My day today is insanely busy

Here's a picture of the cousins while on our camping trip. We spent the morning wading in a creek and the kids loved it. Weston is missing from this photo because he was back in the cabin with Elly, throwing up. Poor kids.

Some really long thoughts for today: (I will come back and proofread later- I am just too busy right now)
The house is a mess, we have swim lessons, a tea party, and church...not to mention we need to fit some time in there for school and spanish lessons. Sometimes I feel like my life is spiraling out of control. I just want it to slow way down. Sometimes I get caught up in the chaos of a moment and forget who I am. This morning, a couple of blog posts reminded me to be still, to remember Who I belong to. They reminded me to take time to count my blessings and that my character is far more important than my label of mother.
Read this one.
And this one by a mother struggling with brain cancer

When I grow up, I want to be kind, gentle, creative, respectful, truthful, and friendly.

My blessings:
1. I am a child of God. His forgiveness for my rottoness outweighs any other blessing I could name.
2. I happened to have married the best and greatest man on earth. God saw fit to save him for me. He does dishes, he helps with the children, he provides me with a home and lifestyle I could never have imagined when I was a kid. remeber that sily game where we listed the cars we wanted, the places we wanted to live, our occupations, and the boys we wanted to marry? then we did some kind of silly counting method to cross them off one by one until the last ones left would be our future? I was supposed to have a Z-28, marry Micheal tucker, live in France as a famous author. I am glad God designed my future and not me or some random game.
3. I have two of the dearest friends on the planet. I spent yesterday complaining that the ladies at the pool ignored me and that I was being shunned when I tried to have small talk sessions with them. Who needs them when I have two best friends who are there in a instant when I need them, who love me despite all my flaws, and who inspire me to be a better person.
4. My sister. I can't type more or I will cry.
5. My mom and dad who taught me to love God, to see life as an adventure, and to adore learning. They love me unconditionally.
6. All of my grandparents are still living. And they all love God. I don't get to see them very often, but their heritage of faith surrounds me everyday. Who I am is so much a part of who they are. Not many people can gorw to adulthood still basking in the love of grandparents, but I can.
7. My brats. Ahem, okay, my children. Today they are driving me up a wall. But still. They are blessings. Weston has renewed his dream of becoming a hairdresser and thankfully practices on Esther's hair sans scissors. She looks so pretty today because he made her hair shiny and smooth. A few weeks ago he decided to follow Christ. Now I am choked up all over again. Two of my children know the Lord as their Savior.
8. I am alive. My health is good.
9. I am fat. Which means I am not hungry.
10. The plants I planted a few weeks ago are still alive. It's a miracle.