Come and celebrate our new [thanks] emoticon by saying Thank You to a Mumsnetter who's made a difference. Spot prizes to be won and all!

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello.

We have a new emoticon:

It's meant as a way for say thank you to someone for something nice/funny/amazing they've done or said. And it's in no small way inspired by the lovely Mumsnet Blanket Crew who've been agitating- very politely but very persistently - for a thank you emoticon for some time now. (They originally wanted a star but we thought a bunch of flowers probably had a bit less of the 'prefecty'/'sticker chart' thing going on.)

We want to mark the arrival of our new emoticon by starting this special Thank You thread - and inviting you to say to another Mumsnetter who's made a difference to you.

Perhaps it's a Mumsnetter who has posted (or PM'd) something that helped you or supported you or inspired you ? or just made you laugh like a drain. Or maybe it's someone who's done something extraordinary for you, off-board or on.

Do come and tell us about it - and thank her/him for it - here. We're hoping for a thread full of for some truly lovely MNers.

Oh, and we've also got some rather covetable prizes - books, toys and some very cool (child and adult) bike helmets from Bell - to give away as spot prizes. Anyone who posts on this thread is in with a chance of winning - we'll pull names at random out of a hat in a couple of days' time.

, MNHQ

go to Furball for her unfailing support over the last year. She gives me a kick up the arse when I need it, and wonderful compliments at other times, just to make me feel better about myself.

to everyone on the Bereavement threads who offered help and support following the death of my beloved Dad.

to all my friends on the running thread who are such a great bunch of inspiring and motivating people and helped get me through training for my first half marathon.

to Oliveoil who went one step further when I had a miscarriage. She knows what I mean.

to the MN SN board ladies past and present

and to Double, Brian, Mouseface, S a f and Bitter for friendship through thick and thin.

I'd like to thank madmouse for all her help when I was very unwell

to tiktok for her brilliant posts on the BF board, I only wish I'd found her earlier so that I could have posted about my specific issues before I gave up.

Also to all the First time Frolickers - from TTC to our brilliant PN thread, you guys are fab!

I'd like to give a big bunch of to everyone who is helping me on my thread in relationships at the moment - I'm sure you all know who you are, and it's really helping me that you are all there for me at the moment.

When I thought my relationship was over DraculasMom was very kind in her posts on the related thread and I was very grateful! So if you see this thank you :)

And also to Pag, Starlight McKenzie, LisaD123, Mouseface, Unpa1dcar3r, and all the other SN bods that offer me help with my dc. If I've forgotten anyone, I'm sorry! Big to you all for giving up your time for me.

to everyone over on SN - over the years I have been hare I have had advice on diets, supplements, education, law, therapy, toys, products, conferences, oh the list is endless.

but without all that advice, my dd1 would a) not have a dx, b) not have a decent school place, c) have undiagnosed (and ignored by mainstream healthcare) allergies - again, the list is endless.

I would also like to say to all the MNers who sponsored dd1 and me on a fun run last October (I did start a thread recently, but not enough people saw it). The money we raised went to dd1's school, and they bought iPAds for the pupils. thanks to that iPad, dd1 can now read and write - it has meant so much to her in terms of her education. I really cannot thank you all enough for that. It has completely changed her life.

So, all in all MN for getting me through the absolute minefield and nightmare that can be early days ASD

I'd like to thank everyone on the Charters' Anonymous threads who gave me hope when ttc and have been bastions of friendship and support since getting pregnant and having DD in the Graduates thread.

Just a really small thing but I would like to say to ShirelyKnottage and HazeltheMcWitch for the links to the clips of Maru the cat which made me cry with laughter the other night and really cheered me up.

Oh God...I am going to be at this all year night

To MummyElk, again, you know why.

To Chippy You're always there with exactly the right words.

To PacificDogwood for all of the practical and emotional stuff,

Oh God, I am starting to sound like Kate Winslet Please, let me start to look like her and I will be happy

I'd love to say a GIANT to all of the lovely, selfless MNers who contributed to a thread in chat not so long ago, started by the wonderfully lovely MadamOvary.

I heart her but don't tell anyone.

In her quest to find me some very real help and support (along with other fab posters) on my journey to finally open the many deeply buried boxes of my abusive past, she organised and sent me some fantastic books and some lovely goodies too. I am so grateful.

And to all of the wonderful ladies on the 'Support Thread For Those In An Abusive Relationship', here, thanks] these are for you with non MNy hugs xx

The kindness of strangers never fails to amaze me

Bugger it, Mum, times 1,000,000

TikTok without whom I would have given up breastfeeding dd, and anyone who has answered any of my stupid questions

dollyMG for looking after me when I was pissed

everyone on mumsnet for being cool, funny, kind, daft, challenging, interesting and intelligent

to anyfucker for making me laugh

Can I have 2?? Please??

to WonderingStar who PM'd me when I was feeling particularly bad about my bloody MIL and how she gets all the sympathy because her son (my DH) died. I lost a husband and DS lost a father, but as we don't 'struggle' and don't mope around we don't get the sympathy (not that I want it, but it would be nice to be recognised IYKWIM).

She made me cry while reading what she said and she made me feel better. And I now can look at my MIL with pity (rather than the hate dislike from before). I can also see a light at the end of the tunnel, as I know how to manage her behaviour and mine. All thanks to WonderingStar!

Also to MmeLindt (now MmeLindor I think) for offering to help me borrow a car seat for our trip to Switzerland. We didn't need it in the end, but it was so nice of her to offer to meet us at the airport to bring us the seat, all in exchange for just one packet of PG Tips!

to all of you on The Brave Babes Threads for making me realise that I have a very abusive relationship with alcohol and for the endless support, love, humour, tears and tough talk over the last 12+ months xx.

to Mumsnet. You have been an important part of my life for 5 years now, and I have met some wonderful people and - I hope - made some very good, lasting friendships.

too to Soapbox for starting the original MN Secret Santa. I think that was one of the most brilliant expressions of what MN is all about, and it was carried on so well by St George, NormaStanleyFletcher and MNHQ.

and to Biwi - you will know what for , and it was seeing your name, not your post that jogged my mind!

Oh yes! Flowery certainly deserves my thanks and gratitude.

A big huge to noblegiraffe

Who came back time and time again and helped me regain calm (and a sense of proportion) and not too shabby an understanding of when my 11yo son's maths teacher set five hours of homework (in Italian) about (evil) set theory, whilst bypassing the teaching, concept checking and explaning stage in class.

We were between a rock and a hard place, and she put cushions all over the place till I stopped flapping about and put things back in perspective.

Oh and...

A={a|a is an mner}
B C A (immagine that C is a bit squatter than it appears on the screen)
B={b|b is a lovely mner}
noblegiraffe ? B