That for which I am grateful.

Two weeks ago tonight, I was busily working in the kitchen to finish my assigned dishes for our Thanksgiving feast in Birmingham on Thursday, packing clothes for our short holiday trip, and enjoying the thought of having the next three days off work.  You know, that holiday excitement that keeps you up later than it should?

You'll also remember if you read the last post, that Turner's birthday party had been on the previous Saturday and we'd had family in through the weekend.  So things had been fun and busy around our house for several days. Mark and I were expecting a wonderful visit with BB, Matt, and my parents for Thanksgiving and then anticipating some productive days of Christmas decorating (sans Turner who would be in Andalusia with Tootsie and Pop through the weekend).

And then it happened.

I woke up the day before Thanksgiving and knew almost immediately something wasn't exactly right.  I felt dizzy, lightheaded, and quite nauseous.  I kept trying to get us dressed and packed, but I wasn't moving very fast and within an hour I knew it had the potential to be more than just "not feeling right".  I won't go into details, but let's just say that the nasty stomach virus that had circulated through our school the previous week had found it's way to my house.  It.  Was.  Nasty.

Between Auburn and Birmingham I think Mark had to stop the car 5 times.  Some of those were at establishments that had restrooms, and let's just say some were not.  By the time we arrived in Birmingham I was barely holding my head up - I went straight to the hotel, got sick again, and went to bed at 1pm.  I woke up sick a few times throughout the day, and other than that I didn't get up again till the following morning - yes, that would be Thanksgiving morning.  Happy Thanksgiving to me. 

Right now, you may be scrolling back toward the top to see if you read my title correctly.  You did.  In the midst of all the sickness, the four days it took me to get back to remotely normal, the added exhaustion that the sickness brought (accompanied by the necessity of getting my house ready for the Camp War Eagle Christmas party which was one week after Thanksgiving Day), etc....as I look back through the pictures and think through the last two weeks, I just can't come to another theme other than the fact that I am so grateful for the blessings in my life.  Big blessings, small blessings, and so many blessings - all so very undeserved. I think I can best explain the last two weeks through expressions of gratitude...


I am grateful that I have a wonderful, compassionate husband who makes sure I understand that I am his number one priority.  Not Turner, not work, not family - after God, it's me.  Mark refused to leave the hotel room (other than to get me gatorade) where I pretty much laid comatose all day.  He sat in a hotel desk chair from 1pm until 9pm, basically checking email and watching me sleep.  My family finally brought him some dinner shortly after 9pm, which he inhaled due to near starvation I am certain.  Mark is my hero, and my caretaker, and my best friend.

I am grateful that I have amazing parents, who love my sweet daughter as much as human beings can love another perso.  They knew that Turner would be going home with them on Thursday night for a couple of days, but they certainly didn't expect that she'd be almost totally in their care from mid-day Wednesday through mid-day Saturday.  She slept in their hotel room, they fed her, bathed her, clothed her, transported her - they did it all, which allowed Mark to meet my needs without worrying about Turner.  Thank you Tootsie and Pop - I know you don't see this as anything special.  I do.

I am grateful for BB and Matt allowing us to share this holiday with them this year.  Turner got another birthday surprise from BB and Matt and as you'll see below, had quite the fun time "scooting" in the street.

I am grateful for the delicious and plentiful spread of food we shared on this special day.  BB and Matt - you did it up right and it was yummy for sure!  (I didn't get to really eat it till the Monday following Thanksgiving...but it was still good!)  Sometimes I am overwhelmed when I step into my pantry and find it stocked with an assortment of food options that we could prepare for dinner...overwhelmed to think that there are many students who sit in my classroom daily that get their most nutritious and most hearty meal in our school cafeteria each day.  It's easy to pretend like those situations don't exist.  They do.  In Auburn, Alabama.  And it's important to remember that "but for the grace of God go I." 

 For the record, Matt and BB have convinced me that when you cook anything with pancetta (a meat I had previously been un-exposed to before Matt entered our lives) it's automatically delicious.  That gravy above I think I'd eat on cardboard if I could - even as sick as I was it was about the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted!!

I am grateful that after almost 8 years of marriage that the scene below makes me laugh.  Notice in the picture below that the soon-to-be newlyweds are all lovey dovey, and the old couple about to celebrate 8 years of marriage are situated more for comfort rather than contact.  Could be the sickness...  :)

I am grateful for Matt...he makes my sister so happy.  And Turner thinks he's a total riot.

I am grateful that the virus gradually left me alone, and I am grateful that we had two days without a certain energetic-always-in-need-of-entertainment three year old in the house.  And for the fact that when she did return, Granny and Grandpa came back for a visit and provided some additional distractions through the weekend.  For the first time in many years, I returned to school after Thanksgiving break with a fully decorated house in antipcation of the CWE party four nights later.

I am grateful that when Turner threw up last Monday night that my sweet husband was home to take care of her, clean it up, wash clothes, etc.  All while I was at a music rehearsal at church.  I am grateful that when she threw up again Tuesday night (yes, 24 hours after the first incident with no other issues), in the floor of Hobby Lobby, that God gives mommies special grace in those embarrassing and disgusting situations.  It was my first experience at a public situation like that, and I am grateful I didn't slap or curse at the people who stared at my crying child with throw up on her shirt with such disdain.  

I am grateful that Thursday rolled around and (considering the craziness of the week prior) it was the least stressed that I've ever been leading up to this party - during which about 60-70 people make our house their home for a few hours. I am grateful that Mark's staff includes Turner and make her feel so welcome and special during everything they do.  Turner participated in her first Dirty Santa game and all was well, until she opened her chosen present...excitement turned to confusion when she found a Edgar's coffee cup and a Starbucks gift card in her bag. Thankfully, some sweet CWE soul brought a gingerbread house kit as their gift, and thankfully some other sweet CWE soul "stole" the Starbucks card...allowing Turner to walk away with the gingerbread house.

I am grateful that after the party, and the sickness, and oh by the way, I do have a job that gets my attention from 8-4 each day...that God blesses me with a Saturday like this past one.  We had NOTHING on our calendar.  Turner and I started the day with a trip to see the Pedicure Girl...and Turner let them do her nails for the first time.  I am certain that my sister said it best when she asked me whether I had the financial capabilities of maintaining this habit for the rest of Turner's life under my roof?  Turner had a ball!!

After our trip to see the Pedicure Girl, Turner and I worked on building our first gingerbread house - and when I say first, I mean for myself also.  That just wasn't something we did as kids - but Turner and I had a blast decorating and building.  Notice she's in her pajamas...I asked her before we started whether she wanted to put on some Christmas clothes to decorate and she almost started to cry and reminded me, "But you said we could build it in our pajamas!" I am grateful for her innocence and sheer excitement related to the Christmas season and for moments that we share like this one.

And if that weren't enough excitement for the day, with about 5 min left to go in the SEC Championship game we headed down to Toomer's Corner to celebrate the Auburn victory.  I am grateful that we live in Auburn and get to live out so many special Auburn traditions with our family.  I haven't seen Toomer's Corner quite like this in many, many years.  I was here for the 1989 Alabama game and I have childhood memories of that experience, but last Saturday night was quite special at the intersection of College and Magnolia.  My favorite thing is watching people running - sprinting from all directions as far as you can see - with toilet paper.  It's kind of like ants converging on a piece of dropped candy...people sort of lose all sense of appropriateness and just drop everything and run.  Toward a tree - to throw toilet paper! It's almost surreal. 

This man totally made me smile - he's playing the Auburn Fight Song on his harmonica.  Awesome.

Pop - you'll be proud that Turner remembered your contraption from the LSU game...she immediately wanted a stick to help her unroll the toilet paper faster.

And this dear soul...is standing atop Toomer's Corner...leading cheers...just before the cops asked him to get down.  He was actually using their spotlight on his face as a means for people to see his cheerleading cues!

Again, awesome.

And I definitely probably broke some laws taking this picture...on Sunday morning...while I was driving to church...notice the green light?

I am grateful, that this past Monday, when Turner found one of her Christmas presents under our guest bedroom bed, all I could do was laugh.  I mean, what can you do at that point?

And finally, I am so grateful for this little girl.  For the indescribable joy and laughter she brings to our home and our lives.  Turner has been doing the "Stanky Leg" for almost a year now...thanks to the instruction of Mr. Scott (Mrs. Rhonda's husband).  But, as it has evolved it has become more and more involved.  This rendition from Tuesday night is a tad out of control and we've seen her do the full out dance for about 20 seconds before...on this night she found it more funny to see how fast she could do it?  But, still, oh the laughter this produces at our house! 

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.  His faithful love endures forever."  Psalm 118:1