My husband got turned down after a big job interview today.

It was one of those positions that allowed us to dream for the 48 hours between the time it took for him to do the final interview until we received the rejection email.

Maybe I could finally take the time to write the novel I’d been working on for a decade.

Maybe he could stop worrying about how we’ll put three kids through college.

Yeah. One of those.

When we finally brought ourselves to speak about it, the first thing each of us did was apologize that the other’s dream couldn’t come true—at least not right now, not with this position.

Tonight, as we sat across from each other at the dinner table, eating our simple burritos with kids squealing and dogs barking—it hit me.

Ten years ago, I was a single mom with bare cabinets balancing the decision of paying the electric bill or putting gas in my car, so I could get to work the next day. I felt really lost in the world. Alone. The type of feeling you get when nothing makes sense, but you aren’t really sure what to do next. I had all but dismissed the idea of finding anybody to love me the way that my husband does.

So, today was disappointing.

But when I look at my full cabinets, a house full of life, and a man who adores me—I know that this is exactly what I wished for all those years ago.

Today I realized this:

When big things go right for us, it’s so easy to notice. But, I think the small things add up to big things, too. It’s so important to remember that.