Blessing #26 - Surprise Endings

Nobody in this house saw this year's America's Got Talent turning out quite the way it did.  Mom was pulling more for Prince Poppycock, Dad was expecting Jackie Evancho to walk away with everything, and I, well, I was torn between the two.  None of us were right as the exceptionally talented but better suited to American Idol Michael Grimm walked away with the million dollar prize and the support of millions.  I guess some times it is best to put your money on the underdog, and Michael has walked a rough enough road to be an inspirational story.  Congratulations, Michael. 

Blessing #25 - Busy Days

Today I officially started working at a local law firm here in Ottumwa.  I was pleased to find that I really enjoyed my shift, and, from what I saw today, I'm really going to enjoy this part of my adventure.
After getting off of job #1 (law office), I walked over to the dollar store, bought some hair ties, and then went on to job #2 (Canteen).  My shift there was a blast even though I couldn't seem to get my mouth to work right at all.  Brenda actually smacked me trying to knock some sense back into my head.
So from the time I woke up at 7 AM I was running on all cylinders until I got off at 7 PM.  I guess time really does fly when you are having fun.

Blessing #24 - The Night Before Nerves

It's official - I can't sleep.  My mind is going about 40,000 miles a minute because I'm so amped about tomorrow.  I love new adventures and that includes the jittery crazy nerves of the night before a life change.  Lookout world.  Here I come.  :-)

Blessing #23 - Songs That Put A Smile On Your Face

I had a really blah kind of day, so I had a really hard time trying to find something to write about today.  I decided to hop onto YouTube and find some songs that would put the spring back in my step.  That's when it hit me.  The biggest blessing of my day has been the healing power of music; more precisely cheesy pop songs.

Blessing #22 - Giggle Fits

A Korean War veteran told me today that "giggling girls live the longest."  He said this of course after saying a bunch of goofy, joyful things to get me giggling in the first place.  Thank you to my giggle godfather for my moment of Zen today.

Blessing #21 - The Kindness of Strangers

Today at work, I saw something that really touched me.  A couple of teenage girls came in to the Canteen.  Apparently one of the girls had lived here her entire life and never had been to the Canteen, so her friend used the last of her allowance to treat her friend.  Unfortunately she only had enough money for the pair to split a sandwich.  This did not go unnoticed by a adult patron a few stools down.  As the girls finished their sandwich, the patron, a stranger to both girls, put another sandwich for the pair on her tab, settled up at the cashier, and left.

Occasionally I get to witness people behaving in a way that makes me forget about all the petty backbiting that seems the norm.  I felt very blessed to witness this random act of kindness today. 

Blessing #20 - Thank You for Smoking

Today the family all gathered together to watch the 2006 movie "Thank You for Smoking." It was a rare moment of real, unaffected togetherness for a group that is constantly spat and spit as families are wont to do. As we have all settled into the new reality of living together again and in light of the struggles all of us have faced over the past couple years, it has been harder and harder to find those moments where everything seems ok. Laughing with my family over this tongue in cheek story is exactly the kind of thing I have missed for so long.