5 Things I'm Thankful for (The Bed Rest Version)

5 things I'm thankful for at this moment are:

1. My sister. I've mentioned she's a total rock star, right? The girl not only comes here to help me after my surgery when she's completed her school year, but she also takes time away from her family, cleans my house, makes sure I'm staying on medicine/foot elevated/rest schedule, helps me get organized... It's pretty ridiculous. She should actually count as two things, but I'll leave it as one.
2. My other sister. This may come as a shock to many of you, especially my parents, but there are three of us. Kim is actually the rebellious middle child, not the bossy oldest child. Our older sister is Angela, and for our just having met five years ago, she fits in pretty well. :-) Angela has truly been an amazing friend in so many ways, but has gone so far out of her way to help make my life better with this foot ordeal even before I had this procedure. Since then, she's organized for friends to bring us food (HOW NICE), and has even helped with picking things up around town. Our sisterhood was sealed when my surgeon saw her and asked if she was another sister. The answer is YES. Do not try to take her away from me. Ever. Like Kim, Angela occupies a special place in my heart and I will fight anyone to the death over her.
3. Books. Even as an avid reader, I sometimes forget how much books can transport us to other times and places. I am blaming social media for my enhanced ADHD, but that is an expanded blog post for another day. Today in particular, I am thankful for the teen craze The Hunger Games, which some friends lent me and I'm currently fascinated with. Like all the 36-year olds.
4. Rest. Aside from the slightly bothersome fact that I haven't slept this much since I was an infant, apparently rest is key to healing. I've gotten plenty of it, so I'm glad that the medical community considers that to be a good thing.
5. All this niceness from all these people. I've received a bounty of niceties from a plethora of people, and I just don't know where to begin with the gratitude. Sometimes when you are tempted to wonder what in the world is next because good grief this cannot be REAL, someone goes and does something very kind for you, and then you feel a glimmer of hope, and then you start to think maybe things will be ok with the world, or just today, perhaps. That's kind of how this is. All the food and cards and emails and Facebook notes and flowers and kindnesses... I appreciate them. I notice them and tuck them in my heart and fertilize them with joy and pray they'll bloom during the dark times, when I least expect but most need them to. Thank you.

Closer Than A Brother.

I have some wonderful friends. I don't know how that's happened, because I'm so far from perfect, and honestly just plain don't try to be perfect nearly as often as a lot of people do. But still, these friends -- these true friends -- they stick around, and they love me in my ugliest form.

The Bible speaks of the type of "friend who sticks closer than a brother."

I've just had a text exchange with my sister that reinforces the thoughts I've had for so long: that would have to be one truly, out of this world, amazing friend.

And, of course, that Friend literally is out of this world, because the Friend the Bible speaks of is Jesus. Who I am utterly grateful for, and Who didn't have to try to be perfect (He just was), and Whose ultimate, bloody, incomprehensible sacrifice has made abundant life possible for me.

So among these amazing friends I've acquired, and ridiculously wonderful cousins who I think more of as siblings, and this one-of-a-kind sister who probably should've disowned me years ago, I'm really thankful that when Scripture gives me that analogy, I know its profound significance.

And I am grateful, and humbled, and undeserving, and really, at the end of a day like this, pretty speechless to be loved that much.

The Baby Jesus Cake.

My sister and her family are Yankees.

Ok, not really. They live in the northern part of Alabama. And in all fairness, they're transplants. But compared to the Biloxi, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge areas, it's kind of a stretch.

One of the more significant differences between here and there is the lack of Mardi Gras celebration "up north."

While our conservative Southern Baptist family is Protestant to the T, we still make room in our hearts, religions and tummies for king cake each year, so it was pretty important to us to introduce my nephew to king cake as early as possible.

Caleb is now 7, so I guess it was 4 or so years ago when he had a friend over during the Mardi Gras season after a king cake from home had arrived. It was time for a snack, and Caleb excitedly asked Will, "You wanna piece of baby Jesus cake?"

Caleb's friend reacted the way any Yankee -- ahem, I mean non-coastal person -- would, and firmly said no.

Who wants a piece of cake that sounds like it's made from the baby Jesus? No thank you!

However, Caleb's little-boy-terminology makes me think each time I remember it.

King cakes' inclusion of the plastic baby representing Jesus isn't just random; it's symbolic. While the whole point of Mardi Gras has been wildly exaggerated into a Bourbon Street perspective by the general public, its roots stem from the devout reverence for the many sacrifices that Jesus made for us.

So tasting this delectable pastry is more than just fattening up one particular Tuesday (and maybe every day before then, depending on how many delightful king cakes you're exposed to). Eating king cake and being reminded of the baby Jesus -- sometimes painfully in the tooth area -- are all part of what really is logical about Mardi Gras. We enjoy, we indulge, we celebrate life and all its gifts, and then we take some time to somberly appreciate those gifts, minus the indulgences.

But even still, if I were a Yankee (or something like that), and someone offered me a piece of "baby Jesus cake," especially when I was in pre-school, I probably wouldn't take 'em up on it, either. :-)

Cinco de Octobre.

Five things I'm thankful for at this moment are....

1. New beginnings. Especially for ADD, shiny-objects-distract-me-all-day-long people like me, having new and fun adventures to look forward to is just pure bliss.

2. My sweet sister. Kim came to see me this past weekend, and as always, I have to marvel at the built-in best friend God gave me in her. For one thing, she puts up with me. And then, there's all the other sweet, saintly stuff that just comes so naturally to her. :-)

3. My brother-in-law. Steve made Kim's trip to BR happen, and happen fast. And he did this not just because I wanted time with her, but because she needed it. And he recognized that, and did something about it. How rare and precious. I love that -- and him -- so very much.

4. Home. I was able to see my parents and Nan very quickly this weekend, and truly, there is no place like home. ::happy sigh::

5. Pear cake. My mother made one for my birthday! It's like apple cake, but with pears. If you have not had it, you're totally missing out. Especially when the pears and pecans come from the yard you grew up playing in. :-)

Saying hey.

A few months ago, I took a road trip with my sister, her husband & their son. (I was invited. By her husband. Just to clear the air on any potential intrusion claims.)

One of my (very many) convos with my very talkative nephew (could I be prouder?!) included a discussion about cell phones. And how I use mine a lot. And how he doesn't have one. And how I didn't, either, at that age -- partly because my parents never would've stood for it AT AGE SIX, but mainly because they didn't exist...and when they did, they were in bags.

My favorite response from Caleb (with a similar expression to the embedded pic) was, "But....if you and my mom didn't have cell phones, how did y'all say hey?!"

It was SO cute (from my unbiased perspective, of course), and frighteningly, so telling.

I mean, from birth, this child has been totally used to us picking up the phone or texting at any given moment to "say hey." No boundaries, no long distance, no time constraints -- we just do what we need to do to get through that moment, or day, or hour.

Which is super nice. And makes me wonder how we survived before. Although I know we did. And even before email. (Which is enough to make this communications addict shudder.)

But thank the good Lord for modern technology.

I do love my sister. And saying hey.