Thankful Thursday

"We all know what it's to be excited to follow a dream, and we all know how hard this journey of following our dreams can be.  Knowing this, how can we see others experiencing similar things and not be there for them?  How can we refuse to help them?  How can we be jealous?  How can we not uplift them?  How can we not be a community?"

~ Kayla, Diamonds and Dreams: The Visionary Blog

It's that time again!  Happy Thankful Thursday folks.  This week started off with me trying to recover from a bad cold and a mini case of food poisoning from some bad shredded carrots that were in a salad I ate.  I will spare you the details and just say that I was definitely uncomfortable and slightly miserable until yesterday when I really started feeling like I was at 95%.  Thank you to everyone who posted well wishes on the last Thankful Thursday post.

I'm grateful to be feeling better.  Honestly, my cold and food poisoning couldn't have cleared up at a better time.  Tuesday, Moo started having flareups with her asthma at bedtime.  Also, she got this cough that I feel like we're going to have to see the pediatrician about on Monday if it hasn't cleared up by the weekend.  I will admit that I'm more than a little worried.

I'm worried that maybe I'm getting wound up over nothing, but yet I'm worried that what seems like asthma flareups as a result of her cough could turn into something worst.  Her breathing is slightly labored, but I already know the protocol of what to do to manage it here at home.  She's had asthma since birth and every attack isn't necessarily worthy of an ER trip.  My prayer is that it doesn't get worst.

I'm bummed because she's been kicking some school germs butt and hasn't really been sick at all this school year.  I guess a few of those pesky germs finally found a weak spot in her immune system.  However, I'm grateful that she's still been able to keep up her bubbly and bouncy personality.  She's still smiling, laughing, playing and talking our heads off nonstop.  That's got to be a good sign, right?

I've been working with JJ and trying to help get all the basics down that he will need to know for kindergarten this coming school year.  While he's struggling a bit with recognizing and memorizing his ABCs, he's picking up counting, number recognition and being able to state his full name, birthday and age like a champ.  He's always had his colors and shapes down almost since Day 1.  I think we have his obsession with Thomas & Friends to thank for his knowing his colors early one because when he couldn't pronounce their names he would call them by colors.

I'm thankful for all of his continued progress as well as his excitement over starting school next year.  Fingers crossed this excitement doesn't wear off over the summer.  I'm also thankful that he's been killing it with reading his nightly book readings.  His word pronunciation is getting better and better.

While my number 1 team, the Patriots, didn't make it to the Super Bowl this year, I'm grateful that my home team, the Carolina Panthers, did make it.  They've been underdogs in the NFL for years now and it's been so an incredible journey to see them blow everyone's expectations out of the water this season.  It's probably even more incredible being a Carolina native and being right here in the Queen City where you literally can't go anywhere without seeing some Panther pride/love.  I'm grateful that we have a QB who has constantly proved all the naysayers wrong not only about his playing ability, but his ability to be a team leader on and off the field.

Before Newton was even officially signed to the Panthers there were people calling him a thug and saying that having a Black quarterback was going to be the Panther's downfall.  People were giving him a month or two before his rookie status went to his head and he ended up busted for something illegal.  It's been sad to see how some people can't look beyond his skin color and repeatedly attack his character, but I'm proud of the way he's been handling it all and continuing to take the high road.

I know that it can't be easy for him to see how all these things.  I for one think that he's more than proven himself to be a stand-up guy and worthy role model.  We'll definitely be rooting for him and the rest of the team to win the Super Bowl!

Lastly, I'm stumbled across the quote above earlier today when I was catching up on some blog reading and it made realize how much thankful I am for the supportive community that starting YUMMommy has given me.  Y'all are truly amazing.  It's always been my dream to have some place to write other than a notebook.  Well, YUMMommy turned six years old this past January and I'm thankful for all of the kind and uplifting comments. 

Most importantly I'm thankful for everyone who has played a part in helping me to realize this dream of mine.  Whether this is your first or hundredth visit here, THANK YOU!

What are you grateful for this week?