I am starting this thread, because I have a lot to be thankful for. First, of course, my wonderful wife who has put up with me for over 17 years. We have been married 15 of those years and with the exception of a few minor bumps in the road, we get along extremely well. Thank you Janice for being who you are.

Roy Cupps has been an inspiration to me for a number of years. He cares about people and gives what he can, and has done a marvelous job of it. His never ending and tireless work on CADO has helped many, including Janice and I and many others I know.

Dave Hood for being my friend for the past 12 years. Dave is an exceptional adjuster. I thought I knew a lot about construction, until I met Dave. He knows more than I ever will and is not afraid to share his knowledge.

Roy Estes for being a friend. He was a friend when I most needed one. He helped Janice through a hard time when I was very ill and recovering from surgery and a multitude of other physical problems.

Tony Rougas for being a friend the past 16 years. I don't what I would do if I could not call him and look forward every month to him calling me. He is the "I will give you the shirt off my back" type of person. I have worked with Tony on a number of Catastrophes and marvel at his expertise and professionalism and caring for others.

The late Gene Murphy for being the man he was. Even though gone physically, he is still a part of my soul and always will be until I meet him in the Adjusters Den in the sky. I can still, in my mind, hear Gene say, "No good deed goes unpunished:.

This could go on and on, but rather than write a book, I must say that I have had some very marvelous and dear friends through the many years I have been around. I hope everyone realizes how important friends, true friends, are. They are the ones who will help you get up when you fall, clean your clothes when they get dirty, and do whatever necessary for your life to be complete.

To all who have been and are my friends. Thank you, it has been a hoot. I also wish to thank all my friends at Cunningham Lindsey, past and present, who I have been fortunate enough to know and work with. They are a great bunch of folks.

No, I am not on my deathbed yet, just getting older and realizing how much other people's lives and personalities can affect who you are.

Please feel to post what and who you are thankful for. You will not be laughed at or executed.

 To be very honest and straight forward, I am very disappointed that there have been no others among our flock that are thankful, either that or you are afraid of your own shadows. Surely someone can make a legitimate post on why they are thankful ,for who, and what they are, and some of the reasons and other people in their lives that have led them to who they are and why they are here.

Geez, are we really that afraid to express ourselves. Come on in and try it, it feels good. Lets have some more posts on this subject. Of course, if none of you are thankful, that tells me a lot about who and what you are.

Well Tom the list is to long of all that I am thankful for. But will attempt to highlight the most important..

First my two beautiful daughters who I adopted at birth and thier birth mothers for giving me such a gift. Amanda and Mariah both in highschool now and honor students  have blessed my life more than I thought possible.   My health which I am thankful everyday that I wake up and can walk, talk, hear, see and another sunrise. 

My family who gets older everyday and I tell them I love them everytime we talk because I might not get another chance.  My friends  Rob, Vernon,  whom I like to go storming with, and Jimmy and Gale Hitt who gave me a place to stay when I got to Miami for Wilma and was sleeping in my Van at a Toll Plaza, and many others that I have met and others that I will get the chance to meet. 

 CADO and its members for giving me a place of information, friendship, and insight.  Companies like Cunningham Lindsey and     US Staffing and thier awesome staff who believed in my ability and of course provide me work.  Cell phones that let me keep in contact with my family when I am on the road, and free nights and weekends.  For Texas for raising the Taxes on Cigarettes and giving me a reason to quit, besides the reasons I already knew. 

 And Tom and Janice for always being a source of information and inspiration, becuse no matter how depressing or anger folks get on CADO you both find the time to post something positive and heartfelt. 

So sure we did not have a Hurricane season to write home about this year but if you are reading this you are still alive you must be well enough to get out of bed, and you have enough money to pay you light bill, and your internet bill.  So be thankful that things could always be worse and they will be better.  And only you are responsible for your own destiny so take control and think about how lucky you really are and count all the things you can be thankful for.

Melanie Labrie

 

OK, I'll jump in & express myself.  While I'm a litle bashful, I'll assumably lump myself in with the rest of the group that probably feels a little uncomfortable doing the "warm & fuzzies" on an open forum with what amounts to mainly strangers.    What we do share in common is an occupation, and for that we can be thankful  (from time to time).  

No disrepect intended, Tom....just my take on it.

 

Husker, your right, some don't like to participate in what you call the Warm and Fuzzies, but you did and that is appreciated. I don't consider being thankful to others as warm and fuzzy, just a fact of life. Attitude in this business is very important, or you could go off the deep end with the endless hours and problems we face everyday while working cats. I just have deep appreciation to many folks for getting me where I am at and am not ashamed or bashful about telling them on an international web site. Maybe if more did, it would become a better world. Thanks for your post.

Hey, let's all jump in; the water is fine, 75 degrees and holding.

 

Seriously folks, If not for CADO, there would be no where for anyone of us to commiserate, communicate, ruminate or just plain vent.

 

The Time and effort that Roy, Tom, Linda, Steve and all the other moderators, past and present, have spent deserves all of the accolades one can imagine.

 

The positive input over the past years from posters like, Jim Flynt, John Durham, Kevin, Clayton Carr, John Postova, Gale Hawkins, and the many many more who shared their insight, knowledge and experiences must be acknowledged.

 

Above all things that we should be thankful for, is the camaraderie of our peers, the new friends we have made and the road families we have become so dependent on.

 

This life is an experience to be enjoyed, it never is a dress rehearsal and it, while extremely difficult at times, can be the most satisfing of experiences. Helping people that cannot help themselves. It almost compares to the ER Nurse, the Trauma room doctor or the police and firefighters and all others who place themselves at risk, for the safety of others.

 

It has been a long, long road for some of us, but im betting most of us would not change a thing. Nuff said.