Thankful Thursday

There is MUCH to be thankful for!!!

I've had a cloud hanging over me, at least it's felt like that. Just waiting. My mom had some blood work done (twice) and some of her levels came back quite strange. We were concerned that she might have a tumor in her pancreas, we found this out just before Thanksgiving. It's seemed like forever. She had a CT scan, and with persistence (it's nearly impossible for anyone can give you results promptly) NO tumor... she still has to go to an endocrinologist and figure out why some of her levels are off (--hello, losing 80 pounds in a year and half will throw your body a little out of whack...)

But I am so happy and so thankful!

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On a lighter note, I am thankful for:

1. Surprise Cafe Rio dinner brought home by my hubby, he even asked for the shredded lettuce... good man!

2. Smooth transitions. We're giving Kacey Kylie's daybed, and we bought Kylie a new bed. (Kacey loves Kylie's daybed and Kylie was willing to give it to her for a new bed that matches her furniture collection!!!) The transition is going great, no meltdowns at bedtime. I was worried how this all would blow over.

3. Taxes. Call me crazy, I've got a degree in Econ for a reason I guess... but I LOVE doing our taxes. Love it, love it, love it. I look forward to it all year, just ask my husband. I get positively giddy, not sure why... we always put our refund in the savings, we never spend it. But I love it, maybe I love using my brain... I don't know. That and a small sidenote: today Obama's talking about lower the effective tax rate not only for '09, but for '08 too. Meaning higher refunds for last year and less $$$ being taken out of paychecks now. There's even talk of another stimulus package. Last year, people were in denial about us being in a recession. Ask my husband, I've been saying all along... it's not a recession, we're mimicking some of the key characteristics of the Great Depression! And if you doubt that, go compare some vital factors like increase in unemployment rates, lack of consumer confidence, spending trends just for Christmas alone, tremendous daily drops in the stock market, bankruptcies/foreclosures. And the housing market speaks for itself. (anyway, this isn't an economic blog... I've rambled) Not that we will ever get as bad as the Great Depression, because we've learned too much... But anyway, the solution to an upward boom is more money to the common people like stimulus packages... not free money being given to the big fancy companies. I'm done, off my little pedestal. Moving on.

4. I'm thankful that Maggie had her yearly tests done- she's epileptic and is on meds that damage her liver but keep her seizures under control- and we have to do yearly tests to monitor everything. All her levels came back in the normal range. Good, good.

5. I am thankful for a fun phone call from a fabulous friend the other night. (you know who you are!) It was so nice to hear your voice, I miss you... we need to do that more often.