Blessings big and small

Sometimes I forget to really stop and count my blessings. So I thought it would be fun to list some big and small ones from the past week, in no particular order. I want to remind myself of how I see God's hand in the day-to-day events of my life.

• Last Monday night, I got a piece of sawdust or something stuck in my eye. It was driving me crazy because I could not get it out, no matter how I tried. I prayed that maybe it would work its way out overnight because I really did NOT want to have to go to the eye dr. and pay to get it taken out! But the next morning it was still there. So I kept praying. Sometime between when I got up and when I finished my shower, it disappeared. I don't even know the exact moment it came out, or where it went, but the relief was amazing! I was so thankful that God answered prayer and I didn't have to take a trip to the eye dr.
• We went swimming with friends at an indoor pool last Weds, and Sam slipped and hit his head on the edge of the pool, causing a pretty good gash. I am thankful for friends who came up with a makeshift bandage for him so he could still swim a bit once he calmed down, and that his cut wasn't bad enough to warrant stitches (and that it's healing beautifully!). It could have been a lot worse and I am grateful that it wasn't!
• I am thankful for the beauty of creation all around us. Saturday night, we all went outside to enjoy watching the "supermoon" rising above the trees. So amazingly beautiful! Then today we got to take a walk and see a tiny baby turtle that our friends had found in their yard. On the way home we were able to admire some blue flowers that I notice at one of our neighbors' homes every year . . . I really want to find some to plant at our house because they are so pretty!

• On Saturday we had our first ladies' brunch at church. It was so much fun and such a sweet blessing to get together and enjoy yummy food, lovely decorations, and fellowship!
• Along the same line, I have been reminded lately of how thankful I am for the friendships I've been blessed with. When we were first married, around 12+ years ago, I felt somewhat lonely as a young bride with no other close friends my age. As the years went by, God has brought some incredible ladies into my life. I now feel surrounded by good friends! Some are local friends who I can get together with often, some are old friends from college who I've been able to get back in touch with, some are new friends who I've met through blogging or other ways. I'm also thankful for the internet, which allows me to keep in touch with friends and family who aren't close by! Sometimes I think about how lonely the pioneer women must have been, with families and friends left behind, and months in between letters.
• I'm also thankful for having a whole afternoon at home by myself on Saturday, thanks to my dad, who wanted to keep my kids ALL DAY--while I was at the ladies' brunch, and then longer--until suppertime, in fact! They had such a great time helping him work on (and playing in) the new tree house! And I was able to get so much stuff done at home. It was really, really nice!

So those are just a few of my blessings that I wanted to share. How about you? Do you guys take time out to count your blessings once in a while?