The butterfly and the snake

This past weekend we got to take a trip up to Dave's family cabin. We love it there! This last trip, however was a little different than usual.

(This old picture is deceiving. The water by the bridge would probably hit my knees.)

I love this little bridge. Dave and I had our Engagement pictures taken there, and I thought it would be a great place to take pictures of my children. I was taking a picture of Kate (the last picture I needed). I was bent over to snap a quick picture, when I felt something heavy fall right onto my back. I thought (for sure) that a tree had fallen on me, but it turns out it was a 100+ pound picnic table. It had been propped upright (to stop snow from collecting on it for the winter). Olivia had decided to play on it, and knocked it over and onto my hunched over back. Not only was the force of the table enough to stun me, it knocked this
out of my hands and into the stream under the bridge. Luckily, I had enough sense to grab it out before it went too far, but the damage was done. (Thus the reason I don't have current pictures for this post). While I was extremely thankful I was there stop my kids from getting crushed with the table, and I was very thankful it didn't knock Kate into the water, I'm not going to lie. I was devastated! I LOVE that camera. It was very expensive, and I use it all the time. I love being able to capture moments of my children. I was so heart broken.

Fast forward to today......

We went to the children's art festival today. Each station is set up for the kids to make a different craft/project. One booth had balloon animals. My kids were so excited. That is all they could talk about the whole day. Kate and Olivia got butterflies(pictures courtesy of my phone)

We brought them home, and they couldn't stop playing with them. It wasn't long before Kate's popped. I sat there waiting for the tantrum and the tears. For a second, I thought they were coming, but then she picked up her broken balloon, smiled, and said, "look, now I have a snake!" and she went off playing with it, content as ever. I was speechless.What a wonderful lesson from my child!

While I may no longer have my camera, I am thankful for a strong back (that didn't even show much bruising from the table). I am thankful for a phone that can still take pictures of our lives so I can document them for my children. I am thankful for the gospel and the joy it brings to my life, but I am mostly thankful for my wonderful, precious family that is more dear to me than words can express. I hope that I can be more like them and choose to see the positive side of things. I have been so blessed. Who am I to complain?