A Beautiful Perspective

Every time I pull out the laptop to write I wonder why it has been so long since the last post. Oh how I love to write! I especially love writing about things that I can't quit thinking about or that impact me so much I just have to share!


This is one of those that I just have to share, as I feel that it was a straight blessing and answer to my prayers! Oh how I love it when I am reminded of things that I share on a regular basis and is kind of a wake up call to me! I love being reminded of my life theme...A BETTER ME A BETTER MOM!

So, I recently went to Cancun, Mexico for a Scentsy leadership meeting! I have to admit that I almost talked myself out of going! Only because I was not ready to leave my family again! (You know you have traveled alot when you don't want to go to Mexico) In 2012 I was gone on a trip almost once a month or every other month...so needless to say I was not ready to pack those bags quite yet! But of course, I did!

The first 2 days I was homesick but still managed to enjoy myself and learned amazing things! I have never really experienced being homesick! I think alot of it had to do with the emotions of the last time that I was gone for a week my family was hit by a tornado and life was drastically changed!

On the 3rd day I was able to talk to my husband and ended up spending 4 hours on the phone having a wonderful conversation about everything! Being gone is good sometimes because you get the chance to be missed! I decided that the last day I would have some "ME" time...which you usually don't get when you are at  a big leadership because you are spending it with all of your dear friends! So the 4th morning I scheduled a spa/massage appointment! (PURE AWESOMENESS) I thought that after that I would catch up with everyone! But, by the time I was done most everyone had already gone into town for some shopping! So I declared it a pool day and went down searching for some friends to hang out with! Well, after my long walk and search I found no one. So, I decided to find me a spot and ENJOY some sun!!!

So here I am in Mexico with 600+ people at the resort and I am by myself! As I laid there I had so many things running through my head...."This is incredible", "Man, I could do this everyday", "I miss my family". " I am so happy". "I love my life", " I am grateful for so many things"

You know the feeling when you just feel so much gratitude.... So that is where my mindset was! Especially after the AMAZING spa experience and massage! Anyway, when I have this kind of time I always repeat in my mind....A BETTER ME A BETTER _______! I allow myself to reflect and think what could I improve on or work on to make the relationships in my life more meaningful and stronger! (Yep that's me) Well anyway I was thinking of my kids and I had different memories flash through my head! Some great and some not so great! Like the moments when I lost my temper at something or the day I didn't have patience and responded with words I wished I could take back!  Which led me think about what I could do differently upon my arrival home to really let my kids know that I was their #1 supporter and that I loved them unconditionally in spite of the messy rooms, occasional talking back, unfinished homework, unfinished chores, lazy moments and etc,.

At this moment, I am laying out by the pool with my eyes closed, listening to the waves, hearing the music, the sound of laughter from other guests, and just thinking! When all of a sudden I was tuned into this one voice...."come on, you can do it", " oh, look at our big boy", "look mama, he is doing it", " take one more step", "we are so proud of you", ""Hunny, I am getting it all on video...keep talking to him so he doesn't stop", "Wow, you are really doing it", "Come on bubba you can do it", "oh look at our big boy" .....So as you can imagine me with my eyes still closed, I was picturing a little toddler that was just learning to walk and was walking into the water for the first time by himself! It caused me to open my eyes and see the cute little family! To my surprise, it was not a little beginner toddler....It was a boy that was probably 16-18 years of age and the dad was in the water talking to his son and the mom was behind filming! I could not quit watching the excitement and COMPLETE LOVE in their faces as they encouraged their son. I was so intrigued I could not quit watching! I started clapping and joining in saying, "you can do it" I looked at the dad and saw tears strolling down his face! I knew that I was witnessing something special and had no idea of the magnitude!

The boy went in as far as he could stand and turned around and went back to his mom who greeted him with teary hugs! The father saw my interest and approached me to tell me that every day with their Ben is a GIFT and that Ben was supposed to die about 10 years ago and that he is mute and deathly afraid of the water! (I am not sure of his exact condition) He said think of all the things that you do with water.... I understood that he was sharing what a struggle life has been raising Ben! Everything, Everyday is a major challenge! He had tears rolling down his face as he shared that this trip was a gift from loved ones! Because of his medical expenses they have never been able to travel with Ben. So here they were in Mexico and for the first time in his life he wanted to go into the water! I couldn't hold back the tears! The last thing he said to me was..."Not one day has been easy but it has been so worth it! Ben has taught us some beautiful lessons in life and we CHERISH EVERY SINGLE DAY AND NEVER GET MAD AT HIM FOR THE STRUGGLE FOR WE NEVER KNOW WHEN IT MIGHT BE HIS LAST DAY...BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD HIM 10 YEARS LONGER THAN WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD! SO WE MAKE THE BEST OF EVERY SINGLE DAY NO MATTER WHAT BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO LOSE HIM ON A DAY THAT I GOT ANGRY, SO I KEEP GOING AND GOING" "He said, TODAY IS A MIRACLE"

I told him that I would cherish this moment and that I felt privileged to have witnessed his miracle!
He then leaves back to his son and I am laying there with tears streaming down my face! Realizing how blessed I was to have witnessed that and also feeling it a direct blessing that I was just pondering how I could go home and be a better mom! My life had been changed by strangers that felt all so familiar! Thank you to my Heavenly Father that blessed me with that beautiful visual and paradigm shift! See, I know what it feels like to lose my children and have many things that I do differently because of having that perspective! But as I have reached this phase in my life with teenagers it was a beautiful lesson RIGHT ON TIME! How grateful I was for this BEAUTIFUL PERSPECTIVE SHIFT!

So, if you have felt that your mundane routine of laundry, chores, homework, baths, cooking dinner, practicing math, science fair projects, potty training, teenagers talking back, curfews being broken, the list goes on and on and on ..... always REMEMBER THIS STORY! Remember this father's perspective and change your mindset! These children came here to be with you because of you and we as their parents should love them and cherish them EVERYDAY! For you never know when it could be your last day with them!

Find JOY in your CHILDREN no matter what! No matter how frustrating it can get! Find JOY in being a mother and WITH ALL THAT BEING A MOTHER CONSISTS OF! Finding JOY in the journey of raising your children makes for a better quality of growing up! Let them know that you love them and helping them succeed! If your heart is not in it then they will know!

FIND JOY IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PERSPECTIVE CHANGE when you feel unappreciated as a mother for it will make you feel like soaring!