Gladitude Monday

Howdy, howdy, howdy! Hey y'all, and hi!

Top o' the mornin' to ya.

I'll be busy taking planes, trains, and automobiles over the river and thru the high altitude to parents'-in-law I go this afternoon, so I'm using the handy autopost.

I used to scoff at all my midwestern family members who hacked and wheezed and wheezed some more when they would come visit us thin-blooded mtn types, living nearly a mile high in altitude. Then, I scoffed some more the higher we moved. Let me just say, I won't have those midwesterners to kick around anymore, as I re-acclimate from 300ft above sea level to over 6,000 feet. God has a mighty funny sense of humor.

Anyhoo...Here's the Gladitude 10...

10. Glad that we got screeeeeamin' deals on tickets so that we could sup in the homeland with lurved ones.

9. Glad snow is not in the forecast for said trip. Friday's flight home might be dicey, but I can assure you that we in our little plane seats, with seatbelts securely fastened, will be more safe than early morning shoppers at Walmart.

8. Glad for the Body of Christ, both in my own local church and in the world. There's some really rough $h!t going on for a great many people right now, not only because of the economy, but all manner of personal little hells which aren't necessarily revealed upon first handshake. How very grateful I am for folks with which to pray, to lean on, and for receiving the lean every now and then. How grateful I am that I can not only ask others to pray freely for me, but that they can and do ask for my prayers, as well. What power and joy in lifting others up to God! Even if joy comes in the midst of pain and tears...Jesus bring the rain.

7. Glad that my pantry is barren when it comes to nummy sweet treats for desserts. No cookies. No fun food. I suppose I'm glad in a very grown up way, though. Not with my usual perky gladnessiosity. I guess gladness comes in more than one form.

6. Glad for a coffee date with one of my favorite moms on last Friday. Our kids are now at 3 different schools, but we're trying to commit to a monthly or every 6 weekish coffee together. Oy, but we need our girlfriends. She's one with whom i did a swap last year (2, actually). I made a quilt for her, and she made a painting for me. Voila! Bartering is alive and well.

5. Glad to see our church decorated all festiv-y and stuff. As Drama Girl and I were at an all day rehearsal for our play on Saturday, we noticed no fewer than a million people raking leaves, patching paint, and generally, just giving the old girl an overhaul before Advent.

4. I'm so dearly glad that the weeds/grass are now finally deciding to slow their growth for winter. Now, it's moss the rainy season. I hope we get snow at least once. Oh, there i go again...talking about the weather. boooring.!

3. Glad I finished my baby quilt! Yay! I probably bit off a little more than I wanted to chew, but I think it's pretty cute. I dearly hope they'll be happy with it.

2. Glad for a little levity: Another Big story. Big was shopping in Shanghai when a sales person said, "Ah, You an American...like beer!" and proceded to pat Big's tummy. Poor guy had to admit to just liking American food, instead. And Pepsi. Kinda like those days when I wore empire waisted jumpers...Yeah, about after the 3rd time you hear, "when are you due?", and have to respond with..."Huh? Oh, no...I'm just fat."...as you skulk away, trying to smile...it's time to burn that jumper and buy a belt.

1. Glad for Thanksgiving this week. I'm so thankful for my husband, I think I'll focus on him. Beer belly and all, he's loving, puts up with me, provides well, puts up with me, supports the kids and me in church, and one day i know he'll go. Puts up with me. And, one of my favorite things? He never complains about what I serve for dinner. Seriously. This makes my heart so glad because I'm often a very non-motivated cook at 5 p.m., whether I have meal-planned or not. It's so nice for at least one person in the family to look forward to my viddles and eat them with if not pleasure, no grimaces.

Sending you love, my bloggy peeps, for you all make me glad. SDG!!!