looking back I must have known more than I thought I did because of the things I did. I spent every second of every day with him from the time he was about 3 hours old. I never left the hospital, not even at nights, and at home I held him all day and night. I would let my mom or Jord hold him long enough to shower, but that was usually it. I spent many days sitting in the chair in my lounge clothes doing absolutely nothing but snuggling, getting grins, and taking pictures. I am so grateful for the 5000+ pictures I have of him in his short life. I look through them every day. They break my heart and make me feel whole all at the same time. I am grateful I have a husband who sacrificed his time and worked out of town all week at the time, so I could stay home with our babies and never have to leave them. As much as he hated to leave Sunday nights, he never complained or made me feel bad. I cherish the 6 months Tytan was in my arms and our home. He touched our hearts in an very sacred way and changed our lives forever!
        As humans, we often take things for granted. Each of us are so blessed and have so much that we forget to be thankful for the simple things. We often forget that things that seem simple to us may be something someone else is praying for. Never take ANYTHING big or small for granted. If I have learned anything at all, I know that "Tomorrow is NEVER promised, so make the best of Today!" I challenge each of you to step back and reevaluate your life. Are you priorities in order? Are you "Living Like You Are Dying?" We may all have regrets or things we wished we would have done differently whether you live a near perfect or not so perfect life, but I can promise you will never regret putting your family first and cherishing each moment with them. There will never be enough time or money to do everything you need to do, but make sure to make the time for your family. If you are working out of town- start looking for ways to be home at night with your family. If you are both working just so you have "extra" money to play, buy worldly things, etc. consider figuring a way to make it work on one income or even go part time. If you spend your weekends with friends and send the kids to grandpa & grandma's house try staying home as a family for a weekend.
I am sure if we were all told exactly how long we would have here on earth, or how long we would have our children and spouses we would probably do things so much differently. The worldly things, going out with friends, 2 hours a day at the gym, new play toys, and "alone time" wouldn't matter as much. Yes I know those things are fun and still important to us, but make your family the most important. If each of us had an expiration date, we would probably do things differently. Don't wait until it's too late. Start now. Be a better mother or father. Be a better spouse. Be a better friend. Be a better YOU!! If you want to change or aren't on the path you know you should be-- don't wait. Stop thinking you can always change tomorrow, next month, or even next year. The time to change is NOW! If there is there something you want to tell someone- do it now. Make sure those who mean the most to you know how much you love them. Live each day as it is your last and always remember Tomorrow Is Never Promised!

Everyday Struggles

Some days are okay, some days are bad, and other days are real bad. Today has been one of those days. Azleigh is struggling and really missing her baby brother. She prays every day "he will come back to us." This morning when she woke up I asked her the usual, "What do you want to do today? To my surprise she caught me off guard and replied, "Can we please just go see the real Baby Tytan? I miss my baby brother that smiles at me." At that moment I felt a knife stab me in the heart. Why does a 2 year old little girl have to know this kind of pain. She misses her brother so much and it is becoming even more apparent as she gets older. It's hard to explain to a little one that we can't just visit Heaven for a day. Since we couldn't go see the "Real Tytan" we settled for watching videos and looking through pictures of our boy. It breaks my heart to see Azleigh cry for her brother. It didn't hit me until today just how much life has changed, not only for me, but for all of us. Even our sweet little lady's world has been rocked.
For 11 months  now, we have struggled in some way every single day. There are triggers in life coming up constantly, some hitting harder than others. I knew October 20th, 2013 our lives were forever changed, but I'll be honest I don't think I realized to what extent. I was in denial and hoped we could just wake up from this horrible horrible nightmare we were living.
11 months, 15 days, and 4 hours, and 7 minutes have passed since that day we said farewell to our little guy. For over 10 months now, we have been forced to live a life we didn't choose and tortured with triggers that used to bring so much joy and now can bring so much pain. People can't understand the hurt, the loneliness, and the emptiness that comes with losing a child unless you have lost one personally. You wake up missing a piece of your heart and go to bed missing that same piece. It NEVER goes away. Some days it hurts worse than others, but the hurt is always there. Death changes EVERYTHING, especially the unexpected loss of a young child. It's not something you'll ever be prepared for and turns your world upside down emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially. It changes everyone involved whether its your 2 year old daughter or your 60 year old father.
Honestly about every hour of every day something "triggers" me of my Tytan. Some of them are happy triggers, and others are torture and just a reminder that my baby boy isn't here.
Some of the things I used to LOVE so much now seem to be painful.
Pictures are hard, but especially family pictures- Anyone that knows me knows I LOVE pictures. I take a million a day, especially of my kiddos. In the six months of Tytan's life I was able to take over 5000 pictures. Even though I cherish every single one of them, I still wish I had more. The past 11 months I have really struggled to take a family picture. I want to have the pictures for the memories, but they just don't look right- like someone is missing. A very special someone- a handsome little man that completely stole our hearts and changed our world. It's hard knowing how matter how big our family grows there will never be a complete picture. I hate knowing Tytan's picture on the walls will never change past 6 months. I don't get to compare pictures each year when I update and see how much he's changed. There will never be a baptism, graduation, mission, or wedding picture of Tytan's on our wall. Those milestones are ones we will miss out on in this life, and it kills me not being able to experience each and everyone of those things with him right now.
Shopping- This used to be one of my absolute favorite things to do, if not the most favorite. I seriously LOVED to shop, but even more than that I have an obsession with baby clothes and buying them for my kids. Both of my kids could clothe a colony in Africa they have so many. I love them!! Before Tytan was born & we found out about his heart I'll be honest there was a point I was too scared to buy him things because we honestly didn't know if he'd ever come home after being born. Once we had him & he did so well, I went crazy! I bought him clothes out the wahzoo all the way from preemie to 2T. I have the cutest little outfits still with tags hanging in our closet torturing me because I will never see him in them. The torture is not only at home, but EVERY single clothing store I walk into. As many of you know, we are expecting another little girl next month so I have been trying to find matching clothes for the 2 girls. It breaks my heart to walk past the boy aisle and see something in the same color because in my heart I know there should be one more. I should have a handsome blue eyed, blonde fohawked little boy to match his sisters.
Seeing other little boys his age & the things they are doing reminds me my little boy should be doing the same thing. Of course, I will never wish this upon any parent to lose their child, but I'll be honest I am a bit envious of those who get to watch their babies grow up. It stings just a little knowing what life COULD of been and now what life is.

I could go on and on of all the things that make those hard days just a little harder. We all have things in life that make things hard. For me it is the loss of our baby boy, but there are so many other trials in life that cause us to experience everyday struggles- whether it be abuse, a divorce, our own self esteem, finances, death, a medical illness. etc. Some of these things are bigger than others, but one thing I have realized through this experience is we are all different and the Lord knows that. The Lord gives us trials according to what we can handle. Of course these trials are going to test us and we may think often "I can't handle this", but with the help of the Lord and the people he has put around us we can get through the hardest of times. Be kind to those around you. Recognize the struggles that we all have in life, and do your best to love one another, especially through those struggles.

Look to the Children as an Example

One of our greatest strengths and testimony builders through our entire struggle has been our sweet little two year old daughter. She has not only brought us joy, comfort, and happiness we thought was lost, but she has also brought us insight and so much knowledge of the plan of salvation. 

How can that be?? She is only 2 years old. Our Father in Heaven, in His great wisdom and love, sends His spirit sons and daughters to this earth as children. They come to families as precious gifts with a divine nature and destiny. Our Heavenly Father knows children are a key to helping us become like Him. There is so much we can learn from children. We have learned more from our little Az through this grieving journey than we have anyone else. Anyone that knows our little miss knows she's almost too good to be true. She is the smartest and sweetest little lady and far beyond her age. She just gets things that she shouldn't understand at the young age of 2. I know this is no mistake. The Lord sent her to us for a reason. He knew we would need her extra strength, spirit, and knowledge. He was so right! Azleigh is a constant reminder to us that Tytan is safe in the arms of a loving Heavenly Father! 

We have witnessed many sacred experiences between our two beautiful children since Tytan has passed. On many occasions Azleigh has had "special visits" from her baby brother Tyt. We have felt his presence as he converses and play with him. Back in March, we took Az to Disneyland. We had plans to take both kids this Spring because Tytan would have 2 of his surgeries over and was suppose to be stable by then. As hard as it was to go without our little man we felt we needed to take Az after the year she had experienced as well. We tried to just enjoy our family vacation, but each of our hearts were missing a little piece, especially mine. I was feeling so guilty, so sad, and so incomplete traveling to what is supposedly the "happiest place on earth" without my entire family. I tried not to let grief get the best of me and kept quiet about it. On day 2, we went to the beach. Our little miss was running wild having the time of her life. Out of nowhere she came running back to us and said, "mommy Tytans here to play with me and he brought you a gift." She dumped a handful of sand in my hands and said with a big smile on her face, "this is from Tytan". For the next little while she ran around playing with someone, but not someone the earthly eye can see. I know without a doubt in my mind Tytan was there to visit her that day. It was Tytan's and the Lord's way of letting us know he was okay and that physically we weren't together as a family, but spiritually he is always close by. What a testament to me that this isn't the end. Tytan does live and will live again. We have had many of these experiences between our two babies, and I cherish everyone of them. I secretly wish I could keep Azleigh young and innocent forever because I know now the veil is so thin between these two. I never want it to change.

 

Azleigh's faith & testimony of her brother has truly amazed me. She is so sure of where he is and what he's doing. The best part of it is she's not afraid to share it either. A few weeks back her and my nephew Stratton, who is almost 4, were at the kitchen table. Tytan is a constant conversation in our home. Az was looking out the window as she said "look its Tytan's star!" Stratton shut her down with, "Tytan's dead Azy" and my sweet little girl didn't skip a beat before she responded to him, "No he's not. Tytan lives in Heaven with Heavenly Father & Jesus" I couldn't help but weep as I heard her bear her testimony and stand up to her cousin. She knows without a doubt where he is. She never questions it, and she is sure to usually tell every stranger she meets that "her brother went to Heaven because he was sick, but he's not sick anymore. He's happy because he lives with Heavenly Father and Jesus". The first couple times it was awkward and I would try to stop her because it usually led to the dreaded conversation of reliving the past, but I have finally realized how neat it is that she remembers her brother the way she does and how amazing it is that she has that testimony of where he is and what he's doing right now. 

Azleigh is our constant reminder that "It's going to be okay!" She hates to see me cry and immediately comes and puts her arms around me. She just let me hold her tight and keeps saying "don't be sad. It's going to be okay!" The other day I was having one of the "hard days" that sneak up on you. I was sitting on the couch crying looking at pictures of our little man. She asked me what was wrong and I told her I was just missing Baby Tyt and it made me sad. Once again, with confidence, she floored me with her response. "Don't be sad Mommy. Tytan's coming back to us" 

How can a 2 year old be so smart, so sure, and have so much faith in the plan of salvation? I am suppose to be teaching her at this age, but she's teaching me far more than I could ever teach her right now. She just gets it. Yes, it may be in simple terms but that's it... That's all we need to know. I think we as adults sometimes focus on the complex parts of the gospel when we really need to be more like our children and focus on the basic simple parts of the gospel. 

In Matthew 18: 3-4 Jesus Christ taught himself that we need to look to the small children as examples. 

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4).

What can children teach us? 

These precious children of God come to us with believing hearts. They are full of faith and receptive to feelings of the Spirit. They exemplify humility, obedience, and love. They are often the first to love and the first to forgive. Next time you are in a hurry... Stop and take the time to listen to your children. Watch them and learn from them. Our children are providing examples of some of the childlike qualities we need to develop or rediscover in ourselves in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven. They are bright spirits who are untarnished by the world—teachable and full of faith. It is no wonder the Savior has a special love and appreciation for little children. We need to become more like them in order to return to live with our loving Heavenly Father. 

Next time you are fed up with whiny kids, needing a break, and ready to throw your hands in the air realize what a blessing it is to have these sacred children in your homes. They are the closest thing to Heaven that will ever enter into our homes. Cherish them. Respect them. Learn from them. 

Elder M. Russell Ballard has taught us the importance of the Savior’s admonition to “behold your little ones” when he said: “Notice that He didn’t say ‘glance at them’ or ‘casually observe them’ or ‘occasionally take a look in their general direction.’ He said to behold them. To me that means that we should embrace them with our eyes and with our hearts; we should see and appreciate them for who they really are: spirit children of our Heavenly Father, with divine attributes” 

I am so grateful for the opportunity I've been given to be the mom of two, soon to be three, of the most special children in the world. In the 2 and a half years of being a mother I have learned more from them than any other. I am grateful for Tytan and his valiant spirit who has paved the way for our family. He has taught us about love and trusting in The Lord and his plan. He may have only been in our home for 6 months, but he forever changed us and continually teaches us on a daily basis. I'm so grateful for Azleigh and her spirit and strength. The Lord definitely knew what he was doing when he sent her to our home. She has been the one to get us through the past 9 months. She is our constant reminder that Tytan isn't far away, and he does live and will live again. What a blessing that has been. And we are so grateful for this new little princess who is teaching us the meaning of hope and once again having faith in The Lord that everything will be okay! 

The Funeral

       The viewing and funeral and the week leading up the funeral was an out of body experience for me. I truly felt like I was a fly on a wall watching this bad dream for our family. It didn't seem real, and I felt like I was watching a sad, sad movie. This movie was different. It was my family as the movie cast, not just some strangers. And this movie wasn't just a story being acted out. It was real. This was now our reality. And in just a few short hours we would be telling our precious baby boy goodbye for the last time here on earth. I was amazed by the love and support we received from so many friends and family. We had friends from all over attend Tytan's services, and I can't begin to tell you what it meant to have them there. Of course, it didn't take the pain away, not even a little, but it felt good to know they cared. It felt good to know we mattered in their lives. 

      I remember during the viewings, I couldn't keep my eyes and hands off my baby boy. I just wanted to pick him up and run. He couldn't really be gone. He was too young. He was too perfect. Saturday morning, I was hoping time would just stand still. The second viewing started at 9:30 AM, and it was a constant line for the hour & a half we were there. I remember I kept watching the clock praying it would just go slower, so I didn't have to EVER wrapped up my precious boy and close the casket with his tiny body here on earth. The funeral director cut off the line and told us we needed to prepare to say our goodbyes, so we could start the funeral on time. Our family went first. My parents and brothers are very close to my kids, so it broke my heart to see their hearts breaking as they kissed their grandson/nephew. Then came the moment I dreaded for days. I laid my head on his small little chest and sobbed. I wanted so badly to hear a beating heart, but I couldn't and knew it wouldn't. I remember kissing his soft sweet lips and peace came over me. I vividly heard a voice in head. To be honest it was a voice I didn't recognize, but by what was said I knew it was my Tytie boy. I heard, "Don't cry mommy. I'm okay now. I promise you will see me soon" At that moment I was once again reassured and testified to that I would see my little boy again. He's not gone forever. Soon-- I'm not sure if that means months, 5 years, or 80 + years until I see him, but I know in the eternal realm of things no matter how long it is, or how long it seems, it will be soon. I look forward to that day every moment of every day. I dream of that day. O what a glorious day it will be.

     No funeral is ever good or easy, but I must say Tytan's turned out perfect. It was just what I wanted it to be. Our little Az and nieces and nephews sang so cute. The speakers did an incredible job. My humble husband was so sweet reading his only son's life sketch and carrying his sweet little casket to his resting spot. I know Tytan was there. I know Tytan approved and was proud. Tytan was happy with the way he valiant, short, and nothing but perfect little life was celebrated. 

Here is a link to a video of Tytan's Special Services - Tytan's Life Celebration

Miracles

“A miracle is an extraordinary event caused by the power of God. Miracles are an important element in the work of Jesus Christ. They include healings, restoring the dead to life, and resurrection. Miracles are a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith is necessary in order for miracles to be manifested” 

There are countless stories we hear every single day about miracles taking place from back in scripture times to current day in our own lives. From the time we are old enough to talk we are taught about the "miracles" in the scriptures - healing the sick, parting the red sea, feeding thousands with 2 loaves of bread & few fish, and saving Daniel from the lion's den. You could go on and on about the many miraculous miracles that God has preformed throughout the years.

Over the past couple months, I have found myself questioning and asking Heavenly Father, "Where was our miracle?" "Are we not important enough in God's eye that we didn't deserve a miracle?" "Were we not faithful or prayerful enough for a miracle to happen?"
Of course neither of those are true. I know Heavenly Father loves each of us all the same, and none is more important than the other. We were more than faithful during our trial, and I know the Lord recognized our efforts. We were in constant prayer since the day we found out about Tytan's heart condition. For the 2 1/2 months we spent fighting in the hospital, we were fasting at least every other day. We did everything we could. Tytan had a priesthood blessing daily. We had the faith, and we just KNEW he would be healed. We had multiple family fast, a community wide fast, and people from all over the world were praying and pleading for our little guys life to be saved, but why wasn't it?

This past month in our own little community we have witnessed a miraculous miracle. A sweet little girl had a drowning accident and went 30+ minutes without oxygen, and she has had an incredible recovery thus far. I don't know the full details, but she doesn't have near the damage they thought she would, and she is expected to make a full recovery. How awesome is that? I love hearing about these types of miracles, but I would be a liar if I didn't admit it pulls at my heart string, and I once again wonder "why not us?"

After many many nights on my knees, praying, and reading the Book of Mormon I had come to an understanding of why not us. It comes down to "It wasn't part of the plan" That itself is a miracle in my eye that the Lord loves and cares about each one of us so much that he has carefully sought out a plan for each and every one of us. No two plans are the same or I personally believe no two plans are fair. Before we came to the Earth in the Pre-existence I think each one of us helped design our plan. That may seem crazy talk to some, and you might be thinking "I definitely didn't agree to this". But I truly believe each one of us had agency and made choices before we were born just like we do now. Tytan made the choice to be the one in our family to pave the way. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but he agreed to come down here for a short time and return home. Jordan and I agreed to be the parents of an absolute PERFECT child and knew we would have to pay the price of letting him return home early. Azleigh made the choice to come here and be the strong spirit she is to keep her parents going and be a light to us on the darkest of days. Do we remember any of this? Absolutely not. That is what the veil is for. But there is one guy who does and remembers ALL of it. He knows the big picture - the big plan. Did we know it was going to be this hard? To be honest, I don't think we did, but that is where faith comes in. We must have the faith in "the plan" to be strong enough to keep going, to not allow ourselves to get angry & hate God. God doesn't not perform miracles or give us trials to punish us. If we use these trials in the right way, they strengthen us. They strengthen others. They teach us. They prepare us for the things to take place in the future and the here-after. We can choose to let our life experiences make us bitter or better.

The more I pondered about the "miracles" in our life, especially in the past year I realized yes "Tytan wasn't raised from the dead" or "Yes Tytan's brain wasn't miraculously healed from all the lack of oxygen", and "No Tytan didn't received a new heart to keep him alive" but GUESS WHAT? We witnessed more miracles in Tytan's 6 months of life than some do in an entire lifetime. The first miracle was that Tytan lived as long as he did, thanks to God's Miracles workers who truly do perform miracles at Primary Children's hospital. It was a miracle that we as a family ever got to bring Tytan home from the hospital. It was a miracle that Tytan was able to spend 2 months at home completely TUBE FREE! It was a miracle I got to see Tytan smile and giggle. We witnessed a miracle when all odds were against us and Tytan came off both ECMO and the ventilator. It was a miracle Tytan's little body declared itself, and we as parents didn't have to make the choice to "pull the plug". It's a miracle Jordan worked for Vernal City who never let him miss a day of pay whether he was there or not, and a community that didn't even know us but did more for us "strangers" than I could dream. It's a miracle we had the support system we did and still have that have blessed our lives in more ways can we can count. It's a miracle that a boy with such a small little body could change so many lives in such a short amount of time. We received many miracles after all didn't we?

I think sometimes as humans we take the everyday miracles for granted. We forget just how fortunate each of are in the hardest of times. We forget that just because God didn't raise our loved one from the dead that we haven't been granted miracles. EVERY SINGLE DAY IS A MIRACLE. Each of us have different struggles. Each of us live fairly different lives, but no matter how hard you think you have it there is still miracles within your life. Whether you have lost a loved one, gone through a divorce, struggled to have children, or whatever life may have thrown at you sit back and count just all the miracles you have been blessed with. It's a miracle you wake up every morning. It's a miracle you have a job and a home to live in. It's a miracle whether you have a spouse, one child, or multiple children that you have someone to love and come home to at night.
I challenge you next time you are struggling to focus on what you do have rather than what you don't. If you are fed up with your job, consider it a miracle you have one. If you are tired of whiny kids, consider them being able to cry a miracle. I have met many parents who have children on ventilators who a crying child would be music to your ears. If you are tired and exhausted of taking care of a sick child, consider it a miracle they are still here with you. Many bereaved parents would give anything to go back to the days of living in the hospital with a sick child. If you think you have it bad, always remember someone else, somewhere out there, probably have it worse than you do.

Lastly, Remember EVERYDAY IS A MIRACLE!!