HOLD UP!!! WAIT A MINUTE!!!

Let me stop this countdown for a minute!  I need to apologize for getting all the way down to the single digits, and dropping the ball.  Since last Thursday, I have been going nonstop...cooking a big Sunday dinner for the family, including my in-laws...and then crashing; driving to and from Mississippi in a day...and then crashing; while on the MS trip, made plans for dinner and a movie with friends...did that...then crashed.
Read more below and see photo...

Thank God I only had to work two days this week before finally getting some rest and relaxation - well, sort of.  I thought since I'm over a week behind in the countdown, I would finish it up with a mini countdown post of the things I've been thankful for this week:

#9 Thankful For a Little QT With Lil' Sis

Last Thursday, Lon and I both happened to be off work.  We thought it would be a great idea to go pick up my niece's car.  She had gotten into an accident about two months prior, and her car was totaled.  My little sister, Melissa, found her another car similar to the one she lost.  My niece, Niky, was in love with her 1998 Honda Accord.  It was her first car that she paid for in cash...with a very generous donation from Uncle Zermon, of course. Melissa used the insurance money to find her an even better Honda Accord.  Lon drove it back to Florida while I drove alone in our car.  It was the longest trip I've ever taken.

We got to spend about two good hours with Melissa.  She took her BIL to buy a cigar for his ride back.  All I needed was a good meal to energize me for at least...an hour.  Sorry, I'm greedy and I eat a lot.  The key to staying thin: eat small meals every two hours.  Good stuff, though.  No junk!

Anyway, I have a few things to be thankful for on #9 of the countdown:

• I'm thankful for a safe trip to Hattiesburg, MS and back in 14 hours with no sleep.

• I'm thankful for Niky getting her ride back, which means we get our second car back.  :-) 
• I'm thankful for God's protection every time Niky gets behind the wheel of her new ride with my grand niece in tow. 
• Most of all, I'm thankful for a little quality time with my baby sister, whom I love dearly.  I would post a picture, but she would never speak to me again. 

 I must mention that we ate at Melissa's favorite restaurants in Hattiesburg.  You know I love plugging good eateries! :-)  If you're ever in Hattiesburg, which is about 2 hours from the coast of Mississippi; check out Chesterfield's.  The catfish is the bomb!  Probably Delta Pride.  :-)

Melissa is the other half of the brilliant little brother -sister duo.  Once she and Zermon put their minds to something for their family, it's a wrap.  They will not give up until everyone is happy with the outcome.  Love them both so much!

#8 Thankful For Good Food on a "Chili" Day

When it's cold outside, I love to cook my favorite warm and hearty meal - 30 minute skillet chili. We've had a couple of chilly weekends during Jacksonville's wishy, washy Fall season.  When the chill comes, Lon will waste no time opening the windows.  I, on the other hand, head straight for the pantry to break out the ingredients to make a big pot of chilli. It's supposed to be cooked in a skillet, but I've modified the recipe a bit. I'll share it with you later.

Everybody in my house loves it! You can eat it alone in a big bowl or serve it over brown rice like we do around here. Top it with cheese and sour cream, and you've got the best bowl of warm goodness you've ever tasted. So I'm thankful that on a chilly day, we can enjoy a quick and hearty meal. But most of all, I'm thankful that my electric bill also takes...a chill.

#7 I'm Thankful For a Little ME Time

After making that 14-hour trip to Mississippi last Thursday, Lon and I both got up bright and early Friday morning and went to work for 10 hours. Needless to say, Saturday was a lazy day. I stayed in bed until noon, sleeping some and cuddling some...but mostly sleeping (hehehe). Somewhere in my dream state, I decided a pedicure was in order. I had no idea I was in for a full day of pampering.  It started with King bringing me breakfast in bed, complete with coffee and orange juice. (I can't get him to stop making eggs ever since I showed him how to make them a few months ago.)

Master Chef, King, whipping up his delicious eggs.

After my delicious breakfast, I dragged myself out of bed and went to the nail salon.  It was 90 minutes of pure bliss!  As mom, we don’t realize just how worn out our legs and feet can get until the smiling face of a nail tech is at the “foot” of them working a week’s worth of hustle and bustle out of them. Please, moms, learn to let go and take some time for yourself every now and then.  You can't take care of your family if you don't take care of yourself.  That's a lesson I've had to learn over the years.

#6 Thankful For Dinner With Our “New Love” Couple

Number six goes hand in hand with the rest of our weekend.   Our “new love” couple and dear friends, Kim and Joe, invited us over for dinner and a movie Saturday night.  Again, I didn’t have to lift a finger.  We were treated to Zatarain's Dirty Rice, homemade chicken fingers and green salad – SCRUMPTIOUS!   

I refer to Kim and Joe as the “new love” couple because they met about 2 years ago and fell in love immediately.  They are now engaged to be married this coming Spring.  Lon is always hating on Joe because he’s doing all the things a man does when he’s courting a woman: opening doors, buying chocolate covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day, and being attentive to her every need. 

I must say Lon still opens doors for me, even if it’s just leaving the grocery store; but I think he gets a kick out harassing Joe for his chivalrous deeds.

Kim & Joe

Chivalry goes a long way in keeping a marriage going strong, and the most chivalrous man of them all made sure everything worked out for me that weekend.  I know we’ve all heard someone say “Lord knows I needed it.”  Well, it’s true.  God does know when we need just a little time to ourselves.  

He made sure that from breakfast to dinner all obstacles were out of my way so that I could have a carefree day.   The kids didn't bother me or need to rush off to some place bright and early, which is usually the case on Saturday mornings.  I even had a few extra pennies in the jar for an impromptu pedicure. 

So I’m thankful for a little me time, complete with pink polish and a chick flick.  But most of all, I’m thankful to God for knowing what I need when I need it.

#5 Thankful For Confirmation of God’s Word

Sunday morning, I awoke earlier than normal.  It was after midnight when we made it home. Lon and I just knew it would be a struggle to get up for church later that morning.  Much to my surprise, I was wide awake at 7:30 a.m., which almost never happens.  I took it as a sign to get my butt up and go to church.  

Out of habit,  I walk through the house to check everything out and check on Austin and King.  I love when it’s quiet in the house.  Sometimes, I’ll just stand in the hallway near the kid’s room and bask in the serenity.  The kids and their dad were sleeping so peacefully that it suckered me into leaving them at home. 


I’m glad I went church.  The message was about fear.  As you know, I had just written about fear for #12 of the countdown.  When you get a chance, read Psalms 46.  The first verse alone will be enough to get you through any problem in life:

God is our refuge and strength.  A very present help in trouble.

For me, it was confirmation that I am moving in the right direction. I don't have to fear anything because I know God is there protecting me and giving strength and courage to endure whatever comes my way.

#4 Thankful For Facebook & Technology

Really funny story.  I was strolling through my Facebook page one day just peeking in on my friends.  I came across one status that caught my eye.  A friend was announcing that she had just purged her friends list, and if those of us remaining were reading her status; then we made the cut. That was amusing enough, but my first reaction was to say "PHEW!"  I was actually surprised that I made the cut. 

Here's why.  I worked with this person for 3 years, and it was a rocky 3 years.  I had seen instances where I could tell there was a really cool person underneath what appeared to be a tough exterior. 

I won't lie.  I was a little intimidated because she did not hold back expressing any feelings!  I know now that it was the nature of the job.  Through Facebook, my suspicions have been confirmed that this person would've been really cool to hang out with outside of work.  So I'm honestly glad I made the cut.

More revelations have come out of Facebook.  I’ve learned that I come from really good stock.  I’ve connected with so many beautiful family members.  Some I haven’t seen in years, and some I’m meeting for the first time through this social networking site. That, in itself, is enough to make me not regret joining the Facebook craze.  Even though I can’t see my family as often as would like, I can still check in on them every now and then.

Then there's the sheer goodness of technology itself.  Through the ever-evolving Internet Super Highway, I'm living my dream of being editor-in-chief of my own publication.  I mean, Diary of a Happy Mom is far from Essence Magazine; but through technological advancements, I'm able to get my blog out there.  (BTW…Diary is just the beginning.)

There's so much more to come, and apparently, much to be thankful for where Facebook and technology is concerned.  I get to share my blog with you, stay connected with family and friends, and be reminded of age-old lessons like not judging a book by its cover.  
 

#3 Thankful for Passion

I love to write.  It’s my passion.  I love the fact that I can take an idea from my head and turn it into something creative on a piece of paper.  Writing to me is as a canvas is to an artist.  An artist may have an idea of what serenity looks like in his or her head.  That picture may transfer onto canvas as a white, sandy beach with clear, blue water rushing onto the shoreline.  Writing works the same way, except the idea is manifest in words instead of a picture.  

I love that the more I write, the more I want to write.  
When I first came up with the idea to do the countdown, I thought it would be difficult to come up with something to be thankful for and write about  everyday for 24 days.  Honestly, not only has it been easy, but I can come up with tons of other things to be thankful for as well.

How do you apply this to your life?  I believe everyone has a God-given talent or something that they are passionate about.  All you have to do is figure out what you’re passion is and start doing it.  My BIL, John, is head basketball coach at a high school in South Florida.  He loves this job ten times more than when he was assistant coach at a community college.  

He recently said that getting up and going to work every day doesn't feel like work.  He said he's getting paid to do what he loves.  To me, that’s true passion.  And sometimes passion means making hard decisions like packing up and leaving the place who've called home your whole life. You do what you have to do - even if it means staying up all night the day before your birthday to finish a blog post.  Just saying...

 Figuring out what you're passionate about may not come easy. For some people, talent or passion comes fully charged.  They don’t have to work at it.  But if you’re one of the many who haven’t quite figured it out yet, it may take a little more time to develop it.  Just remember, the more you do it, the more it will come to you.  But when you finally have your ah-ha moment, don't forget to take a minute to say thank you.
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I'm going to stop here and bring you #2 in a separate post.  It deserves to stand alone....