I feel like I can write about this now...

I don't know really where to begin... maybe with last night.  As I sat on the couch after reffing a couple of basketball games, exhausted, full of gas and unsure of what I would like to eat next, I looked at the small stack of mail that actually comes to our house.  In it was a small envelope addressed to James and Amanda... and curiously it was from us also. (Kind of weird)  It is was a small note with a gift card to Mackenzie Pizza saying, "We admire your dedication and faithfulness to the gospel, your family, and each other.  May you enjoy using this gift to spend some time together!" ... -The Phamily Phun Phantom

Is it bad that my first thought was, "They don't know how to spell fun..."  It was such a nice little treat and surprise that we were astonished that someone would think to send it to us of all people.  We are just the little family that is in the behind the scenes and called on when needed and give of whatever we can.  Not the family that needs recognition or special attention.  We try to be stalwarts and strong... but whoever this family is knew better.  I appreciate their thoughtfulness and love to take the time to do such a small act of kindness.

It seems as though these past couple of months have been a huge topsy turve of critical points in trial and faith and perseverance for us.  Lists always seem easier to make than explaining in great detail...
And maybe for each bullet point an entry well be written at a later time.

1. James and I lost three hard drives full of critical information for his school projects, business info, ten years of pictures.  After a month and $2000 later we were able to recover one of them... the others are still waiting.
2. Past issues arose and we are now dealing with those again... with success this time around!  I hope.
3. After about five EPT's, a doctors test and an official visit to the OB... I am expecting our third baby July 7th.
4. I got through almost two months feeling like I would throw up but never doing it while all of my goals that I had set for the "off season" were pushed to goals for when I could actually feel like doing something.
5. I accidentally left my purse in the car last night... unlocked.  We woke up to find that everything of plastic nature in the purse had been rehomed to someone else's needy hands.  Bummer deal... Luckily, they left about $300 worth of signed checks and took the $10 bill instead and the Mckenzie River Pizza gift card that our kind Phun Phamily had sent us.  I think I was most bummed about that.

But after all this stuff that has occurred over that past couple months, I can't help but sit here and think, "Isn't life great?"  We are so blessed to have our small family who love to be with each other.  Life is all about having trials and being tried.  We have the choice of getting over it and learning from it while attempting to maintain some level of sanity or pulling ourselves and others down into a slow pit of pride and selfishness.  I am so grateful for the gift of choice.  Next time I will make different choices, (like make for dang sure my purse is inside the house and car doors are locked...) but I don't regret having learned lessons from these past trials.  I feel stronger and better for who I have attempted at becoming with a whole bunch of work to go.  But that is life.  Right?