Gladitude

Happy first week of August, everyone. I'm full o' the gladdies today:

10. I am ever so glad that I've finished watching the movie Hook. How Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Maggie Smith, and Steven Spielberg could have all touched this movie and s.t.i.l.l. have it reek is beyond me. Maybe too much greatness collided or something...We're scraping the barrel's bottom for good, clean, fun, family movies. The kids didn't think it was horrid, so that's also something for which to be mighty glad.

9. Are y'all (look at me using "y'all" like I can) tired of hearing about the heat in the NW? That we broke all records known to man? Me too. I will readily admit that I have become an extreme weather wimp, whose bodily homeostasis is that of a salamander or banana slug. How veddy, veddy glad am I that the temp no longer reads this in my car:

And that we are some of the 13% of Seattle area folks with a/c.

8. Most certainly and effervescently glad for our new downstairs toilet. Woo hoo. In place of our often-takes-2-flushes, water hogging, inefficient monstrocity, we now have a "biscuit" colored commode, complete with low water usage flushing and slow closing lid/seat. Can I get a witness? And though the running up the stairs was good for us all, it's so nice to be able to run straight in from the garage and "call" it first.

7. Glad for our message at church, discussing Luke 9:37-45. Perhaps it was formally addressed to me--not sure. Basically, though, we heard about how Jesus' closest disciples at one point were able cast out demons, and within the space of about a week, they couldn't. Because. of. a. lack. of. faith. They started to believe in themselves and their abilities, rather than His strength in their weakness. Hello, Drifters. Except, I can't cast stones to John-Boy and the rest. Because you could really substitute my name in for his or Peter's, or any of the disciples. I have the book which tells how the story ends, but unless i'm in it d.a.i.l.y., I drift. I don't lurve that this spoke to my heart, yet, I'm glad God loves me and meets me where I am.

6. Glad for Espresso Chocolate Chunk gelato at The Spotted Cow. Oh, mooooo, baby.

5. Glad for my most excellent jogging partner. I have to say, I'm not at the level of accountability that I would get my hiney out there all alone. It's still too much of a grind for me, despite the fact that the longest we jog (so far, we're still in training) is 20 minutes. What a great lesson in humility when faced with those who CAN run, do triathalons, marathons, and even those who RUN, rather than JOG in 5Ks. I cannot fathom the level of fitness those folks possess.

4. Glad that Big is coming home tomorrow night. He was gone for most of the weekend, which bites, because we actually enjoy family togetherness on Saturdays and Sundays. Ah, well. At least he doesn't have to go to China for a bit. Glad he and I had a little lunch date on Friday to give us a little time together before he left.

3. Glad my girly is back from camp. She had a ball, and didn't get sunburned. Woo hoo. "Mom, did you know it was 113 degrees on Wednesday?" Yes, the weather was all the talk down at camp, too. Thank the Lord for jetskis. The boy gets to go this weekend to his youth camp. Big step, as it's not 90 minutes away like J's. His is over the mtns. Thrilled that he gets to go, and will pray that no rattlesnake bites him.

2. Glad my girly-girl-back-from-camp is finished hurling. Yes, she brought more than her dirty clothes home for us to enjoy. Glad that her father wasn't alone with her at the moment she blew, for he was utterly useless stunned, like a deer in the headlights. This man has many attributes for which I am glad. However, handling sick children is not one of them. Apparently his adrenaline rush paralyzes his thoughts and actions. It's okay. I'm a doer, and it's a good thing that I love puke. This story will end, and it has a great ending--arent you gladdy? Tonight, J. is fever free and feeling good. And the rest of us knock on wood are feeling groovy.

1. Sa-glad. Sa-glad= sad + glad. Very glad that I'll be meeting some amazing women this week. In fact, though some of them have met in real life before, I have yet to MIRL them all. It will be sweet and full, I'm sure, and I'm promising myself to beat the performance anxiety/first date jitters out of myself by early Thursday. I'm sad, though about those who won't be able to join, despite right reasons not to. Know that the courage to invite people from my computer into my life comes from you, too. As someone dear said last night--let this just be the first visit.