Full of thanks.

It's been quite a week, month, and year, and despite all the weirdness and drama, I've never been more thankful than I am right now to be where and who I am right now.

Even (and maybe especially) on days when I'm griping, I'm grateful for lessons learned, mistakes made, and those few mistakes that God providentially kept me from making in the process.

Hope you all have wonderful memories to reflect on during this season of Thanksgiving! And even if your reflections are bittersweet, I hope you gain insight and awareness from that, too.

I'm thankful for each of you.

Raw fear.

Tonight, I am scared for the health and safety of someone I love dearly. Please keep her in your prayers. Thank you so much.

Joie de vivre.

I've had one of those days that reminded me of the joy of life, and living, and how ridiculously thankful I am for all I have and where I've been -- good and bad.

So this time, I'm listing things my heart is brimming over with thanks for, and I'm not stoppin' at five.

1. My home state. I am in mad love with Mississippi, and the fact that I've had the opportunity to spend so much time in so many parts of it. Faith Hill had it right -- no matter where I am, I'm still (and always will be!) a Mississippi girl. :-)
2. Old friends. There is something to be said for the peeps who know you well, have seen you at your worst, and still love you. I'm overly blessed with the most wonderful friends EVER. How this happened, I have no idea, but I pray to God I don't do anything to mess it up! My peeps are the best peeps.
3. New friends. Meeting new people never gets old! Sometimes I think it's not the best habit of mine (for maintenance reasons and all), but aren't new personalities the best?! It's so cool to learn where others are coming from and to see where they'll go.
4. The past -- all of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly are all part of where and who I am now, and today, I happen to really love where and who I am now. I never thought I would be thankful for some of my ugliest experiences, but I'll be dadgummed if they're not reminding me of how good it feels to feel good today.
5. Cruise control. I would love to hug whoever invented it.
6. Fall colors. I know I don't shut up about this, but I'm all about some fall leaves and colors, and since I don't see much of those in BR (until this week!), it was absolutely breathtaking to drive up through Mississippi and see the vibrant colors. (I guess I would need to be hospitalized if I was actually up north, where real fall occurs.)
7. Stereotypes. I was reminded this weekend that just because I set stereotypes, it doesn't mean they're in stone. That was a good reminder. Sometimes this redhead needs the "refresh" button clicked so she can see things as they are, not just as she imagines they are.
8. A nephew who loves his aunt. There is absolutely nothing in the world that could make my heart fuller than to hear my hilarious nephew's voice trash talking me about football, or commentating on his 5-year-old life like the old soul he is, or incredulously getting excited because he "gets to see" me in only three days.
9. Music. If you know me at all, you know I love it. And there's nothing like ten hours in the car to reminisce on the playlists of your life in every genre! Rock. On. Or country on. Or jazz on. Or...
10. Scripture. It's amazing how, like music, Biblical reminders can pop up just when you need them. I'm thankful to have been raised in a family and church where I was taught Bible verses at a very young age, and that they still stick with me when I need them most.
11. Being a girl. For real. Sometimes I gripe about it, but secretly, I love it. :-)
12. Reminders of Aunt Mildred. I had the sweetest, funniest great-aunt ever, and since she died, I have noticed more and more when things remind me of her. Like good sweet tea. And decorative dish towels. And a new friend's laugh that sounds exactly like it came from Auntie M's kitchen table! Fantastic. I love that a beautiful sound allows me to see her shoulders shake from getting tickled, even though I can no longer give her a hug and kiss.
13. My mother's cornbread dressing, and the fact that I get to eat it this Thursday. No further commentary needed.
14. My family. They are the best of the best, hands-down.

A new friend said something this weekend I've not really heard adults state so frankly:

"Hey. I'm happy."

At the time, I grinned and told him I was glad.

Today I'm there, and can only grin again and think, "Well said. And ditto that!"

Change.

I read this article excerpt by Amy Bloom today and not only needed it, but also loved it:

Change is as inevitable as rain in the spring.

Some of us just put on our raincoats and splash forward, some of us choose to stay home, a few admirable nuts shed their clothes and cavort in the yard, and some people go out and get deeply, resentfully, miserably wet.

And no matter what, the rain falls.

God bless sturdy rain boots and timely reminders!

Dear Saints: I believe!

So I was driving this afternoon and heard on the radio that one of my all-time favorite bands, Cowboy Mouth, redid a song to reflect their love for the Saints.

Here's the reworked version of "I Believe," compliments of Mix 92.3:







Geaux Saints!

I believe!

Mmmm mmmm good.

Five things I've had to be thankful for this week are:

5. The goodness of life. Life really is great, fabulous stuff, especially when I stop letting its pesky details get in my way.

4. A job that allows me the occasional work trip to New Orleans. Ok, so a lowlight was a bum on a bike asking me for $20 -- hello? twenty BUCKS? are we in a recession or not?! -- but since he was dressed better than me, I felt no guilt about skipping on my merry little way.

3. Friends who stick closer than brothers.  Ok, so I've never had a brother. But I have cousins who come VERY close, and friends who make an effort to rank right up there.

2. Creativity. Without it, I really might just....sob. Uncontrollably. And often.

1. Texting. I know, we're back to my tweenager state of mind again. But it's such a fun, fantastic way to keep up with peeps without all the monotonous voice mails or calling at inopportune times.

:: happy sigh ::

Veterans' Day.

On Veterans' Day, it's hard NOT to remember those who have given and are still giving of themselves for my freedom.

In the interest of time, I'm pasting some Zac Brown Band lyrics (from "Chicken Fried"), which express better than I ever could how I feel:

I thank God for my life
And for the stars and stripes
May freedom forever fly
Let it ring
Salute the ones who died
The ones who give their lives
So we don't have to sacrifice
All the things we love

Veterans and soldiers, thank you for doing what I do not and could not, and for keeping our country safe.

Fort Hood.

I'm still devastated when I think of the disgusting, uneccessary shooting at Fort Hood in Texas last week.

I caught up this morning on Marshall Ramsey's cartoons from the weekend, and found this one particularly touching:

As usual, MR does a fantastic job of depicting what we all felt, and still feel when reading/seeing the coverage.

I hope that like Columbine, and Virginia Tech, and the Oklahoma City bombing, and 9/11, may we never forget.

Giving Thanks.

Five things I'm thankful for at this very moment are:

5. Cousins who are, hands-down, the coolest ever (ever).

4. Facebook. I know I sound like a 12-year-old, but seriously. I love keeping up with my peeps from different places and life stages. And as my sweet friend (and clinical psychologist) Dr. Jane says, updating one's status is definitely thereapeutic. Also, I'm an addict.

3. My nephew's ever-expanding (and hilarious) personality. It is so cute to watch him jump into new interests (and, of course, act like he's always been there).

2. Parents and grandparents who love -- each other and me.

1. New seasons. I love them when they're literal, but also when they're figurative. It's a great time to take a deep breath and marinate in this one.

Falling Back.

I love gaining an hour, but am not the hugest fan of the early winter darkness.

I happened to be in Jackson when the time changed, and thoroughly enjoyed a blissful, drama-free weekend with true friends who love me and who aren't afraid to say so. (Who'd have thunk that was so EASY?!) ;-)

So in light of a very cathartic trip back to a place that helped me become who I am now -- for better or for worse -- my locale for the time change this year seemed quite appropriate when I saw the following quote from a friend:

"Sometimes good things fall apart so even better things can fall together."

:-)