this is ryder, his sippy cup and his puke bucket (as we call it). so if you're wondering where i've been lately...this is it. we've been hit pretty hard over the past couple weeks (first with the cough, runny nose, ear infection, and pink eye) and then on friday, vomiting and diarrhea. it started with sky but soon after, hit ryder. ryder got it much worse than sky and ended up in the emergency room yesterday for severe dehydration. he received medicine (for his belly), fluids and an antibiotic shot (for a raging ear infection). but through it all, i'm thankful. and that's the point of my post tonight. don't forget to be thankful. i try so hard to think that way, to think about how lucky and grateful i am in every situation. i'm thankful that my kids didn't get sicker than they were. i'm thankful that we ended up in the ER yesterday, instead of today, when steve is in korea. so while i could be thinking about what a bummer this all is...truly, i'm thinking about how lucky i am...how thankful i am. it's not so bad at all.

rabbi harold kushner said it oh so well --
"If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul."