Blessed
God has blessed my life with so many things for which I’m thankful.
Great friends.
Incredible church family.
Loving extended family.
Encouraging blog community.
But by far, my most significant blessing is my family. When I’ve had a tough day full of long hours, tough decisions, and emotionally draining conversations…. When I feel like I’ve given everything I’ve, got but it just wasn’t quite enough…. When I wonder if I’m really making a difference or just spinning my wheels…. When I’ve let the critics get the best of me and I’m ready to throw in the towel…. Then I get to come home.
And coming home to this makes it worth it all.
Here’s a quick video I took the other day of how my kids react almost every day when I get home. They hear he garage open and they spring into action. I pray I never take this blessing for granted.
How are you blessed these days?
Blessed from Pete Wilson on Vimeo.
So how much did you pay them to react that way? LOL kidding! You have an amazing family! It’s good to take a moment and be thankful for what is in our life instead of focusing on the negatives, especially with the economy being how it is today.
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Cool. Diane said last night she can’t wait to meet you guys. Maybe this summer.
I hope those boys always greet you like that… your raising the next generation of men Pete–make them models for future fathers to follow. I know you will.
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@Jessica, what you don’t see is the bag of candy I bring home everyday. JK.
@Jim, Thanks bro. I really hope we get to meet Diane this summer.
You know, I don’t really expect they will always react just like that. However, I do hope they’re always glad to see me. I’m sure there will be a day and a season they won’t want to be seen with me.
That is how Jarrod reacts when he sees me after work
No, but seriously, I am blessed with a husband who is kind, loving, and patient with me. Plus, an amazing son and hopefully soon-to-come son or daughter 
I seriously almost cried! That is sooooo cute. Seriously Pete, cherish that and eat it up every day because it doesn’t last forever. Not to be the party pooper but I sure miss that.
That little Brewer is so stinkin’ cute.
Have a great day. We are all so very blessed.
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That is just awesome!! Kids are the greatest, aren’t they? All the love and enthusiasm and the way they have of simply being themselves. I love it!! Thanks for posting this, it made my morning!!
Pete,
Be careful when they great you like that when they get older. They will probably be picking your pockets for cash and car keys! Too Funny!
What a great post and I hope a reminder to all those who work outside the home to save a little for the family at the end of the day.
What a whirlwind of blondness – even the dog fits into the toe headed clan you have!
With kids ranging from teen to toddler – it is easy for me to get caught up in the duties, not the blessings. Thanks for reminding me to be thankful for health, happiness, knowing God, love, clothes, food, shelter, giggles, cuddle, yawns and even the arguments. Because if they are arguing with you – they are home and alive.
Have a blessed day,
~Kate
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Kinda makes you feel like a rock star, doesn’t it? Is there anything more heartwarming?! Seems like just yesterday when our kids were that age . . . and today our “baby” turns 22! Feelin’ the love!
That was so cute. When I come home my cats act pretty aloof but I know they’re jumping up and down in their little cat brains.
I feel blessed to have a husband I can sit next to in church. I waited a LONG time to get married and having a relationship with someone with a strong faith makes all the difference in the world.
I also feel blessed to have my health. I was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian cancer at 21 and again at 25. (I did a year of chemo and a year of radiation) I never thought I’d live this dang long so every day feels like a cool gift.
Kids authenticity is great isn’t it?
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Oh I love it…1st I was grinning now I’m crying…so sweet. As you know mine are grown up but never fear my pups greet me the same way!
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That is awesome, Pete. What a wonderful family you have. I am thankful for my extended family here in Nashville.
Give Brandi a huge hug tonight, Pete. I suspect she hears the car pull into the garage and pumps the kids up so that they are ready for your entrance. I know I’ve done the “I’M going to get Daddy’s first hug” game with my kids many times before in order to make sure the breadwinner in our family feels like he’s been missed when he comes home after a long day.
That said, my youngest used to totally make my day by hearing me pull into the garage and throwing open the connecting door and shouting, “Mommy! You’re BACK home!” every time I ran out to do an errand and left him with his dad or an older sibling. Hmmmm . . . wonder if I owe my dh a big hug for that?
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@Jan, you are EXACTLY right. I know she’s the mastermind behind the operation. I love the way she loves me through our kids.
Like you, family is huge! I am so thankful for my new friend and sister-in-Christ Christina who has helped me embark on this new music ministry journey!
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just precious. enjoy it, savor it. and pray they react that way in 10 years.
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That was great….it’s awesome to have your kids so excited to see you. I don’t have kids of my own…but I have been blessed with some great nieces and nephews. The girls even at 11, 11 and 10 still greet me (on most occasions) with very similar excitement. The boys are a too young do to that at this point in time…but I am hopeful that they will follow suit.
Be Blessed!
S.
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EC is getting to the age where when I walk in the babysitters door, he gets a HUGE SMILE! There is nothing better to brighten up my day. What a wonderful welcome you get at home too!
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I truly believe that God gives us children so that we can get just a sliver of an idea of how He feels towards us. In turn, it gives me an idea of how it pleases God when I come to him with the unbridled joy of a child. Thanks for this reminder, Pete.
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Come on Pete, fess up. Those were actors you hired for the video shoot and we all know it!
Seriously that’s really awesome brother, great to see that, kicks me in the butt and makes me want to work harder at being a great dad!
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@Steve Murphy, Wow! Dude that totally blew me away. I wasn’t even thinking of it from that perspective. What a beautiful picture of God’s love for us.
That’s so cute!
I must ask this though, how can you fit jump seats into the back of a Frontier? If I remember correctly, even the crew cabs are pint-sized.
Your kids are adorable, though.
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Awww, I would want to leave and come back several times a day just for that!
My own boys make my heart swell when we start talking about mom going back to work sometime soon. They say the cutest things like “but mom, who would be there when we came home from school, because YOU are always there and it wouldn’t be the same!” “Please don’t go to work, dad can’t cook very well!”
Makes me wonder how I will ever be able to leave them?!
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That He hasn’t let me off the hook…that He is causing me to keep the course even though it is not pleasant…that He loves me enough to prune me….the rest is gravy…great husband, amazing kids who are walking with Him, a warm home (think about going there)
, friends who have hung in there over the years, a snoring dog (sorry, right at my feet) and 2 Bible studies right now and we may have found a church home and of course that I get to live a queen’s life.
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You are ABSOLUTELY blessed!
The boys were definitely authentic…Brandi on the other hand wasn’t convincing me. Common Brandi…just a few jumps….maybe a leg kick…or a ‘number 1′ foam finger up in the air. That would be nice.
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That is sweet. You are definitely blessed. I feel the same way whenever I pick up Madi from daycare and she runs to the door so excited that I “came back” to get her. I love her so much.
That I have a husband who continues to give of himself to this cranky, growing larger by the minute pregnant woman. I got myself a good man.
Must be nice feeling like a rock star each and every day…
Absolutely precious.
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I am so, so blessed! One of the many blessings that I have been thinking about lately is the gift of friendships
That is a wonderful clip of your family and you ARE blessed beyond belief. I just wanted to add that you are a blessing to many others as well. I can only imagine the emotional stress you have doing what you do. Although I admire your humility, I hope you never wonder for very long if you’re truly making a difference. You make a tremendous difference in the hundreds of lives that you touch directly, and indirectly those lives are touching thousands of others. Thank you for all you do.
@Leila, Thanks so much for the encouragement. Means the world to me.
So adorable. Can’t wait to have that someday. (Of course, I’m hoping they’ll be happy “mommy’s” home because I’d be a little worried if my kids thought I was their daddy!!)
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I am blessed by my friends and smallgroup who have been my family.
And the kids in my life: I love my godson to bits he always gives me huge smiles as soon as he sees me and it just melts my heart. And I love having breakfast with TheStateThatIAmIn, Bringonthejoy and their 4yo daughter who greet me every Sunday morning and make going to church start over food in their home, in the car and keep me sane and focused throughout the service!
I’m thankful for blogging community. Wow, how encouraging to have so many great, thoughtful and caring blog friends. You know, even when I’ve shared really tough and emotive stuff I think I’ve only ever had one nasty comment on my blog…in almost 2 years. That’s pretty amazing!
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My friend you are well blessed. Thank you for sharing something beautiful.
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Awww man! You lucky man you! I gotta admit I wish I knew that… just one tug… “mommy! mommy!” Is all my heart ever wanted to hear, but I can’t have kids, and adoption doesn’t look like its on our radar now but I’m grateful I get attacked by kids when I get to church sometimes.
Never ever forget how blessed you are man! Never!
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That is awesome. You are a man with your priorities in the right spot.
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I am overwhelmed by how good God is! I have this new amazing job that I could have never dreamed for myself, I’m healthy, I have two legs so I can run.. GOD IS GOOD! I don’t deserve it but I am so thankful for it!
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Yep. I am crying. You are a good man Pete Wilson.
I am blessed with 4 amazing kiddos myself. 7, 5, 4, 16 mos. They are the best miracles that ever happened to me.
@Linnae, I’m so excited for you! Glad things are going well. We do miss you though!
Blessed! What a legacy you are leaving for those boys. They will always always remember you having the time for them…and they will do the same for their children.
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and then Bix pees on you.
welcome home!
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i miss those boys!!!
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Awww that was so sweet! And familiar! Growing up, I used to greet my father that way with my siblings. He was an amazing and loving father, especially for that generation. And then my two kids did the same for my husband, another amazing and loving father. When my husband would pull in the driveway, the shout would go up “Daddy’s home!” and we would all go running for the first hug. Great memories now that my kids are 21 and 24 and not living at home.
These kinds of greetings are authentic, just like the feelings behind them.
We are blessed by delightful memories just like those – and even have video
Please, please, never take it for granted. They won’t be quite as demonstrative in about 10 years, but they’ll still feel the same way.
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precious.
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Pete,
What was even more moving was not the way they greeted you, but yet, the way you greeted them. You were so excited to walk through the door and see them. You told them you loved them multiple times. When I think about the word family in the dictionary, your gang’s picture is there for sure. Thank you for sharing your life here. It’s changed mine in more ways than you will ever know. God bless you and yours now and forever.
My daughter greets me like this at the door and I can tell you that there is nothing in the world like it! My son is 18 mo but he gets in on the action too and wants me to pick him up and swing him around…
It is awesome! I am blessed as well.
Another big blessing is the wife who never lets me leave the house without a kiss.
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that was precious. asher was sitting here watching it with me. i didn’t say a word. he observed and he noted 2 very specific things, and he stated them with glee:
1) that daddy is so cool
2) that little boy is sooooooo happy (he was talking about brewer)
thanks for sharing that. my gratitude is the same. my family makes everything allright.
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@Sean Murphy, those kisses are awesome aren’t they?
You are wise beyond years to recognize the blessing of your children and their excitement of your presence. Unfortunately, sometimes I took it for granted and in the blink of an eye, it changes. The video’s of your children always warmm my heart. Thanks for sharing.
How wonderful!!! My kids used to get excited when I arrived home too. Now, they are taller than me and much older. Except now they get excited when I arrive home cause they know I will be cooking up some dinner!!!
Oh, enjoy the little ones now cause time will fly and before you know it…
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Pete, I’ve been reading your blog for awhile, it’s my first time commenting. I’ve got a 2 yr. old son, and I can totally identify with how it feels to have your kid go nuts when you come home. You’re blessed, and you’re right, we can’t ever take it for granted. Thanks for the reminder, and thank you for your insights. I love your blog, substance + reality + humor = a must read. Be blessed bro.
I’m going to go with the obvious answer here and say that the blessing I love the most is God’s love towards us. We don’t deserve it, yet He lavishes it upon is and is fuller than any human love.
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I’ve got to say my family is one of my biggest blessings. My wife is amazing and my kids are incredible. I just finished blogging about my girls and the amazing job they did singing in their elementary school talent show tonight.
But the coolest thing about tonight was when my 7 year old came up to me before it started and said that she was nervous and asked me to pray for her! After we finished pray she just smiled and said “I’m not nervous anymore”.
Now THAT’S a blessing!!
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too sweet! this made me cry! i can’t wait until we have kids and i know my husband will be a great dad & they will be just as excited to see him as yours are to see you!
that really is SUCH a blessing!
I am feeling so blessed today as I still have a job…I received the dreaded phone call only to hear we need to take a 10% pay cut to keep our job.
So did you take him to Mcays Books? I remember greeting my dad like this when I was younger too. I hated it when Mom would make us sit at the table and wait for him to come in, running and giving him a hug and a kiss was always so much better!
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It can’t get any better than that.
Those are living memories.
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Being a stay at home that goes nowhere…I would die of delight if this happened to me.
When they’re around you all day every day…you never get to feel how much you’d be missed.
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