Post Thanksgiving Weekend

We had a nice day on Thursday.  Everyone came.  Everyone ate.  And everyone seemed to get along.  I call that a win.

Friday The Husband and I boarded Trax and headed downtown.  I needed to pick something up.  And neither one of us felt like fighting traffic and battling for parking.  So for $5 total we took a round trip on Trax and it was way more peaceful.  I wore the wrong shoes, we did quite a bit of walking and came home with a couple good blisters (but really, are blisters ever good?) on my heels.  I enjoyed our time together.

Finally realized late on Saturday that my tradition is to put up the Christmas tree and our few decorations the day after Thanksgiving and I totally forgot.  Maybe it'll happen some time this week. Felt kind of dumb for not even thinking (or really caring) about it.

I had a conversation with someone the other day.  About those who are late.  He voiced an opinion that resonated with me.  And while on some subconscious level I've known what he said is true, it wasn't until it was verbalized that I recognized it.  And it stung.  He said that when people are late, they are letting you know how little they respect you.  How little they care. The reason it stung is because there it is: concrete proof that someone doesn't really care, they are consistently late for any invitation I extend. I've got to let that hurt go.

And yesterday in Relief Society we were discussing Elder Holland's talk from conference "Songs Sung and Unsung".  I remember listening to that talk and having my heart touched, as most things to do with music are wont to do. He starts his message quoting the words to "There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today".  There were some good contributions to the discussion from the sisters.  But the phrase that often stands out to me is this one:  "And Jesus listening can hear, the songs I cannot sing".  I love that image, that He can hear the joy/ache/pain/anguish/happiness in my heart that at times can only be held inside.  I've been singing that verse in my mind over and over.

I spent my walk this morning mentally oohing and aahing over the stunningly beautiful skies.  We'd a storm front coming in, it was super blustery (it's now raining, yay for us, we need the moisture) and the colors on the clouds were jawdropping.  Even The Husband texted me a message:  WOW! I took like twelve pictures, had to remove one from this post - it was so windy out the picture turned out blurry but I couldn't tell until I had it here on the computer.

I'm grateful today that Thanksgiving is less stressful for me now that I've been doing a Thanksgiving Breakfast Feast.  The kids are accommodating enough to come (frees up the rest of their day to do what they really want to do) and I can get my fussing stressing over in the morning.  I'm grateful for grandchildren who act like they want to be around us, including the two year old who actually laughed a little when we took him for a ride on the driveway in the big yellow mop bucket. (It was 71 degrees on Thanksgiving - lovely day out but kind of scary because it's supposed to be snowy and cold here by the end of November!)

I'm grateful for those sisters who sign up to take meals to others and don't hesitate to sign up again and again when there's a need.  I'm grateful for laughter, for a few small Christmas gift ideas, for a reliable comfortable car and for hot chocolate.  I'm grateful when we're invited to see family members sharing their musical talents, that we're included somehow. I'm grateful for lunch out this week to look forward to.  And for beautiful morning skies.