Thank you sue ... right back at ya Sue!
and Ada, i do have to say, no i do not spoil the kids at all except with love. i play lots of games, and give them tons of time, and i never yell, but i am a stickler for kindness and politeness. so no ... no spoiling!
can't wait to read more "i'm happy for ...." from others.
love, joan

Dustin and Devin aren't too spoiled either. Like you those two get all the love they need. I can remember laying in bed with Dustin when he was about 4 and he said, " You know Grandma, I wish every kid were loved like we are. I thought at 4 he'd already noticed things.

I'm very proud of those two. They both made the honor roll this year. Their soccer team took 1st place in their division but only losing 1 game. They both are in football and the coaches come looking for them to play if they don't join the team. One of my nurses' husband is one of the soccer coaches and he coached them for years and then Devin wanted to do football and they coincided and Dustin ended up on the city soccer team for some reason. Last year Cindy ask me if I could get them to be back on their team and Susan and I got them to do it. They both said they were already done with soccer and that they wanted to do football but they did both. The have the greatest step-dad and I'm very happy with him being there for them.

Those two keep me going. They trust me and they talk to me about everything. They trust me. Their step-dad taught them that thank you and welcome thing. They are very polite to people. I agree. They need all of that more then anything.

Sue and Jeanie, I am glad you wanted to come here and tell us what the good is in your life. We need to keep that in focus, don't we. That's what keeps us going.

Ada

for all the encouragement that I found on this board That I have somewhere to go to vent and I know others will understand, without judgement or thinking I may have a "screw loose" somewhere

I am thankful for my crazy family, my husband, three kids , four grandkids and my big bone beagle (read fat) , plus my restaurant cat. For friends that have made me laugh and sometimes cry, but remained friends for a lifetime. And they did not have to be my friends, we chose each other as family. Unlike my own family that didn't get to chose and wanted at times to trade me.

I am thankful for the ten years I had to own my own beautiful restaurant, and for all the great customers we had. I am thankful that God gave me the gift of cooking and that I was able to share that gift with so many people over the past ten years. And I am very thankful none of my food made anyone sick LOL!!

I am thankful that I have a medical Dr. that has made me feel like life is still worth living. And for my faith that has helped get me where I am today. And for all my angels on the other side that watch over me-keep up the good work I am thankful that I have enough to share with others, one of the great joys of my life is sharing.

And on days when everthing hurts I am thankful that I can READ- thanks to all my teachers-I love to read!! Reading makes the worse day better!! And as you read this please know once again I am thankful for each of you. This is the BEST board on the net Carose

i am thankful for carose. she is a wonderful caring person..and i'm blessed to call her my friend.

I remind myself daily of what I have to be thankful for. It does wonders for keeping me upbeat and positive.

I am thankful for my wonderful hubby. He is literally my other half as he feels my pain, even when I try to block it. He is my rock and my life. I am so lucky to have someone who loves me so much and after 14 years together and 13 1/2 of marriage, he still finds me sexy as heck!!

I am thankful for my 4 handsome and beautiful, wonderfully smart children! They have grown up into awesome young adults. My oldest is in Iraq at the moment. Now I truly understand what other parents have said when some have been interviewed and they say they avoid news programs or just don't watch much tv. My oldest daughter has 2 more years of high school to go, she'll be 18 this Nov and she wants to go to college. She'll be the first one though she hasn't figured out what she'll be yet when she grows up. My oldest son at 16 can take apart any engine, from a radio or lawnmower to a car and put it back together and it purrs like a kitten! He's going to be a mechanic and a whiz bang one at that! My youngest daughter at 13 will be in 7th grade this school year and is going to be a vet when she grows up. She made up her mind about that at 8 years old and is one goal she will achieve no matter what. Despite the rough start my older kids had they surely didn't succumb to what so many people would say of them, all the gloom and doom talk having come from an alcoholic father. I'm quite thankful I was able to escape from their father when they're were still very young and they don't remember the abuse their dad put me through.

I am thankful for each day I wake up even when it's to thunderstorms and pain. When I got RSD I realized how much I was missing in life and this has forced me to a much slower pace and a much greater appreciation of all that life holds. I am grateful for each day that I have with my kids and hubby and cherish each moment and memory that we make along the way.

I am thankful I can still feel, still move and still walk on my own. Even though feeling means pain, it's better than being numb. It reminds me life can be changed in the blink of an eye but if you pay attention you realize just how many lessons you have learned and will continue to learn. It focuses my attention outward to the world and compels me to educate others about our disorder, even though it may be just one person at a time. That one person tells others and has already become a chain reaction that in time we'll see the result of though we wish it was sooner rather than later.

Life is too precious to waste away crying, so I laugh, A LOT. It helps make life brighter and I honestly do laugh much, much more than I ever have before. I am thankful that I can laugh and hear laughter. It draws rainbows in the air and wipes away clouds.

I'm most thankful of all for being a part of the RSD community and being able to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world who are always there for each other.

Karen

There are many things to be thankful for. Today I would just like to say how great it is to have such a wonderful group of extended family members to share our ups and downs with. You guys are the best!



EJ