Thankful.

“If you can't be content with what you have received, be thankful for what you have escaped”

I'm just feeling thankful today.  

Something happened to a college friend of mine that just puts everything into perspective.  He and his wife found out about a month ago that their baby, a little girl due in May, had some form of skeletal dysplasia.  Then just last week, his wife was admitted into the hospital for bed rest because she had preeclampsia and they were hoping to keep the baby in the womb until she was 30 weeks along, at least.  After a few days in the hospital, my friend's wife had an emergency c-section to deliver baby Evelyn at the gestational age of 28 weeks.  Sweet Evelyn survived for just 24 hours.  

This is such a devastating thing to live through and I'm praying for my friends, but for me, this tragedy is teaching me to be thankful for everything that I have.  So what if Scarlett has trouble with her teeth.  If that's her biggest problem, we're lucky.  I'm thankful for my house, even though it's a fixer-upper that we can't seem sell.  These things seem so trivial compared to what others are going through.  

I will say that after watching my friend go through everything with his daughter, when others start to complain about their trivial problems on facebook, it makes me angry that they're so ungrateful.  Things could be so much worse!  

I am just hoping that I can keep things in perspective...even while I'm at the dentist office next Monday to learn what the plan will be for Scarlett's teeth!  

"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."

-- Meister Eckhardt

On a lighter note, happy things that I'm thankful for:

Friends at Toddler Time!  It's always more fun to chit-chat than to stand and watch your child play.

Gymnastics!!!  Scarjo has way too much fun!  And to go with that...99 cent kids' night at Governor's!  It's so fun to have a place to go after gymnastics instead of just going home.  And there is a balloon lady who makes the girls' animals

No-Bake Cookies.  And husbands who bring them home for me!

Husbands that stick up for me when they're family is crazy rude.  Enough said.

Babies who nap.  Lulu is boycotting sleep and I'm glad I'm not Mary!

Dunkin' Donuts.  Their coffee is heaven!

Gifts.com...clearly I'm struggling picking out a 30th birthday gift for a certain someone.  I'm leaning towards the seasonal Beer of the Month club.  Any thoughts??

Mothers who force us all to all have our picture taken together!!!  Our last photo session came out great!  And I'm happy to have these photos forever!

Sunshine!  It just makes me happy, obviously, but it's so cold here, so the sun makes things less-miserable!

There are lots more, but I have to go re-look at all of our pictures...!!!  Happy Thursday!