i am going to give thanks. no matter what.

I could spend quite some time writing about my worries right now, and stresses, and fears.  I really could.  I could write about how Celiac Disease terrifies me and how my little boy almost died. But, as I was driving from ballet to Trader Joe’s I realized that even though I have that ginormous list of hard things that there are even more good and beautiful things in my life.

I want to see the good. It helps soothe the hurts.

So I looked.

So here’s my list of all the amazing things that I can give thanks for even in this last life changing week.

::  Samuel.  Thank you for Samuel.

::  Amy. Thank you to my friend Amy for praying for Samuel. For sitting next to me. Listening.

::  Amy’s father in law — a pediatrician.  Thank you for caring, listening, and loving Sam.

::  Amy’s pediatrician, who is now Samuel’s pediatrician.  Thank you for telling me to go the hospital right away.

::  My nurses in the ER – Steph and Bonnie.  Thank you for believing and fighting for Samuel.

::  Dr. Rhodes – for listening to me, admitting Samuel, and truly caring.

::  Dr. Aru – the GI Doc.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

::  Thank you for labs. Blood work. Medicine. How I forget to thank for these things.

::  Thank you to the lab techs who analyzed Samuel’s blood.

::  Thank you for all the toys donated to the 7th Floor Children’s Hospital Toy Room

::  Thank you for the volunteers who clean those toys.

::  Thank you to the Surgery Nurses, the Anesthesia Team and the volunteers.

::  Thank you to the doctor who smiled at me as they put me in scrubs in the surgery center. I needed his encouraging look.

::  Thank you to the anesthesia nurse, Beth, for caring for Samuel. Thank you for your hug.

::  Thank you to the receptionist at the Surgery Center for playing Christian Music.  And for your smile and laughter in such a hard place.

::  Thank you for my friends. For the calls, and the emails, and the gifts.

::  Thank you for my tulips from my friend Lori.  They make me smile.

::  Thank you to my blogging friends.  Every SINGLE comment has meant the world to me.

::  Thank you even more for the PRAYERS. I am humbled.

::  Thank you to blogger for providing this platform.

::  Thank you for writing.

::  Thank you to the countless people who have emailed with advice and encouragement.

::  Thank you that the hospital served Starbucks coffee.

::  Thank you to my other children — Hannah, Chloe, Grace, Brennan, Caleb and Elijah for loving Samuel so much and for having patience as we transition our lives.

::  Thank you, Elijah, for guarding your wheat toast in the morning.  Thanks for building the barricade and sounding your own sweet alarm when Sammy got close.

::  Thank you for vehicles that started in -21 degree temperature.

::  Thank you for facebook.

::  Thank you for peace even in the midst of worry.

::  Thank you for Trader Joes. For the employees who listen and really help.  Who care.

::  Thank you for after hour care calls.

::  Thank you for the resources to buy new food, a new toaster, and new dishes for Samuel.

::  Thank you for all the manufacturers who make gluten free products.

::  Thank you for making gluten free food taste amazing.

::  Thank you to the Mayo Clinic lab techs who are right now examining Samuel’s biopsy.

::  Thank you for the ability to cope even with little sleep.

::  Thank you for hope even when my heart is heavy.

::  Thank you for joy even when there is sadness.

:: Thank you for the happiness it brings to watch Samuel eat.

:: Thank you for Larabars, and marsala lentil dip, and veggie chips and blueberries.

:: Thank you for Celiac support groups.

::  Thank you for dvr.

:: Thank you for insurance.

:: Thank you for my amazing parents.  Supportive, caring and fighters.

:: Thank you for Philippians 4:12-13.

:: Thank you for always being true Jesus.

:: Thank you for wanting the children to come to you.

:: Thank you for creating Samuel, for caring for him, and loving him.

:: Thank you.

There is good in the midst of sorrow.