Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

I'm so thankful for so many blessings in my crazy life (despite my attempts to mess it all up):

1. Friends in many places -- high and low (geographically, of course) -- who actually want to spend time with me. Wha?!

2. FOOTBALL SEASON!

3. Good music. I do love a good lyric, and set to fun tunes, even better. And LIVE..... ::happy sigh::

4. The option to look at a situation, make the best of it, and find ways it can be improved. For whatever reason, this never gets old for me. (Ok, maybe some days at 4:45pm it gets old. But usually, I'm all up for it.)

5. Pop Ball. I talk a lot in conversation and in writing about my Nan, and many times include stories about The Colonel, but I know for a fact that I don't give him the "air time" he's due. Mr. Cliff has not only been wonderful for my Nanny and for our family, but he has led a rich, full life in which he's done #4 on this list tirelessly, and has done it with gusto and without regard for age, life hindrances, or disasters of any kind. I admire this man more than I could say, and thank him with all my heart for being the only grandfather I can remember ever knowing. It can't be easy to jump into a family like ours, but he did it, and last weekend he turned 87. God bless him.

This time of year.

This week, I'm going to see Better than Ezra in concert for the first time ever! This is shocking for many of my BR peeps, since Ezra got their start in Baton Rouge, went to LSU, and played at Ole Miss a good bit, but it will be a fun first for me.

I've been re-familiarizing myself with many of my faves, including "Good," "Desperately Wanting," and the great fall classic, "This Time of Year," which I've posted the video and lyrics of here:



"This Time of Year" by Better Than Ezra

Well there's a feelin' in the air
Just like a friday afternoon
Yeah you can go there if you want
Though it fades too soon

So go on, let it be
If there's a feelin' coming over me
Seems like it's always understood
this time of year

Well I know there's a reason to change
Well I know there's a time for us
Think about the good times
and you live with all the bad
You can feel it in the air
Feelin' right this time of year

Well there's a football in the air
Across the leaf-blown field
Yeah, and there's your first car on the road
And the girl you steal

So go on, if you fell
If there's a feelin' that there's somethin' else
Seems like it's always understood
this time of year

Well I know theres a reason to change (this time of year)
Yeah I know theres a time for us (this time of year)
Think about the good times but you live with all the bad (this time of year)
You can feel it in the air
Feelin' right this time of year

Well theres a feelin' in the air
Just like a friday afternoon
Yeah you can go there if you want
Though it fades too soon

So go on, let it be
If there's a feelin' comin' over me
Seems like it's always understood
this time of year

Well I know theres a reason to change (this time of year)
Yeah I know there's a time for us (this time of year)
Ya think about the good times,
and you live with all the bad (this time of year)

You can feel it in the air
Feel it in the air
Yeah I can feel it in the air
Well I can feel it in the air

Yeah you can feel it in the air
Feelin' right this time of year

Game Day!

It's college football game day across the nations, and I'm headed to Death Valley to watch the Tigers stomp Vanderbilt. (At least I'm hoping that will be the outcome!)

Southern Miss has a home game today, too... I'm hoping to make at least one of those this season.

So Geaux TIGERS! And Southern Miss, To The Top!

Rah! :-D

Full Heart.

Five things I've been thankful for this week are:

1. Having a job. That pays me. Especially in this economy, but period.

2. Getting to see my family last weekend. My heart is ridonculously full from my time with my parents, grandparents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew -- not to mention the million other relatives I received hugs and happiness from, plus a few friends, too.

3. Where I'm from. I don't care where we rank on national scores for every last thing ever; I'm so proud to be a Mississippi girl. (Ok, I DO care, but I'm just sayin'. That doesn't diminish my pride at all.) Where I'm from is amazing, colorful, full of life, and the absolute heart and soul of kindness. Without home, I obviously would and could not be me. Going back there is just like taking a long, hot shower after a month of sponge baths.

4. My puppy, and how sweet she is, and what she means to my family. I could -- and surely will -- write a whole blog on precious Tractor, but for now, I'll just say that especially for an outside, stray, mutt-of-origin, squirrel-chasing, happened upon our family little runt, that Tractor sure has made the Johnsons' lives sweeter, more protected, and more loved all these years.

5. LSU FOOTBALL. Welcome back, my friend. Sure has been lonely here without ya.

Geaux....

Finally, it's that time again!!!!!

GEAUX TIGERS!