Delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders & jolts

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey...delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas, and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride. " --Gordon B. Hinkley

My sentiments exactly. I certainly hope I don't give off any pretenses about our family & lives with this blog. We are not perfect or pretend to be. Heck, we(meaning me) are far from being crafty/uber-organized. Those only come up once in a blue moon or as circumstances necessitate. You notice that I don't put up pictures showing how chaotic our typical days are? There's a reason for that. There are a lot of things in our day to day lives that are hard & a lot of it related to the challenges of Autism Awareness day being every day at our home, a lot from having 4 kids, some from personal issues or the impact of others' choices and how they effect us, all the while still trying to make spouse top-priority while juggling it all & having the house somewhat respectable looking with the multiple therapists and dinner made on time. Some days it takes all my energy just to survive and/or hold my tongue. In the meantime, I'm trying to "have joy in the journey"(Thomas S. Monson) and to "feel my feet"(learned about in Time Out For Women this May).