Becoming more aware

Sorry about the long delay between posts. This last week may have literally been one of the worst weeks of my life! Well...so far at least. Here's hoping this is as bad as it gets *fingers crossed*

We have been having car troubles and it's been in and out of one shop or another for over a week now. Which equals us stuck at home with two VERY unhappy children, and one VERY stir crazy mom. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say I have never felt more loved and cared for by friends than I have in this last week.

I was nervous moving away from family with our two small children. Should we need some help they wouldn't be there like they always had been in the past. However, when we ran into trouble this last week the people in our ward stepped up and were simply amazing. Last Sunday a lady I didn't even know stepped in to help me with my restless children during sacrament when Jared couldn't be there to help. She actually took them on a walk around the church and allowed me to take a minute to just listen to the talk being given. We had a friend offer us her car for a few days so Jared could at least get to work and her and her husband made due with just one car. For anyone that has to do the one car juggle you know this was no small thing! Then I had another friend that has graciously toted my daughter to preschool and has more than once taken the three of us along so we could go to a midweek activity. I am so grateful for the ward we live in and the people in it that live their religion. It's not just something they do on Sunday to pass the time.

I'm so glad that we've had to deal with all this in the last week, if for nothing other than to see the example these people have been for me. I've always tried to be aware of the people around me and on the lookout for the opportunity to serve, no matter how small. But I realized this last week that the opportunities don't always present themselves to us. Instead we have to be actively aware of the people around us. I didn't want to ask for help because I didn't want to put any one out. They have their own problems and their own families to deal with, why would I add my dilemma to their load. But because those particular ladies asked 'how are you?' and did it really wanting to know the answer I was able to find the help I needed. They were my angels.

Heavenly Father has sent us here for many reasons and one of them was to care for and uplift one another along the way. I know I will be paying closer attention not only to the people in our ward, but the random people I interact with every day. Hopefully I'll find the opportunity to be someone elses angel!