Good afternoon, my peeps. It is day four. I’m jammin’ to Def Leppard as I type this. I just love great 80s tunes!And I’m not sure how “Hysteria” progressed into the thought of food, but I’m already thinking about Cajun-flavored fried turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, rolls, pies, cakes, cookies… Ahhhh! Make it stop! We still have about 20 days to go. Have a feeling I might be crawling away from the table when that day comes. I really hope it’s cold outside on Thanksgiving Day. There are few feelings as gratifying as stuffing oneself sick with yummy food, then retreating to a dark lair to curl up under a blanket for a lazy afternoon snooze with a brisk chill in the air outside the window.
I know patience is supposed to be a virtue, but for all of the instant gratification we find ourselves hungering for (no pun intended), it surprises me that a working time machine hasn’t been invented yet.
And since I will likely save my list of things for which I’m thankful to blog about on the actual day we celebrate, I have generated another list. This one is just as important, and reminds me to appreciate even the smallest, simplest wonders in life. There are 30 on my list, though I can think of hundreds. I figured 30 was a safe number, seeing as there are as many days in this month.
Things That Make Me Smile
1. The sight of a rainbow
2. Children’s laughter
3. Catching a glimpse of a shooting star
4. When my niece tells me, “I love you, Kellie. You’re my best friend.”
5. The permeating smell of baking chocolate chip cookies
6. Seeing the decrease in the numbers on my bathroom scale
7. Getting lost while driving, and accidently finding a more scenic route in the process (and then figuring out where I am, of course)
8. Skipping rocks on a summer pond
9. Whistling at my horse and have her come running up to see me (even though I know she just wants sweet feed)
10. Crying at a movie’s happy ending
11. Feeling overwhelmed with emotion at a friend’s wedding when the groom gets to kiss his new wife for the first time
12. 80s music – especially cheesy, old-school 80s music (and love ballads, and classic rock, and…)
13. When my dogs jump all over my legs, tails wagging, because they’ve missed me all day long
14. A smile from a stranger
15. The lingering embrace from a family member/friend when I haven’t seen them in a long time
16. Dancing in the living room with my dad
17. The way my parents still look at each other, even after 40 years of marriage
18. Singing along with a great song on the radio, windows rolled down, wind whipping through the car
19. Sitting on the front porch on a nice evening, listening to the cicadas and the gentle breeze
20. Bowing my head, taking my family’s hands and giving thanks at dinner, with the tiny voice of my niece chiming in amidst all of us
21. Finding a great pair of shoes – on sale!
22. Laughing until my stomach hurts
23. Jogging a little further than I was able to the week before
24. Finishing a good book, and wishing it hadn’t ended
25. Reflecting on a deep, meaningful life experience that made me stronger
26. Sharing an inside joke, movie quote, or eye-rolling moment with my sister
27. Winning the lottery (okay, this has never happened to me, but it would sure make me smile)
28. Doing something – anything – that makes me feel like a kid at heart
29. Knowing I have my family’s unconditional love and encouragement
30. Knowing wherever I go, or whatever I face, God is both in front of and behind me
Well, there you have it. Just a few of the things that make me smile. I bid you all adieu for the afternoon. More tomorrow. I hope you find plenty of things to smile about on this beautiful Thursday, too.
Peace out, dudes!
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