No one said it would be easy....

No one said it would be easy. They said it would be hard, really hard. I'm talking about just life in general; everything that comes along with life. Jobs, marriage, children, education, etc. I mean, I knew it wasn't all going to be on a silver platter, but I didn't know it would stress me out this much. Maybe I just let everything in life stress me out, when really, I just need to sit back and appreciate what I have. 

I have my health. Health is one thing that I think we all take for granted. I've watched people I love crumble because of their health issues and I've watched people I love die because they've lost the health they once had. That is one of the hardest things to do; watch someone you love lose the life they once knew because their body won't let them live it. I take for granted the fact that I can jump, run, lift, swim, bike whenever I want. I take for granted that I can see the sun rise and set, the flowers bloom in the spring, see the leaves change in the fall, and watch the snow fall from the sky. I forget that not everyone can smell homemade cookies baking or smell a dozen roses. Even on the days that I feel horrible, I forget it could be so much worse.

I have my family. I have two amazing parents that have taught me to never, ever give up. They taught me to fight for what I love and to always be strong. I grew up with a brother unlike any other. He taught me that hard work does pay off and if you do something you love with your life, you will be happy. I have the best uncle in the world and so many childhood memories have him in them. He is one of the strongest people I know and I look up to him, admire him, and am so proud of him. I love him more than he will ever know. I don't think any of them know how much they have impacted my life. They are all some of the most beautiful people that God put on this Earth. 

I have my husband and my marriage. He lifts me up. He is my strength when I am not sure which way to go. When I first met him, I knew that somehow he would change my life forever and he has and he will continue to do that as long as I live. He forgives me, loves me, and supports me. What more could I ask for? I think the thing I admire the most is the fact that he forgives me. When I mess up or drive him nuts or say things that I probably shouldn't, he forgives me and moves on. He is one of the strongest and most dedicated people I know. He puts his whole heart into what he loves and his passion drives him every single day. I am so proud of him and what he does for our family. I do not tell him that enough. When you get married you marry someone for better AND for worse. You commit to this person and promise to stand by them on their best days AND on their worst days. Marriage is a lifetime commitment and you should do everything in your power to keep your marriage together and keep it alive. You both have to make an effort to make sure your marriage, your love (and yes, your sex life stay alive). Marriage takes work. You have to make sure that flame is still burning. The more you get to know your spouse, the better your marriage will be. There will never, EVER be a day that you stop learning things about the person you married. You will learn something new about them every day that you are together. Of course, you are going to fight. Everyone fights. That's okay. That means you believe in something. That means you believe in each other. You should be worried when you aren't fighting. That means that there is nothing left for you fight for. You should both fight for each other. That's the beauty in fighting. 

I have my son. Every single time I feel lost, I look at him, and everything is as it should be. He lights up my life and makes me feel like I have purpose in this world. It's amazing how a child can make you feel. This little person relies on me to survive. He is always excited to see me and never wants me to go. I know that it will change but I'm going to take what I can get for right now. He makes me feel so complete and every single day I try harder just for him. He makes it easier to wake up in the morning. He came into my life exactly when I needed him to. He teaches me to focus on today and to hope for tomorrow. 

I think that life is unpredictable. No one is ever going to know what will happen or where you will be 5 years from now. The most important thing to remember is that life goes on. No matter how hard it seems right now or how scared you are about the future, life is not going to sit back and wait for you to get it together. Life is going to just keep going and it isn't going to stop. Days will turn into months, months into years, and you will wonder how you got where you are. Take the bad days and turn them into good. You might have no idea what you are doing or where you going or what exactly your purpose is, but remember, this life is a blessing. This life was given to you. So mess up, do something you never thought you would do, love more than you could ever love, and never forget that you will never get today back. Am I perfect? Far from it. Do I hurt people I love? You better believe I do and I hate that. But you know what? I learn from my mistakes, I learn from the pain I cause others, and I learn from the love that people give me. So all I can do from this day forward is enjoy the NOW, appreciate every kiss I get from my baby, and cherish every moment I have with the people I love. Because tomorrow might never come. Tomorrow might be too late. Don't wait around for someone to save you. You just need to save yourself. Happiness comes from within. If you are happy, people in your life will be happy too. There is no better time to change than right now. Live. Laugh. Love. Your future is now. 

I am thankful for all the people in my life that have stood by me, support me every single day, listen to me complain, and deal with all my fears, dreams, and failures. I am thankful for the people in my life that have given up on me, left me, and pushed me to the ground. Without those people I would not be who I am today. Without them, I would not have gotten back up and pushed ahead. Without them, I would not have realized how strong I am. Without them, I would not have realized what I deserve. I am blessed to be here and to live each beautiful day exactly how God wants me to live it. He is writing my story. I am just along for the ride. Make tomorrow better than today. Have no regrets. And love with every breath you take.