The Silver Lining

It has been a rough week at our house...oh wait, every week is a rough week, I forgot that for a minute. But isn't that the trick to life? Looking for the silver lining, opening our eyes wide enough to see the beauty that sits plainly in front of our faces if we'll just SEE it. Sounds easy enough to say, but let's face it, the reality is sometimes all you really want to do is squeeze your eyes shut so tight it gives you a headache, put your head under a pillow, stick your fingers in your ears and start singing "la la la la la la I can't hear you la la la la". Amidst all the chaos this week here are the top ten silver linings that jumped out at me.

10. No more school!!! I get to have Erika home!!!!
9. Walking out onto a clean porch (you have no idea!)
8. Having the opportunity to say "thank you" to three people who truly deserve it.
7. Laughing until my face hurt with a friend.
6. Sitting in the living room showing Erika how to play the guitar and making up silly songs ("E for Erika, G for girl, D for dimwitted...no you're not, A for allstar...you're that a lot")
5. Kail whispering to me as I leave his bedside "Mama? Sweet dreams."
4. Standing on the back porch witnessing a glimpse of heaven...sunlight shimmering and sparkling and transforming a wall of rain drenched leaves into something...well, words just fail.
3. Witnessing a wedding and remembering my own.
2. Holding a friend's hand when she needed a hand the most.
1. Hearing the sounds of three little angels laughing while I watched them play in the rain.

The hardest part? Narrowing it down to ten. I am blessed. What about you?

A Day In The Life of "I've ABSOLUTELY Lost My Mind"

Picture this...Me. Standing outside of Marshalls patting my butt over and over and over again trying to convince myself that if I pat it one more time my keys will magically reappear in my back pockets. I wonder what those people in the parking lot were thinking...hmmmmm. Grab Jackson's hand and walk back into store...
(Me to the lady that just checked me out)..."I've lost my keys in the store. If anyone finds and brings a set up here they are mine."
(The nice checkout lady)..."Oh dear. Go retrace your steps and see if you can find them."
(The gentleman at the checkout counter gracious enough not to bust out laughing)..."They wouldn't be the ones hanging out of your front pocket there would they?"
I look down and lo and behold...
(Me to the kind gentleman who has still managed to refrain from laughing)..."Yup, those would be the ones."
He actually waited until I was back outside the store before hee-hawing. I didn't.