Where's My Silver Lining?

I have to say, I have done a VERY good job so far at staying on top of my New Year's Resolutions. That includes always looking at the cup 1/2 full...until this week. It's just been one of those weeks with snow days, sickness, school conferences that didn't go quite as well as I had hoped and a little drama thrown in for good measure too. Sitting in a Parent-Teacher Conference and crying because I just didn't feel like I could take one more thing this week definitely wasn't on my To Do List and I ended up asking Mike last night what possible silver lining I could find in one of our current struggles? Being the wise man that he is (after all, he did marry me!) he pointed out that we don't always see the silver lining right away but God will show it to us when he's ready. I'm hoping that he'll show me this particular silver lining sooner rather than later. It WAS nice to have a teacher tell me yesterday that if she could have a classroom full of parents who care as much as we do and are as involved in their children's lives as much as we are then her job would be much easier. If there's one thing that I'm proud of, it's how involved Mike and I are with the kids. If my kids can grow up able to say that they know they are loved and have many happy memories of their childhood and time spent with their family then I will consider my life successful. However, I've also learned this week that no matter how hard we try as parents, we simply cannot always have the control and influence that we would like over some of the decisions that they make and this is ultimately why I'll keep looking for that silver lining this week...