Thankful For A Bad Day

I seriously had a horrible day.  It was just down right crummy. 

I left work thankful that the day was nearing a close and I walk out to a light sprinkle of  rain to discover my car wouldn't start. How appropriate.  I couldn't reach the hubby and there was no one in the parking lot. Even better.  Wait, another human being!  Thank goodness someone was working a little late!

So my buddy Chris pulls his car around and we're good to go, right? No. There was something...strange about his battery.  Now I have no clue about cars, don't know anything about them. But I do know what a battery looks like and his did not look anything like it should.  He was just as perplexed as I was.  I know it's weird but I wasn't even sure if what he thought was his battery was in fact a battery - so I sent him on his way and continued my quest for assistance.   

After finding a lovely gentleman to assist me,  I was on the way home to put this day to rest. As I was driving I was thinking of the day as a whole and reflecting on the series of bad.  Really sulking and licking my wounds.  And it struck me how ironic it was that I had started the day off with such a different attitude. 

This morning I had a scheduled phone meeting at 8:30.  I get to work early,  7:45 at the latest - and that's including a quick stop for my Diet Pepsi fix.  So when we were setting up the time I was going to schedule it for 8:00 - but I didn't, I said 8:30 instead.  I had car trouble this morning and guess what?  I rolled in at 8:20.  So as I was driving to work all I could think was how good God was - even thought I had trouble that caused me to be late, He had arranged that I wouldn't miss this phone call.  And I was thankful that He made provision for me.

Then I had a moment of clarity - He had done that for me throughout the whole day, continuously.  I was just so absorbed in myself that it wasn't apparent.  It was easy for me to give thanks and glory to God this morning because I could see, without looking too hard, the benefit to me.  But even in the midst of strife He is working in my life.  Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  He is working in our lives always.

So I became thankful for today.  Thankful that God was working to teach  me grace and humility.  Thankful that He was working to teach me patience.  Thankful that He was working to teach me understanding. Thankful that He was working to teach me forgiveness.  I was fighting it the whole time - yet, despite my resistance, He made provision for me.

So I am thankful, not just for the good days but for the bad days too because there is a lesson and purpose in each of them.  Sometimes I just have to look a little harder to find it...

A Long Way From Home

I had a fantastic day!  I spent some of my day catching up with a dear friend.  We had a lunch date but neither one of us ate - we were too engrossed in conversation to even think about food.  And in addition to just spending some quality time together, I got a gift - a big bag of carmel popcorn!  If you know me at all, you know my love for popcorn - I could eat it everyday.  And during certain times in my life, I actually have.  It was just awesome to me because nothing says I love you more than a thoughtful gift.  And what could be more thoughtful than showing up with my favorite snack?

Then I got some good news about a project I've been working on for our regional conference.  I'm serving as exhibitor chair.  I was in that role last year too but I changed jobs at a critical time and wasn't able to devote as much attention to it as I would have liked.  I ended up with 9, which is about average for our conference but I had intended to exceed that number. 

So this year I decided 15 was my number. Don't ask me why I picked that number - I just decided I want at least 15.  I looked through my old conference booklets and from what I can tell 12 was the most we've ever had so I'm definitely out to beat that.  So I checked my numbers today and I have 10 registered now!  In addition, I have one that has promised a registration, two strong maybe's and a conference call tomorrow with a representative that I think I can sale.  I AM going to get my 15! 

After work I tossed M2 in the stroller and we went for a walk.  A really long walk. I'm not sure how long we walked but it was enough that I got a blister.  From my flipflops.  My flipflops!  How does that happen? 

M was in charge of our route and after we had gone a significant way she declared that she had to go to the bathroom.  Immediately.  It was an emergency Don't-Know-If-I-Can-Make-It situation.  So we walked quickly (but not too quickly - it's hard to walk and hold it)  back home for a bathroom break. Then we started all over again. 

It was awesome, the weather was perfect and we took our time and just enjoyed being outside.  Until about 4 blocks from home when I heard M start moaning.  What's the matter? The bathroom, again?  Oohhh, you need to use it that way.  Ummm, can you make it to the house? (Like we had a choice!)  This time we really did walk quickly, with M alternating between moans and telling me (loudly) that her poopoo really needed to come out.

The neighbors working in their yards really enjoyed that one.  I really enjoyed making it to the house...

Lucky Girl

No walk for me yesterday.  I forgot M had ballet class.  I was loading them up in the car to head home when she reminded me.  It’s a good thing one of us can stay on top of our schedule.  Really, who needs a calendar when you have a kid?  Just make sure they think it’s something fun and they won’t ever forget.

We made a mad dash home to make the transformation from grubby kid to prima ballerina and off we went to what should have been an uneventful and routine dance lesson.  Unfortunately, M was in rare form and decided the very best way to spend this particular class was by making sure everyone was introduced to her pouts, sobs, and other dramatic hysteria.  There wasn’t anything wrong but she got upset over everything – I took her water bottle out of her bag, her feet were hot, she didn’t like the order of the dance line, I was breathing…  all of this was very upsetting to her. 

She’s normally a very mellow kid so I’m chalking it up to the fact that she just had a rough day and needed to cry.  Everyone is entitled to that once in a while…

Better get back to work - I’ve got to get some things wrapped up this morning because I have a very special lunch date with one of my favorites.  It’s been too long and we have a lot of catching up to do.  I’m so lucky to have such awesome people in my life.

Really, I have the most amazing friends.

RLS

I'm in the mood to do something fun. 

I've had a really productive day - I've been able make progress on my To Do List.  Really, it feels great to get some of these things knocked out.  But I'm ready to be outside doing something.  I think I have Restless Life Syndrome...

I've had two weekends of road trips and I think that's done me in.  Now I love road trips, really, I think they're fun and I enjoy getting uninterrupted time with people I care about.  One of my favorite things is to hop in the car and go!  There is always adventure and fun...

But the weather has been so nice and I need some outside time.  Looks like I'll be going for a walk this evening...

We're having a girls weekend, which means Mommy is solo.   So I'm going to seize the opportunity to  have some fun with my girls.  And keep them occupied enough so that they don't drive me crazy.  Because some days it's just a contest - who can wear the other out first.  And this time I plan to win.  I'm going to pull out the secret weapon - a trip to the zoo!  We'll skip naps, fill our bellies with concession stand food, and walk the entire day.  They will be out before we even make it home...yep, definitely winning this weekend.

List Bliss

It's time for a list!

Reasons I Like Being Short:
1. I never had to worry about dating someone shorter than me
2. It makes me look younger
3. I'm the perfect size for sitting in someone's lap
4. Crawling into the backseat of a car is easy
5. I make every guy feel big
6. Put me in a costume and I could get away with trick-or-treating
7. I don't have to put things away if they belong on the top shelf
8. Cute nicknames like shorty, little bit, small fry, little mama
9. Shopping in the little girls department  (chubby girl stuff but still from the kids section)
10. I can wear 4 inch heels and no one thinks it's over the top
11. I never have to duck
12. The littlest one is always on the top of a pile
13. I can put my feet on the dashboard with my legs fully extended without having to move the seat back
14. Fitting into spaces no one else could made me a pro at hide and seek
15. I'm the perfect height for spooning
16. I think it's romantic to stand on my tiptoes for a kiss

Done

Workout done!  Strength training tonight.  Gave up a football game, but I needed to get it in.  I've been sloppy this week and that is no good!

So now it's done and I feel better and there's still some football on...so I'm gonna go park myself on the couch and exercise my right to some good entertainment!

Fail

Ugh, I am so irritated with myself!  I just had a Coke.  A real Coke. A real Coke full of real sugar.

I stopped drinking regular coke in January.  That was huge for me, huge I tell you!  I am a girl who grew up drinking soda like water.  And I'm so not kidding - I had Pepsi in my bottle as a toddler.  Don't judge my Mom too harshly, it was the only thing I would drink and she was desperate...plus it was easier to give me the Pepsi and shut me up. 

So when I say  my addiction was extreme I am not exaggerating.  I don't remember a time when I didn't drink soda. What's really amazing is that I got my first adult cavity last year, at age 34.  One teeny tiny cavity - the smallest the dentist had ever filled.  You think with all that sugar my teeth would have rotted away...

I still drink a lot of soda - but I switched to diet because I drink less of it that way. And since January I have been SO good!  The only exception was when we took M to the movies for her birthday and we got a drink for all of us to share.  When they charge $10 for a drink you have to do that....Anyway, we were sharing and they had Mr. Pibb (my husband's favorite) so that was my only non diet drink.

Until today.  Until about 10 minutes ago.  140 Calories. 30 grams of sugar. 

So. Not. Worth. It.