A Lot to be Thankful for....

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I often lose site of how very much I have to be thankful for.  It's been another one of those days.  Laundry, baking for Thanksgiving, cleaning house, packing for a weekend trip, worrying about a sick child, running errands, and now, absolute exhaustion.  Even now, I'm multi-tasking.  I have a "to do" list beside me, I'm trying to catch up on a few shows, and obviously, I'm writing this post.  How does a mom learn to just simply enjoy, to count her blessings?  At least this mom!

Regardless of the chaos, I do have an incredible amount to be grateful for.  In this time of economic turmoil, we've got a handle on our finances.  My family is healthy minus a couple of bouts with H1N1, some sinus infections and a case of bronchitis (my 2 year old has that now).  I'm married to an incredibly supportive man who puts up with all of my tangents and soap boxes. My kids are sweet, smart and well-behaved, at least with everyone else.  And now, this year, our family has this peanut allergy clinical trial.

We are blessed with an opportunity to change Abigail's life, and I'm very much aware of the fact that there are parents all over the country that would love to have the same opportunity for their child.  Abigail could come away from this trial with the ability to consume peanuts without the risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction.  Whether it's the ability to consume a handful of peanuts or just eat a baked item manufactured in a plant with another peanut product, her life is still changed.  And for that, I am extremely grateful.

So, thank you to our great doctors and nurses at the Duke Clinical Research Unit, to our parents who have provided many hours of childcare to our youngest as well as hours of listening to me discuss the trial, our concerns and our progress, and to you guys who give me an outlet to share all my research.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.  Enjoy your day, travel safe and count your blessings!