Choosing an attitude of gratitude

Another week has passed and I haven't been here to update like I want to. I know... I keep saying that I am going to get back on track. The past two months have felt so chaotic. It started even before Maia was in the hospital in February. Up until about a week ago, there hasn't been a day in which at least two of us weren't sick. Mostly respiratory stuff, the kids kept reinfecting themselves and us. Matthew was the only one who didn't end up on antibiotics. Maia and I both get treated for sinus infections. Mark had strep. Needless to say, I am VERY thankful that no one else got it.
It seems like my days off and the weekends have been filled with one thing or another - or we have felt so rotten that we didn't do anything. Between Maia being sick and me being sick, I missed church for three weeks. Last week, we finally went as a family again. What a wonderful thing! It felt so good to be in God's house. Most of the time, the kids are distracting enough that I don't get to hear much of the lesson or sermon. But, just being among our church family and feeling His presence brought joy to my heart!
Work has been absolutely crazy for about three weeks now. As each week has drawn to an end, I think "whew... next week has got to be better." Famous last words. Next week? Maybe or maybe not. In spite of some really challenging situations, I am so blessed to have this job that I love. Are there difficult moments when I wish that maybe I had chosen a different profession? Well, there are moments that I do wish for calm. But, I can not imagine going any place different when I leave the house in the morning. God gave me such a gift allowing me to go back to school and become a nurse practitioner, then work with the elderly.
And if things weren't insane enough, we decided to get a puppy. Not an adult well trained, well behaved dog. Nope, not us! Lucy is now 9 weeks old. And after a week of calm transition, she has decided to let her personality show. Oh, my! We're working on house training, behaviors, crate training - all that fun stuff. Every time, I have had moments of doubt, God has reassured me that she did not join our family by accident. And she IS adorable - lol!
Each night at bedtime, I read the kids a book or two. Then, we have our devotion story and say prayer. I've been trying to help Matthew see that there is always something to be thankful for. He hasn't learned that yet, most days, he can not come up with even one good thing that has happened. But it's also been a good reminder for me. In the midst of the mundane, the chaos, the stress, the sadness, the every day life, I remember that I choose my attitude. I can grumble, whine, gripe... and often, I do. But I can also make better choices. I can stop to see His hand at work in our lives. I can thank Him for His presence in every situation - even the challenging ones. And I can trust that He will guide me and sustain me when I feel like I don't have it in me to go one more step. I am so thankful for a God who is full of mercy and grace, for a Savior who made the ultimate sacrifice for me, and for the promise of the resurrection that we will celebrate on Easter.