Making stuff up as I go

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
~Paul's closing instructions to his friends in Thessalonica

I love these instructions because they seem so hopeful, so truth-full. But if there's one current life situation that I don't know how to be thankful for it's potty training and our 2 year old. I won't go into the gory details but it's one gigantic ARGH!!!! in my life. Frustration, despair, anger, shame, guilt, I've got it all.

But today, I'm going to make up a list of stuff to be thankful for about this situation.

My thanksgiving poop list:

1) I am thankful that my daughter has well-functioning excretory system.
2) I am thankful for disposable diapers that pull down easily when she does want to sit on the toilet.
3) I am thankful for toilets and modern sewage systems.
4) I am thankful for the bits and pieces she does get:

• "Poop goes in the toilet"
• Taking clean diapers to her teachers when she's soiled hers
• The times she does let someone know she needs to go

5) I am thankful for the cluttered poster of stickers that represent the times she has used the toilet

6) I am thankful she's only soiled the carpet once (or twice).

7) I am thankful for my mother's help getting her to the toilet when DW was a newborn.

8) I am thankful she's never had a UTI.

9) I am thankful for all the times my husband has cleaned her up, especially the morning of "the incident"

10) I am thankful for the opportunity to learn humility, patience, and gentleness*

As I said, I'm making this stuff up as I go. Mostly, I'm angry and bitter that this process is not done and over with. I hate poop, but I'm learning to be thankful.

*I'm a really slow learner