A Wonderful Day

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope you all had a great day.  I sure did, and hardly anything went as I had planned it!  Yesterday I wound up having to work a twelve hour shift, this after being at school till almost ten the night before.  By the time I got home and ate and took a shower, all of my plans of making homemade cranberry sauce and pies etc.,  fell to the wayside.  I woke up on my bed at midnight with my hair in a towel, and me on top of the covers.  I hate when I do that.  So, this AM I had so much to get ready and I figured there was no way that I would be able to make the annual morning Thanksgiving speaker meeting.  I knew who the speaker was and I wanted to hear her message really bad.  Oh, well, maybe another time!  I looked at my cell phone and at 5:30 AM someone had sent me a text asking me to take them to the meeting.  I sent a text back, "Pick you up at nine."

I made dressing, cranberry sauce, scalloped corn and got the turkey in the oven.  We made it just in time, unfortunately, I could not remember where the hall was, and drove around for a good twenty minutes looking for the place.  UGH!!!  But we made it and found seats!

We sat down and I looked around the room.  As soon as the lady stood up to speak, the tears started.  I don't know if it was all because of her message or because my life has been so darn busy and I looked around that room of probably over two- hundred people and I knew almost every one of them, and I missed those folks!  This was my family, right here!  The lady speaker immediately introduced herself as a recovered alcoholic and went on to explain very precisely why she is recovered and not recovering.  Hmmm, seems I heard this somewhere else this week and could not quite wrap my head around it.  she explained it and I understand it now.   I love it when I hear the same thing twice in one week.(thank you God)
So I get home and finish up a few things. I am relaxed.  I am not worried.  I am not concerned that all will not be perfect.  I am not concerned that it will not be enough.   Sister in law and family arrives and I am happy to have her help.  Now that folks is a miracle!  The last time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner I told her very matter of factly, to get the "F" out my kitchen.  Today  I welcomed her assistance and knew that however she chose to do things would be just fine!  My eighty-four year old, Slovak mother in law showed up and covered my face in kisses, thanking me over and over for making dinner today.  There were tears in her eyes.  After dinner I made some coffee and went in the living room and lie down for a moment.  Actually my husband had everyone captivated with a story I had heard about a hundred times, so I just exited stage left for a moment and enjoyed a cup of coffee and some "Uncle Buck."  I love that movie!!!!  When they noticed I was not at the table anymore, sister in law and hubby insisted that I stay right where I was so they could clean everything up.  I let them do that for me.  A little bit later, my sis in law comes out and asks me if I would like a neck rub!  I am not kidding!  Meanwhile everyone is telling me how great dinner was and thanks for doing all the work etc. It was the easiest ever!  And I did have lots of help!  This morning after I got my turkey in the roaster and started something else, I said whoops!  And I went back,opened the lid and whispered, "Love" into the roaster.   Pretty silly, huh?  That was the best turkey I have ever roasted, ever!  I know this probably seems like a long boring blow by blow of my day, but the reason I had to include all of these details is because I felt so much love from my husbands family today and it is not because it has never been there before, it is because I just could not or would not allow myself to feel it.  nToday I did, and it felt really good.  I also allowed people to help me like I have never let people help me before.  It felt so good to just let go of everything this morning with God's help of course.  And it all turned just wonderful. Actually this is not a complete blow by blow, there were many, many other blessings in this day today. Like my two nieces who have grown up to be smart, beautiful young women. Who gave me huge hugs and kisses and told me me they love me. I have never done anything to deserve that. I am so grateful!

I took a wonderful nap, and woke up in time to go to a Thursday night meeting that I think saved my life four years ago on Thanksgiving.  I had thirty two days sober.  My sponsor had stood me up for the same meeting that I had attended this morning  No one was answering their phone that night.  I drove to an out of town meeting that I thought for sure would be open.  No one was there.  I headed back home and was seriously thinking about getting drunk.  I had the perfect excuse too, with the whole sponsor thing.  I had sat on bunch of resentments all day.  I took one last chance on a church very close to my house.  I had been there on a couple of other nights.  The lights were on.  They were having a meeting.  Everyone told what they were grateful for that night.  My list was very short.  I was grateful for God, AA and for the meeting that I found that night.  Tonight a few of those folks were there that had been there the night I showed up all a mess.  There were some that I never saw before too, that needed that meeting tonight like I needed it four years ago. I was so glad I was there. I am so grateful for my life today.  Thank You God!
Thanks for listening!

PS-jENN gave me an awesome award, and I have to write seven things about me that you do not know, and pass it on. I hope to do that this weekend! Meantime, thanks jENN!! I love you!

Sunday Night

Just a quick post to catch up on some stuff.

•   Still not feeling very well.  No fever, but still sore throat and very, very tired. 
• Worked four ten hour shifts this week (normal) so I had  a three day weekend.  Friday I slept all day.
• I cannot for the life of me remember one thing I did yesterday.(?)
• OK, walked dog, got a pizza, that's all I recollect.
• Having hubby's family over for Thanksgiving this year.  I think this will be my first sober Thanksgiving, cooking for everyone.  Cool.
• Tomorrow night is homegroup.  I hope I feel up to it.
• I have to make coffee Friday night.  She almost made it, I was so optimistic that this would be the month someone was able to fulfill their entire month long coffee making commitment.
• I was able to be there for a sponsee this weekend in a time of need.  We texted each other until the wee hours last night.  Today all is well.
• Despite my not feeling well, I am not in a morass of self pity(yet).  I am feeling very grateful, and my hubby is helping me out.
• Besides the Brenda Vacarro voice and being really tired, I'm not that bad.
• I date myself with the Brenda Vacarro comment!
• NASCAR is over, my NFL team is officially the worst in the league.  Bring on the holidays I guess.
  
• This has to be the most boring post ever!
• Oh, thanks to Tall Kay for the award, how sweet!  Thanks for thinking of me, I am honored!
• I would like to pass it on to my friend jENN, she is feeling a bit down today.  Hang in there sis, you are loved and thought about over here in Ohio.