Playful cows, skid marks, and other musings of gratitude

Playful Cows  

Have you ever seen cows playing?  For YEARS I have driven by pastures of cows.  All I see them doing is sitting or standing in the grass or grazing.  NEVER have I seen two cows PLAYING, but that’s exactly what I saw yesterday traveling down I-2o.  It was almost enough to make me stop and take a photo.  Two blonde cows frolicking together in the field, while of course, the other cows did what cows normally do.  I wonder what the others thought of them?  Those playful cows gave me hope.  Yes, two playful cows indeed gave me hope.  Hope that I, too, could be playful.  That is not my normal response to life.  Oh, I laugh easily and usually loudly.  My ability to laugh gets me through many things (I probably need to practice it more with my toddler).  However, I can’t say that I’m playful. But I would like to be.  I know my son was surprised several nights ago when he was jumping on our bed and hit me with a pillow – I grabbed one and hit him back, and thus ensued an old fashioned pillow fight!  Yes, it was quite fun.  It’s always fun to see my child delighted by something, and a double blessing if it’s me! So yes, I’m grateful for two playful cows that gave me hope that I could become more playful.

Skid Marks 

As I was traveling along I-20 I noticed some major skid marks.  I’ve been curious about skid marks for a long time.  Especially those you see on the concrete barriers.  Just how did that happen?  Not that I want to try to experiment or anything.  They reminded me that I indeed had my own set of skid marks.  I don’t know if they are still there or not.  In 2001 I was in a construction zone and a flat-bed knocked me off the road.  My car went off into a grassy area then went across an exit ramp from I-20.  I don’t know if I finally gained control (HA!) of the car or if it just came to a stop in another grassy area.  Because the of the construction, the exit ramp was closed.  I think all my tires were blown out.  And by all accounts – eyewitnesses, the DPS Trooper, my husband (a police officer where my wreck occured), and those folks who tell your insurance company if the car is totaled (indeed, it was) – my car should have flipped.   Most unpleasant was that my Mother-in-law was in the car; I was bringing her home from the hospital ER because she and my Father-in-law had been involved in a wreck in an adjacent town.  Her arm was in a sling and I think she may have had some cracked ribs from that wreck.  Neither of us were harmed in this accident.  I still get a little “hinked up” driving by 18-wheelers or flat-bed trailers.  I see their wheels and am reminded of the photo of my car  chewed up by it.  However, I’m grateful – my Mother-in-law and I were able to walk away from our skid marks, and for this, I am grateful to God. 

And Other Musings 

So I was traveling with my Sawyer these past two days from my home in East Texas to The Colony to stay with friends and then to Fort Worth for a graduation ceremony.  I’m grateful for my dear friends in The Colony – what a joy to see them and to love on their new baby and they were able to love on ours.  Their daughter or son is always so gracious to give up their room when our family comes to visit.  I’m grateful for Mapsco that gives me directions from A to B.  For the ease of traveling down 121 and for the nice police officer in Fort Worth that pointed me in the right direction of the church I was to be at (I had not put in the address, just the location…).  I’m grateful to have seen some dear friends of mine from Forth Worth that now live in Alabama.  What a beautiful time spent with their family and celebrating their youngest daughter’s graduation from seminary.  It was so peaceful and relaxing.  I’m grateful for my husband who let me go off and for my mom who kept Sammy.  My Sawyer was the perfect travel companion and it was sweet to be with him.  He was the perfect gentleman throughout the graduation ceremony – cooing at me during the President’s convocation, sleeping during the presenting of the degrees and a beautiful “Amen” in his own way after the singing of “It is Well with My Soul.”  And that leads to my my ultimate gratitude – to Jesus Christ who died for my sins so that I could be with Him for eternity if I accepted Him as my Savior.  I’m grateful for the grace given to me to believe.  For indeed, it is well with my soul. 

Popcorn and Peanut Butter sandwiches

I always awaken hoping to get certain things accomplished.  Monday used to be my day for cleaning house, but this has not been the case since about 6 months into my last pregnancy and 11 weeks to date since Sawyer’s birth.  After getting the kids and myself fed, it’s time for diaper changes and eventually a nap for Sawyer.   Sammy keeps asking me to play race track with him and that it’s snack time. 

I manage to hand write a note of gratitude to my dear friend whose ministry to women has impacted my life in many wonderful ways.  She was honored yesterday for her 10 years of ministry but I was not able to attend.  I was grateful to get this accomplished between getting an infant to nap and my toddler wanting this or that from me, including getting a dead bug out the front door (I don’t know where he found it….).  My note to my friend wasn’t exactly what I had intended to write, or maybe some of it was, but it’s hard to write when your thoughts are constantly being interrupted! 

We were in Target on Saturday and I found out my Sammy likes popcorn; they sometimes have it for snack at his MDO school.  So today I popped some microwave popcorn for snack (his leftover’s from Saturday were rather stale).  He thought this was great and we enjoyed some ginger ale with it (this seems to appease both of our desire for a fizzy drink without the caffeine).  I had promised him I’d play race track after snack time – anytime I’m on the floor with him seems to make him  happy!  Which makes me happy!  We had peanut butter sandwiches for lunch today – enjoyed by us both for it’s simplicity!  I had offered Batman soup which I expected him to choose, but he wanted PB&J. 

Today I did manage to get the kitchen floor swept, a load of towels and sheets folded and a load washed, along with the usual bed making and dish washing.  Nothing extraordinary.  However, I did manage to spend some time looking into my sweet infants eyes and talking with him, and Sammy also enjoyed some time with his brother.  Sawyer lights up when Sammy’s around and loves the attention he gets from him.  It’s such a delight to see.   I also checked on our dear neighbor, Nanny Bibb and spent some time talking with my Mom on the phone.  I was thankful for my DH Tony grilling my spicy chicken and he and I managed to spend time visiting tonight after the kids went to bed. 

I want to continue to remember that my agenda is not what’s most important, but that loving on my family in various ways is my highest calling.  And that time with them should not be hurried, but rather unhurried and given my full attention.  I’m grateful for what my Heavenly Father is teaching me during this season of my life and that He is not in a hurry for me to get it right! 

A sense of peace

This afternoon my DH and I, along with our 11 week old son, Sawyer, went over to his parents house to visit with them and pick up our oldest son Samuel from an afternoon visit.  My DH parents are deaf and they have recently had a video TTY installed – very neat!  Memaw enjoyed holding on to our baby while I took Sammy for a walk through an adjacent field.  It was a lovely stroll with my nearly 3 year old as we enjoyed the wild flowers, butterflies and bees.  The curiosity of a toddler makes life more interesting and perhaps allows us to enjoy things we might pass over because of our familiarity.  I was at peace this afternoon enjoying some leisure time.  I had  hoped to be at a reception honoring a dear friends 10 years of service, but it was apparent that I needed to be with family and not drop by and rush off.