"I Get To" Tuesdays

The thought behind this is to list a few things that could come under the category of "Ugh...I have to (you fill in the blank)". However, I want you to look at these "have to's" as blessings of "I get to". We all take for granted such things as our health, jobs, family, friends, etc. and sometimes don't appreciate them or see them as blessings as we should. So here are a few things for me this week.

I have to admit, I'm really tired and don't feel much like posting or doing anything else for that matter. However, I know I need to do this in order to find the blessings in the things I'm finding discouraging at the moment. So here I go!

1. I got to take my oldest son to the orthodontist yesterday. I knew the ortho wasn't going to be happy because Sam hasn't been wearing his retainer consistently. The main reason he got braces was because he had an upper tooth that had grown in too high and needed to be pulled down. (He inherited this from me! Same reason I had braces.) His top teeth are fine, but his bottom teeth are crooked again. The ortho asked me what I wanted to do (make a new retainer, put braces back on the bottom teeth, or nothing). I opted for nothing! I'm hoping that some time down the line my son will learn a lesson from this. I told Sam that we'll take care of his normal dental needs and his wisdom teeth, but if he wants straight bottom teeth, he can pay for it when he's an adult. This may seem harsh to some of you, but we see it as a monetary lesson and a lesson in responsibility for him.
2. I get to host our church book club at my house this month AND I get to read a difficult book. I am not very good at hospitality. This is something I know God has been working on in me. We're reading The Gospel of Thomas. The book is difficult in that it has big words that seem rather scholarly. The last book we read was by Jodi Picoult, and in it one of the main characters kept quoting this gospel. We all had a lot of questions about it, so we decided to read it to see exactly what it is.
3. I get to start writing up my lesson plans for this school year. My September plans are due on 8/21. This makes me sad because it means my summer is coming to a close. However, I should be thankful I have a job to go back to!
4. My #3 here leads into my next "I Get To". I get to roll the coins from our big coin jar. So far, I've rolled $20. I'm looking for extra cash because I've got a birthday party to plan for Cooper and school supplies and some clothing to buy for the boys. My sons have even sold some of their old video games to make some extra money. (They made $63 each!) This makes me thankful that I'm going back to work soon so that I can start getting a pay check again! Also, my sons are learning a little finance lesson through this.
5. Today I get to start helping my hubby by sending out postcards advertising his business. This will be mindless and boring, but at least I get to help him out. AND, so far, he still has a business. The health care reform could put him out of business.

That's my "I Get To" list for this week. This was hard for me today, but it's a way to remind me of my blessings in disguise. If you decide to post your own "I Get To" list on your blog, please let me know, and I will post a link to your blog here.

Remember, try to find the blessings in your "I Have To's" and turn them into "I Get To's"!