{Thirty Days of Thanks~Day 15}

Thank you so much for your kind words about my last post---I fear I was misunderstood and I wanted to clarify it. I'm not "hiding" at church because I feel ashamed or embarrassed---well, I'm sure there's something to that---but, I'm "hiding" because I just hate the look on people's faces when I tell them the news. I don't want to see that look, so I just try to talk to people that I know already know. There are numerous people who know---but the one's who don't always want to hear how everything is, and I'd rather not tell. SOOO, please don't think that people at my church are judging me, or being unkind or uncaring---quite the opposite is true. People have been extremely kind and supportive---but their initial reaction is one of deep sadness and shock and I just hate producing that in people, so I'd rather let someone else tell them!

So, today's "thanks" is pretty different than yesterday. I was going to head in another direction, but I have some work to do for school and I'm moving toward the sleepy place---SO, here it is: I'm grateful this day for a sense of humor! I LOVE to laugh---one of my favorite things to do is sit around the dinner table and visit and end up just laughing uncontrollably.

This was brought to my mind today as I was mowing the lawn---now, I know you Texans and Oklahomans who are reading this are thinking---WHAT? MOWING YOUR LAWN IN NOVEMBER? yeah, welcome to my own personal hell! NOT REALLY----I really never mind mowing---it's just getting out of the house to do it, ya know? Anyway, Tall Fescue grass is a cool season grass and we start mowing here in late February, early March and don't finish until around Thanksgiving. It's at least 9 months a year---and in growing seasons---yes, SEASONS, fall and spring---you have to mow about every 5 days or it's so long it drives you crazy. (ahhhhh, the rambling!) Some of you may remember last years' post on leaves here---leaves are a huge part of my November! EVERY YEAR.  This picture is from last year, but I didn't get one today!

Anywhooo----I was out mowing and I was running out of light. If you've been a friend on my fb page for long, you've seen numerous "mowing in the dark" posts in the last year. Well, it gets dark SO early now that I really didn't have much time. I was having to empty my bag after one walk up my side yard---and then again at the back because of the PILES of leaves---it was CrAZy! By 5:30, my tree covered lot was pretty dark---the street lights are on---people are driving by with their lights in my eyes---I got so tickled at what my neighbors must have thought---"there she is again, mowing in the dark." I just began to laugh out loud. NOW, don't get me wrong--I've cried many a tear over all that has to be done around here and I've felt pretty sorry for myself at times---(just keeping it real), but you know, I didn't have to mow today---so, no one was twisting my arm to make me stay out there---I'm just stubborn that way, I guess. BUT TODAY---I just made the conscious choice to laugh and not cry. I think we often have choices like this. I am grateful for the laughter today.

I actually began singing "Rollin' in the Deep" with new words---about my leaves---yeah, Adele has NOTHING on me. It was quite moving, I'll tell ya. I was TRULY cracking myself up---SOOOO, laughter----it's good for you. I always hear that Steve Green kid's song, "A joyful heart is good medicine, good medicine a joyful heart." Anyone else raise their kids in the 90's and remember these? I can still sing all the words---but I'll spare you....oh, and I'll spare you the stupid lyrics to my "Rollin' in the Leaves", too---be glad. Be VERY, VERY glad. Oh, and be happy---laughing is fun!