There is so much I wanted to say about these pictures, but they truly speak for themselves.  Although these pictures look so perfect, as this night truly was as close to that as we can get, I struggle every day.  I fight through my physical pain so that I can be here for my family and love them as hard as I can.  It’s all I can do to not go crazy.  That being said, these nights that my kids get to run and play and have the most fun possible mean everything to me.  I am beyond aware how blessed I am that I don’t have to miss many of my kids’ activities.  I also don’t take them for granted either because showing up takes every ounce that I have, but it’s what I live for.  On the outside looking in, it is definitely picture perfect, and quite honestly, the love we share is so much more than that, but we suffer in silence.  It affects all of us, but we work together, and my family gives me grace.  Mike and I work as hard as we can, we play as hard as we can, we cry as hard as we can, and we love as hard as we can.  And we just do the best we can. 

When I’m out with my kids, I try to ignore the pain as best as I can, so please don’t feel sorry for me.  Be happy for me, because if I’m out and dressed, that means I’m doing really well.  It’s just such a struggle, because I don’t want to portray that our life is perfect by sharing only the happy times, but I also don’t feel obligated to share my intimate problems with the world.  So, I brush the surface in case this might help someone who is feeling less than perfect, to know you are not alone.  Everyone has something.  I say that a lot, because it’s true.  My mind fights my body every single day to be stronger than the pain.  The acknowledgment and research of fibromyalgia has come a long way since I was diagnosed 14 years ago, but they still have no clue how to make the muscle pain, cramping and spams go away.  I would’ve never thought this slow, ever present torture could be possible unless it happened to me.  I don’t want to give my pain (for lack of a better word) any more thought space or time than I have to, just be encouraged, every life is beautiful and special, no matter what you are going through or what you may be feeling.  There are so many warriors out there fighting and winning that have it much worse than you or I do.  We are all about encouragement and family.  I want my girls to know their mommy was honest and brave and always tried to see the sunny side, because it’s always there if you look for it!  My sunny side is in the pictures above.