Gratituesday: The Thanksgiving Edition

I must first say that the blogger who introduced us all to Gratituesday is no longer blogging...due to people beyond her control (read: the over-reaction of a malicious and abusive ex-husband). But maybe she'll swing a turkey leg and raise a glass to her legacy. We are still finding the positive side of a negative situation....particularly on Tuesdays.

#10 Shana's dad was physically run down by a hit-and-run driver this week.
It's reaching to say that there are any positives to this event (we could only call this an accident if the driver had stopped, performed the ABC's of first aid and/or called 911. Apparently he never even tapped the brakes...therefore, so not an accident). But I have been bending God's ear a little more this week. While I usually mutter a breathy "thank you, Jesus" when I skirt through a yellow light or a "Hallelujah" when I receive genuinely good news, I don't generally offer much in the way of prayer requests or gratitude. That changed some this week.

#9 The drive through Atlanta was, as always, an extravaganza of recklessness and idiocy. 
But we survived. And it only further justified my decision to stay put in Georgia for 9 months while I grow a human....whenever that occurs.

#8 I broke the frame on the couch in KY.
This actually happened last spring (hahaha. How ironic. I just put that together.). I sat down a little too enthusiastically and found myself clawing at the arm rest as a piece of the frame completely gave way. I am not what you would call handy or even able to use a hammer without crushing 2-3 metacarpals in the process. So, I left it...thinking I would, at some point, drive across the street to Haverty's and raise holy hell about the inferior product they were hawking to the unsuspecting public. Instead. Neal fixed it today. With power tools and everything. It was drop-dead sexy and a little uncharacteristic. I like what this mustache is doing to him.

#7 Mama Virgo reads the blog.
Which normally falls under "things that make me smile and proud to call her my mother." Except when she calls to demand a retraction. Full disclosure: she did not actually think Debra Winger was the star who played opposite Warren Beatty in the Zelda mystery movie. But she couldn't remember who she had said and neither could I, so I named the oldest actress I could think of...besides Betty White. Eventually, it came to both of us. She thought it was Faye Dunaway. Who is probably not anything like Debra Winger.   

#6 I have been hobbling around like someone missing a toe for about 5 days.
Apparently, when you wear over-the-knee, pole-workin' boots for 8 hours, followed by 6 days of ballet flats and several hours of walking in tennis shoes that you've owned for over 3 years, there is a possibility that you will develop what is called a neuroma. This will make it feel like there are thousands of tiny steak knives stabbing the ball of your foot and then your toes will swell to the size of breakfast sausage. And you will seriously consider carving that bunion right off...with the ass end of a tuna can. Until your husband drags you to the local running shoe store....where they will fit you with shoes and an arch support. Four days later, you will be walking like it never even happened. Three cheers for Brooks shoes. And husbands.

#5 Neal has 50 days off. 
Fifty. 5-0. I have no doubt that this influx of free time is a welcome change from the routine grind of war. But I'm about to put him to work stringing jewelry. My Christmas orders are piling up and he looks like he may need an excuse everyday to stop watching old episodes of Wings.

#4 Handmade items for everyone on your Christmas list is hard work.
Fortunately, I'm almost finished. And if you have still not convinced yourself that Etsy or some other artisan website is the way to go, allow me to share this anecdote. Last week, I purchased 3 items from 3 different shops, knowing that if they shipped immediately, we would not be there to receive the items. So, I convo'd the owners and asked them to hold shipping until our return to Georgia. Not only did they comply, they were thrilled to do so. Etsy or bust for Christmas 2011.

#3 The stairwell light burned out almost a year ago.
When I returned to the townhouse in Kentucky last April, I flipped on the stairwell light, only to be answered with darkness. And I can't lie...my first thought was "fuck. How am I going to change THAT?" So, I left it. And developed a routine of leaving one light on downstairs and one light on upstairs to counteract the darkness in between. Yesterday, Neal went to Lowe's and bought this claw on a telescoping pole that extended up to the ceiling and gripped tightly enough around the light bulb to allow him to twist it off and retract it safely without shattering a flood light on the landing below. And Neal said (literally) let there be light.

#2 We haven't visited with most of our friends in almost a year.
When he's deployed, I put on 10 more hats and lose hours of my day to washing machines that crap out and cats that can't clean their ears effectively. This week, we've eaten all of our meals with friends who have been, I'm sorry to say, neglected over the past 11 months.  Tonight, we had pizza with Wonder Woman in Training, her parents, and our friend who has just been asked to be a Nielsen household. I should have asked her if it was too late to save The Unit. It is not, it seems, too late for Community...so there's that...

#1 Last year was a 95% dark chocolate kind of bittersweet.
I stood behind this turkey head

thinking that this year I would be flying solo. A typical 400-day deployment would mean that his turkey and gravy would be served by a Pakistani contractor in a pair of plastic gloves. But this is no ordinary year. Bring on the turkey toboggan....we have a short deployment to celebrate.

I hope you all have a grateful and gorge-licious Thanksgiving holiday. One more full day of feasting with friends before we head west to the family's main event. And to all of the families who will toast a turkey leg to their deployed servicemember on Skype sometime Thursday or to the ones who have to pray to talk to their loved ones, you are the wind beneath our wings. Keep on keepin' on. We love you...we salute you...and above all....we honor your sacrifice.