Paradigm shift

The seed for this train of thought occured to me when I was driving along St Peter's way between Addlestone and the M25 on the way down to Taunton. It was interupted by a fleeting thought that perhaps I was going the 'long way round' to get to the M3, however, I squashed that thought and indulged in growing the first one.
It developed along the lines of a realisation that, over the past 6 months, there have been some subtle changes in my outlook. When Victoria was born I needed people to tell me 'she's beautiful' because I just thought 'she looks a bit weird'.
When we were down in Taunton Richard had cleared up the caravan before I arrived - it looked lovely - I quickly messed it up with all the clobber which I have to take for Victoria and myself. I concentrated on trying to get my little kingdom in order (though I never really achieved it) and keeping it not-too-cold (thanks to the oil-filled radiator). Next task was to make sure that everyone was fed and watered appropriately - then there was the challenge of trying to keep people clean enough (that one failed - you should have seen the 'white' washing of Victorias when we got home - and she hadn't even been out in the mud! There were those who surprised me by saying (after I reported the facts of the visit) that I was courageous (ha!). Nothing of the sort, I went because we were going. I admit I complained about a) the door of the caravan being left open and b)people walking on the (supposedly) boot-free-zone between the caravan and the lorry.
So, what's going on? I'm trying to be thankful (because of the tremendous temptation to be otherwise with Victoria - just the things like expressing milk, hospital and other appointments, mixing up nutrivene and giving it 3 times a day) and somehow it is spilling over into other parts of life.
I need it today, I have to go to the dentist to have one of my two temporary fillings replaced (that means I have another one to look forward to still....). I'm not indifferent to dentist visits (either the experience in the seat, or the payment afterwards!) but I am always trying to look beyond. Actually, the second of these temporary fillings took 50 mins to do and involved 4 injections. When she was part way through the dentist asked me how I was and I told her I was looking forward to it being over. She laughed and commended me for my outlook!
I guess, if nothing else, our trials ought to make us resolve to be thankful in the short term because we have a 'beyond' which is unimaginably more worth looking forward to than we know - but there is One who does, and He is with us.