Quick Thoughts

On elbow surgery: I don't recommend it. Last Monday, I had the more conservative of two choices of elbow surgeries. I made the decision after googling images for "lateral ligament elbow repair surgery" and "arthroscopy to remove foreign bodies from elbow joints." Those were the choices the doctor gave me. If a picture is worth a thousand words, you can see why I chose the more conservative surgery without any more explanation than that. The list of side effects were just an added incentive to go lean.
However, the side effects should have mentioned "A feeling like that of being run down by a Mack truck. Twice.," and "Excessive sleepiness following anesthesia--Oh, of about 16 hours a day," and "General, pervasive mood of 'Leave me alone' and 'I can do it myself' followed by, 'I'm so sorry. Will you please buckle me in, put the toothpaste on my toothbrush, help me put my hair in a ponytail....'" It's been such a frustrating week, despite the fact that Eric has been the perfect nurse. I just don't want to get old. We take so much for granted, health-wise. Anyway, I'm back to work tomorrow, but not sure how that will look. We'll see. The doctor says I'm improving. I just want to straighten my arm again...

On Ben: Ben keeps asking if he can say certain questionable phrases. He is dying to develop a potty mouth, I'm afraid. Like, if he's mad, he'll say, "Mom, am I allowed to say 'Oh, darn it?'" Today it was, "Mom, can I pwease say 'Shut your pie hole?'" We have agreed that he can say, "Oh, shoot." or "Dag nab it." Sometimes he says, "Holy cow!" and grins like he's gotten away with something. Today he called Kaela a "freakazoid" and then said, "What? Mom never said I couldn't say that!" His creativity is astounding, and I hope one day he uses it for something good....

On Gratitude: I am so thankful this year during this season of Thanksgiving. For answered prayers within my family. For my new niece who was born Thanksgiving night, and the fact that my brother was there to witness it. For my daughter and my sister both accepting Christ this year. For my friends who have found a church to settle into, and for the Lord's leading other friends in His perfect timing. For book club, and Glee night, and friends who are cheaper than therapy, and the most amazing students who are motivated and work so hard, and favor at work, and a warm home, and overall good health, and good health insurance, and just ....So. Very. Much. My brother Pete and I spent most of the day Friday together, working out the "B--- Family Plan for Paying It Forward in 12 Easy Steps" or whatever....
Just reflecting on where we've been, and where we pray our lives will take us....Because if our blessings stop here, then we've missed the whole entire point.

That's all. I realize this isn't very coherent. I would blame the narcotics, but I'm just taking them now....
Instead, I'll blame laziness with editing and the fact that my children are getting all pruny in the bathtub, and it's time to get them dried off and read to before they're tucked in to sleep before beginning a busy week.

I hope you each had an amazing, restorative Thanksgiving, and remembered this: (stolen from a friend's Facebook wall.....)
"Many suggest an attitude of generic thanksgiving and gratitude during this Thanksgiving season. BUT...... . . because every good thing we have has come to us from God (James 1.17; 1 Corinthians 4.7), and because any good thing we have is INFINITELY better than what we genuinely deserve (Jeremiah 17.9; Lamentations 3.22 [KJV]; Ecclesiastes 7.20; 1 Kings 8.46; James 4.17), any thanks that we give must FIRST be rendered to the God of the universe who has given us any reason at all to be grateful. Today, make HIS praise glorious (Psalm 66.2; 115.1)!"
Amen.