Thankful Thursday... A full heart

I almost forgot this was Thursday, let alone Thankful Thursday. This has truly been quite a week. And that's putting it mildly. I have officially decided that May is NOT my month! Next year, I say we skip May entirely. That way, maybe I'll avoid a repeat of this year's headaches. And, heck, since my Birthday is in May, I guess won't technically get any older either! :)

Well, even though things have not been going so well, I have much to be thankful for. First and foremost, because it will be such a help to my daughter and everyone around her somewhat cranky disposition, the doctor has prescribed a different medication for her today. I am hoping and crossing my fingers and throwing salt over my shoulder or whatever else that might possibly help, that this works and clears up her problem. Please, please, oh please let this work! :)

But, today, more than thankful, I think I'm grateful. I'm so appreciative of the support I've gotten this week, and really much longer than this week, from so many sources and in so many different forms. I think maybe it will be beneficial for me to list for you some of the help I've gotten, so you can understand how truly blessed I am...

I've had a friend drive to my house and check my mail for me so she could deposit a check if it had arrived. I've had an unnamed person pay a craft show entry fee for me this week so the business could have our first booth at the Riverwalk Festival. My friend gave me 2 dozen farm fresh eggs and a bag of rhubarb for making my favorite kind of pie. Another friend has offered to look at my car this weekend to find out if it is indeed my head gasket that needs to be replaced. I have another friend who will help me with parts if I need them. Yet another friend even offered to give me an older car that he was going to sell for a modest sum! My friend, who already does enough by babysitting my kids, is taking my son to the doctor today and picking up my daughter's prescription so I won't have to miss work. Another friend offered me $20 to help me out with gas since I didn't receive the check I was supposed to get yesterday, and she doesn't exactly have a lot of extra herself. My son's Aunt paid for his preschool tuition this month because I just couldn't afford it. My wonderful boyfriend, who has really done more than I can list here, not only baked me a cake yesterday for my birthday and decorated it in my favorite colors (because he is so wonderful), he also sat with me for what was probably an hour while I had a minor nervous breakdown and literally sobbed in his ear! Then he made me dinner and made me smile and laugh again. :) My little 6-year old Keara called me and sang Happy birthday to me from her Nana's house. On top of all of these things, I got so many beautiful birthday wishes yesterday I lost count.

I'm sure I'm missing something on my list. But I think you get the idea. I am truly blessed with kindness. Reading this list, you're probably thinking I sound like a charity case. I know I sure feel like one lately. And it's no easy thing to write on here for the world to see how incredibly down on my luck I am lately. The truth is, I have been feeling like a complete loser. But I wanted you all to understand how wonderful everyone has been to me. And, as another friend told me this morning, I am not a loser, just someone who needs some help right now. I suppose we've all been there in one way or another.

The truth is, it makes me feel better to know that people are generally good and kind, and I thought maybe it would make you feel good, too. Sometimes it's all too easy to look at the world in a sour light. To see the bad parts of people and situations and forget about all the good that is out there. But, man, there really is so much good in people! I honestly have some of the best people in my life right now. And I couldn't be more grateful for all of them. Even if it's just lending me a shoulder to lean on or an uplifting word, they truly are the kind of people who make tough times more bearable. The kind of people who make my heart feel full, even in the midst of difficulties...