Counting my blessings!!!!!!

So, I have been very closely following 'The Biggest Loser' this season. Some seasons are "Eh" but this season has been more about new beginnings for these people than just weight loss. One contestant, in particular, has just really touched my heart. Abby! In the case that you are not watching, let me breifly tell you about Abby. Two and a half years ago, Abby found herself happily married, with a beautiful little curly red-haired five year old daughter, and a two week old little precious boy. In the blink of an eye they were all three taken from her in an auto collision caused by another driver going well over 100 miles per hour. All of them died!

Talk about tragedy... she lost everything! I cannot imagine, and would not want to imagine, how I would feel if this scenario occurred in my life. As you can imagine, she did not know how to go on living. In order to "cope" with her life, she had to stop feeling. She found herself going through the motions of life, just trying to survive day to day. She found herself given this opportunity to go on "The Biggest Loser" and in the process of trying to get her eating and fitness back in control, she found herself again. She found her ability to feel love and no longer continue "just going through the motions" but to find joy again. She says she is looking forward to her new beginning and is thankful that it is now time to start that new journey in her life.

I am pretty sure, not many of her fellow contestants have gone for any extended length of time with dry eyes, while living at the ranch with her. I can honestly say, neither have I! This woman is one of the strongest women I have ever seen. I feel like I have been right beside her on her journey and I can say that she has certainly touched MY heart. As I sat sobbing my eyeballs out, Gavin asked me if I was laughing or crying. As I scooped him up in my arms telling him how much I loved him while at the same time kissing him endlessly on his cheeks and forehead, I told him that I was, in fact, crying. I told him all that she had lost and how thankful I was for him and the rest of our family!

Our days are often very stressful when the boys get home from school... homework, arguing (UGH!), and just livin' la vida loca! The loss that Abby has suffered reminds me of how unpredictable life is, and even in the stress and frustration of our life, I have been telling the boys how thankful I am for them. Russ and I always try to do this on a daily basis anyway, but I feel even more aware of the need now.

I do not know Abby, but if I could tell her anything, I would thank her. Thank her for demonstrating the beauty of hope. She has hope for the future and in her ability to feel love again. My hope for her is that she will be blessed in ways she could never even have thought to dream. What a precious, precious person she appears to be! I believe many people will be blessed just by knowing her. In the meantime, I will count my own blessings, and enjoy each moment!