My name is Amber Gunter and I am a blogaholic!

Dear Satan~

I'm SORRY, but we're gonna win!

Amber

So, tonight at Enrichment we were deeply enriched by Lori Thurston. She taught us a wonderful lesson about Satan. Rather, defeating Satan. She reminded us that we have what Satan will never have. We have each other. We have the opportunity to have children, we have the love and affection of our families, and we are on the winning team! The only way he can take those things from us is if he distracts us from what is important. And, they don't have to be bad distractions. Some of my good distractions include over planning, expecting perfection, rather than striving for it and appreciating the journey, and of course, blogging. I love to blog. I love to read blogs. I get inspiration from blogs. I think blogs are a wonderful thing. However, I find myself consumed by my blog and others. I wait all day for comments. I check all day long, just to see if someone left a comment or blogged on their own blog. And, while I'm worrying so much about what other people are doing in their lives, I'm missing my own life. I'm glad I have a blog so that I can document my wonderful life, but I've found that I live for my blog. To tell the world how "cool" I am. But, ya know what??? I don't care what the world thinks. I care what my kids think. Some people can juggle their family and their blog. Some people can show restraint. But for me, I cannot!! So, I'm cutting back on the blog. I will only blog after my kids are asleep. Because I want my kids to remember me as the mom that was building forts WITH them. I have found in the last few days that cleaning up a mess I was a part of making is so much more fun and rewarding than cleaning up after my kids. I have even found I have more patience! Especially when I know why they are sad or ornery or wild and crazy. And ya know what?? My kids are cool! They love being with me. They love cleaning with me and cooking with me. I'm going to get back to basics, and to what is important. My kids, my husband, the scriptures, family home evening, living, loving, and learning. I'm going to teach Winni to read, rather than having Super Why do it! I'm going to teach Trae to go potty, rather than waiting for him to teach himself! I'm going to hold my baby Grady, before he grows up too fast! I'm going to take care of myself...read the scripture, exercise, eat (cause sometimes I forget), cook, bake, plan ahead. And, I'm going to stop complaining about cleaning up after my husband, because my home is my castle and he is my Prince. I'm letting Satan know that he can't have my family. Our time together is precious and sacred, and it's ours!! So, if I miss a night blogging, it's probably because I've fallen asleep holding one of my little buckets! I'm exhausted! Being a kid is a lot of work!