THANKFUL THURSDAY - Overwhelming Moments

Sure, I've had a few overwhelming moments this week. Like when the neighbor's painting and power washing crew blew questionable (read: maybe lead-tainted) paint chips all over my children's play area and toys yesterday. We all have them (overwhelming moments, not leaded paint chips... hopefully). But, you know what, they were only moments and they did not define my week... Thankfully!

[1] THANK GOD the aforementioned paint chips turned up negative for lead content according to the Department of Health - Environmental & Lead Poisoning tester, Gil. I know Gil and his boss, David very well... Unfortunately, I guess you could say. See, I've just been cut loose from 3 years of monitoring to remove lead from my home and property. Back in 2006, the boys tested high for blood lead poison. As such, their blood and our home has been monitored and tested and we've been advised and assisted in removing leaded-paint from our almost-200-year-old home... by Gil and Dave. When the power-washing incident happened, I called Dave and he immediately sent Gil out to our house in one of those big, DOH-HAZ MAT (read: Department of Health Hazardous Materials) trucks to test. No matter who you are, that's a scary truck to see parked anywhere near you're home. But, I think my neighbors started to get used to it... though it scared the power washer away. Thanks guys for being there... or here... to ensure the safety of my children AND all the children impacted by environmental lead poisoning.

[2] I LOST 1 1/2 LBS this week. YEAH!!!! Thanks, Weight Watchers, for a program that works. At this rate, I should look half-way decent in a bathing suit by next summer. Too long you say? Hey, that's better than looking indecent in my suit next summer. No?

[3] Here's a weird thing to be thankful for... Brian's illness this week. I'm grateful that we got the lighter and speedier version of what's been going around... and that no one else got it!!! A mild fever for 2 days with NO other symptoms and we're back in the swing of things. With or without Down syndrome, that's like a miracle given what every other kid I know is experiencing! We had: No vomiting. No coughing. No remnant cold. No sinus infection. No ear infection. No restless sleep. Just 100.2 for 2 days... then gone! Now you see why I'm thankful?

[4] I'm also thankful for my father's medical coverage and for the care he's getting (before it all changes). He's been having some memory loss issues and we've been going for a few tests (understatement) to determine -- or at least eliminate -- physical causes besides old age. For my dad -- so far anyway -- the Medicare system is working.

[5] I'm grateful for the beautiful, if not brief, Indian Summer we're experiencing. I'm still having a tough time letting go of summer so every day that approaches 80 degrees soothes my soul.

Take a moment to focus on the good moments instead of the rough ones. God knows it could have been a lousy week for me... but it wasn't. The good moments overshadowed the bad ;o). May it always be so!