Continuing on the Positive Trend

The other day, I did a post focusing on the positive things in my life to keep my focus and combat the negative. In continuing this trend, I thought of some more. It seems to be helping a little, and despite the fact that I had the stomach flu all day yesterday and the hubby had to come home from work to take care of the kids, and despite the fact that our nice, expensive flat screen TV quit working yesterday for some unknown reason, I'm feeling a little better.

• Karen gave birth to Baby Boy Trade-Off yesterday afternoon at 4:47. He was 8 lbs 10 oz and 21 inches. I've seen pictures and let me tell you; there is no shortage of beauty in that family. Go on over there if you haven't already and congratulate the whole Trade-Off family!
• My best childhood friend gave birth to a baby boy a week and a half ago. 8 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long.
• My cousin's wife, Sherry gave birth to an adorable little boy at the end of October. He's a doll baby as well.
• My other cousin's wife, Amanda, is pregnant with her second child; also a boy.
• My cousin, Beth got to be in the delivery room when Karen gave birth to baby boy Trade-Off and did a beautiful tribute to the miracle of child-birth over on her blog today. Go read it. It's lovely.
• My children are lucky enough to be watched by my mother....free of charge....rather than go to a daycare or babysitter. She selflessly went part time at her job so I could continue to stay at home part time with my children and not have to pay astronomical day care fees.
• Care Bear got invited to her first friend birthday party for a friend of hers in pre-school. She's giddy with excitement and has been counting down the days until she gets to go tomorrow at 3:00!
• I have a Bible Study group who I meet with weekly on Thursday mornings. I look forward to this every week as my chance to get to interact with other young moms going through the same things I am going through. Unfortunately, this week when I could have used that time the most, I was sick at home in bed and praying to the porcelain god. We are currently studying Old Testament history and I have to say it is very fascinating.
• I have a wonderful immediate family and extended family who are all wonderfully supportive and love eachother unconditionally.
• I have been lucky enough to have the same job for ten years now, and while it is not my "dream job", I get paid for it, I get benefits, I like the people I work with, and they are willing to work with my part time schedule.....which is very hard to find these days. And when I am ready to go back full time they are ready for me to do so.
• When I ever get back into school full-time, since I do work for a University, some of my credits will get paid for.

Coming up with this list of things to be thankful for has really taken the focus off of the negative things that I feel I have been overwhelmed with. Challenging myself to find the positives rather than the negatives has been helpful. I really do have a lot to be thankful for. And I'm also grateful for my.....

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for this day and thank you for all the things we did today. Please, please help Micah to get better. And please help me not to have bad dreams. and help Blondie 1's wall to not be broken anymore. I mean, help her window to not be broken anymore, because someone threw a rock in it and broke her window. I don't know who did it. But maybe someday I'll know. Help it to get fixed so she doesn't get cold at night when she's sleeping. And I love you.

Amen!

She then went on to say goodnight to everything: "Goodnight Mommy. Goodnight Moon. Goodnight mush. Goodnight chicken nuggets. Goodnight sauce. Goodnight socks. Goodnight cow....." until she fell asleep.