Change. . .Be Sure to Count the Blessings Along the Way

For the last 6 years life has been about the same.  When people would see me a couple years down the road they would ask me what was new and I would respond, "It's all pretty much the same."  Rick works in the same industry, I have the same cub scout calling, Rick has the same calling (for the last 3 - 4 years), kids are healthy, I am still volunteering in the schools a lot, I still have the same job, etc.  I was actually feeling a little bored about that and thought it would be nice to say that something had changed in my life.  

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Summer was awesome and we had so much fun as a family.  That was all pretty much the same too.  Going to the movies, swimming at grandpa and grandma's, going to Seven Peaks, family traditions, etc.  
Then the first week of August I said to Rick that I was feeling really strongly that life was going to bring some changes.  I wasn't sure what those changes would be, but I found myself saying that I looked forward to a little bit of change and really felt strongly it was coming.  Our oldest was going to be turning 16 and starting high school, our second was going to be starting Junior High so I thought that those might be some of the changes coming. 
Little did I know what was really coming - here is how things came down from August 9th - September 13th:  
   1.  Michael gets his learners - August 9th
   2.  Brayden passes out in the parking lot after getting his school immunization and fractures his skull, has blood contusions, unconscious for the day and is taken by ambulance to Primary Children's Hospital - August 9th
   3.  No insurance - this brings about all new opportunities to learn about other options
  4.  Brayden returns home from Primary Children's - August 12th
  5.  Rick loses his job - August 13th 
  6.  Michael starts high school (whole new world) -  August 19th
  7.  Brayden is supposed to start Junior High, but instead he is at home for 3 weeks, returns to school part time for 2 weeks and is now in school full time. Figuring out how to keep up with school work with a son with a head injury at home was a new experience.   Homeschooling is a new process and helping my child heal from his injury.    
  8.   Released from my cub scout calling after 6 years - August 25th
  9.   Michael released from his Teacher Quorum President position and called to work with Special Needs Mutual - August 25th 
  10.  Michael turns 16 - August 30th
   11.  Rick is released from his Cub Master calling - September 10th
  12.  I lose my job after working for the company over 5 years - September 13th

There are several other things that came with many of these things, but that is a brief summary of the main changes that came over a 4 week period.  Have to say that when I was thinking change was good and excited for a few changes not many of these were on my list.  
I am learning that often the things that are in store for our life are not on "our list."  It's now been another month and Rick has a new calling, Michael is loving high school, Brayden is back to school and we are still unemployed in our home on both sides.  Even though these things look like challenges and some could be seen as negative and not fair, I feel like these are changes that have better things in store.  It's always good to take a good look at life, evaluate, lean on the Lord and live each day to it's fullest.  It's even great to take time and smell the flowers and realize there are many blessings everyday and to recognize that there are many that come with change.  That's where we are at in life right now. . .changes.