Staying POSITIVE in a NEGATIVE environment

How DOES one do this anyway? I have been trying really hard but feel like I'm losing ground. I would first like to start out by saying I AM truly blessed with the life that I have. We all have our trials.

You all know about Carson. I feel like this whole ordeal with him is actually getting harder not easier. Any parent knows it is very difficult to see your child in pain and not be able to do anything about it. Carson's prescription pain medication burned his throat and therefore he refused to take it. We talked to the nurse and she told us the only other thing we could do is give him over-the-counter Tylenol. This unfortunately does not even seem to touch the pain he is going through right now. He continues to only eat a couple of bites of something every day and I have to force him to continue to drink. He received a blessing last night from his Dad. He was told he would heal but I'm sure Carson was hoping that meant right now. Unfortunately, our Heavenly Father's timing on that was a little different. It really saddened me after I told Carson to ask Heavenly Father to help him sleep tonight to hear him say "that never works". I know he is just really frustrated right now and he doesn't understand the Lord's timing. I know he has become very scared and again I am trying really hard to "stay positive in a negative environment" but to tell you the truth, I get worried to.

As you also all know our cat escaped when we had a fire down in our basement. He has since been living in an empty house behind our neighbors and only comes to our house to eat around ten o'clock every night. We have tried numerous tactics to get him to come back in the house with no luck. Someone has since moved into the empty house and our cat has recently started "doing his business" in my neighbor's yard which, as you can imagine, she is not very happy about. One more thing to add to "my list". Again, trying to "stay positive in a negative environment". I admit, I might get a little negative too if my neighbor's animal was pooping in my yard but seriously, WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO? I keep thinking, obviously this cat DOES NOT want to come back in the house if we have put his food inside the house with the door open and he still goes back outside after he has eaten the food!

Has anybody else felt a little down with what is going on in the world these days? There is definitely a lot of negativity going on there. I am so grateful everyday that my husband still has a job and we still have a house!

So, with that I've decided to start something new. An idea that may help with staying positive. I recently read a blog about a mother who had lost a child. She listed what she called "sparklies" after every post on her blog. A list of things that happened that were good, things she was grateful for. So, here's my list for today:

*Carson ate about three scoops of ice cream today
*I have a clean sink (more about that another time)
*I also have a pretty clean kitchen, thanks to my husband
*Landon is still sleeping through the night
*I got a new "friend" on facebook (it's been fun getting back in touch with people I haven't talked to in years!)
*I got to "hang out" with Carson. We went to the store and the library where he got to pick out a movie and a couple of books.
*Dayv got his car fixed today. At least we HOPE so!
*I got my daily email from my sister in law
*I didn't get any bills in the mail today
*Tahirah gave me lots of extra hugs and kisses
*Noah made me laugh (this just about happens everyday. We, of course, won't mention what else he does during the day)
*Dayv loves me!

Wow! That did make me feel better! It might of not been the most exciting thing for you to read but now maybe you all should make your own list.