I am tired of negativity. I don't want to hop on the soapbox, but I was feeling really negative lately. About everything, stomping my feet when I found out that Ben was leaving for the weekend, and leaving me with the kids and no car, I was like, "are you nuts?" Just so negative! I don't want to walk through life getting to the next thing.. rushing through...
Every evening, I am like "Ok, Sara... just have the kids play for a bit... then you can get them in the bath... and then finally bedtime, then some peace for yourself...." I feel so selfish.
There is this woman and her family named Stephanie Nielson... I heard of her, actually while we were visiting A&K in PA, and I heard of her because of the Today show. On August 16, 2008 she and her beloved husband were in a private airplane crash. She sustained burns to 83& of her body, and he sustained about 30%. They have four children, and from what I have gathered, are about my age (I think about 26ish?). I follow a blog who is raising funds to help their doctor bills, they have had muliple surgeries and are still hospitalized. Stephanie, who is called Nie Nie, and her husband were transfered, I think yesterday actually, to another hospital a bit closer to where their famliy is... I think they are in Utah. Anyhow, Nie Nie's sisters are helping with the children for the time being, but the one sister, Courtney keeps a blog which she updates daily on their recovery process, and about the kids. I have been just completely engrossed with this story, as I know they need prayer, but seeing God glorified in utter tragedy is what strikes me the most. Oh my gosh it is wonderful! Anyhow, the NieNie blog (which is how she gained a huge fan base because of her possitive outlook on life, motherhood, her happy marriage, and desire to cook healthfully) is updated daily and where people write in and say which of the posts was there favorites. If you have time, please check out Nie Nie's blog, it is so amazing! I was reading one of her posts last night when I happened upon this little bit of advice:

"The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less"(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).

I need to just LOVE... Love as Jesus loves... and learn and pray... and be positive. I desire to have this almost infectious positive outlook. I want to do it for myself, my husband, and my children!