Fooled ya!
Actually, I just REALLY need to focus on all the ways that God has blessed me so that I don't lose my mind right now. So maybe you'll join me in chewing on some of the GOOD things in my life right now.
But first, the ever entertaining LICE REPORT with your hostess, Groovy-old-itchy-and-paranoid-lady (it's an old, but honored
Groovy and Silly-Head are making progress in the war against bugdom. Groovy is almost completely nit-free and Silly-Head's ugly count is diminishing daily.
UNfortunately, the Groovies just discovered two big ugly live lice on Girly-Girl last night. Late. So we treated her head and nit combed. Still only two critters and no nits, so hopefully it was caught before the beasts were able to carry out their nefarious schemes on her pretty little head.
Then Mulletman of the VERY long, VERY Thick and VERY curly (as in beautiful ringlets) hair got a wee bit nervous, so Groovy checked his head. He has excema, so it was hard to tell if he had nits, or if he had dandruff. He decided to use the lice treament "just in case". Groovy combed three nits out of his hair and then ran for the scissors. Mm just got a substantial haircut! It was down to the middle of his back, but now it is shoulder length. Groovy was tempted to shave it all off, but she has seen Mulletman's head before, years ago, when he joined the Air Force. It was not a pretty sight!
Mm's head was finally declared "done" around 10 pm last night.
And so, field trip plans for the day have been cancelled so the Groovies can vacuum and wash and nit-pick all day.
In the Little House on the Prarie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Ma had a little saying that she used whenever tragedy struck; "There is no great loss without some small gain." That saying has made a tremendous impact on me.
Accordingly, here are some of the blessing that God has been bringing to my mind:
1. All the stress (lice wars, mom's move, Scout's "issues") have given me a real jump start on weight loss. Even though I joke about turning to chocolate, my stomach has been, in truth, too upset to eat much at all.
2. I have not been constipated. (Stop laughing. If you had crazy, lazy bowels like mine, you'd count that a blessing too!)
3. My house is REALLY clean!
4. We get to share so much quality family time together while we're picking nits.
5. None of us have cancer, MS, heart disease, rickets, bird flu, diabetes, zits, or brain injuries.
6. God still loves me and is in control, even when I feel like things are out of control.
7. I still have my voice and can sing His praises.
8. It's raining this morning so they'll probably cancel the field trip anyway.
9. My girlies are VERY cooperative and helpful and sweet and adorable and wonderful and (sniff) I love them!
10. Mulletman has been terrific - and he has NOT been in a funk (trust me, that's a blessing and a half!)
11. Funsocksgirl is a treasure to me - my bestest friend in the whole world.
12. We found a nice apartment for my mom!
13. Mm doesn't give a hoot about all the ticket changing and money wasted. (See #10)
14. My blogging buddies keep making me laugh and occasionally tear up with their alternating "Eeeeew Gross!" and their sweet words of comfort and consolation.
15. None of this insanity has caused me to lose my internet connection.
16. I have great ideas for a Squidoo lens on Lice!
17. If they have to commit me to a nuthouse, it'll be fine, 'cause I like nuts.
18. I'm saving money on coffee because my mind is already on overdrive all the time.
19. Mm already has a prescription for Xanax, so we didn't have to see a doctor to get some.
20. We have heat and hot water and electricity and all manner of wonderful, much appreciated modern conveniences.
21. By God's grace, we can financially afford to deal with all the stuff we're dealing with.
(Look out, folks. Groovy is on a roll!)
22. The flowers Mm gave me are really pretty and cheerful! (I'd give you a photo here, but the camera is refusing to flash, which is another stressful issue that I'm not going to bring up right now because it might totally derail this whole thankful frame of mind...)
23. Tim Horton's just opened in town. Whee-Haw!!!!
24. My sneakers are amazingly comfortable.
25. I have my OWN washer and dryer and do not have to go to a stinking laundromat!
26. I bought this awesome laundry soap. It costs $19.25 a gallon - Wait, did you faint? I'll get the smelling salts! All better now? OK - Anyway, you only need to use an 1/8 of a cup and it genuinely gets our clothes clean. That means it only costs me 14¢ a load.
27. My keyboard is all happy and clean - no stains, no crumbs, no dust!
28. I have an answering machine, so I don't have to talk to anybody today unless I really want to!
29. The colors in the trees outside are spectacular right now!
30. On non-rainy mornings I get 10 minutes of the absolute coolest rainbows all over my kitchen. This only happens for a few weeks in fall and a few weeks in spring when the angle of the sun is just right for hitting the prism hanging in my window.
31. Both our cars are running.
32. My plane ticket is for Portland instead of Boston, so we won't have a 3 hour drive to get there.
33. There will be Krispy Kremes in South Carolina!
34. Mom and I should be able to eat at at least one Cracker Barrel on the drive north.
35. I won a romance book for FREE from Marianne!
36. I got a sweet award from Michelle. See????
I laughed right out loud when I saw the award because, folks, it's confession time...I hate Christmas. I hate the Santa, I hate all the fuss and stress and trappings and excess sweets and obligations (and my husband's anti-obligation stance), and singing carols at church instead of worship music (our Pastor is weird that way!) and all that trying to figure out what to get for who and...ugh!
In fact, my favorite holiday in the whole wide world is the week AFTER Christmas!
The only 2 things I truly enjoy about the holiday are watching the girlies open their gifts and having a valid excuse for viewing "It's a Wonderful Life" and "White Christmas".
Nonetheless, this precious award - which I truly appreciate receiving - is for people who talk about and show the spirit of Christmas in their blogs.
What is the Spirit of Christmas you ask?
Quite simply it is those that have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on in the times that others need that. Those who display the "Spirit of Christmas".....Those that have touched your heart with their kind and giving and caring nature.
I am truly humbled that Michelle feels that I fit this mold. Thank you Michelle!
And now, duty and obligation require that I pass this award on to 5 other deserving souls. Hmmmm. Whom shall they be?
Well the first one that comes to mind is Pea. Pea is the CONSUMMATE celebrater of holidays and I know I can count on her to keep me smiling when my scrooginess is trying to take over.
Then, it would have to go to notcon4med who has literally given me the shirt off her back (twice!) and who loves to serve God by serving others. Hmmm, but wait a minute. The award is supposed to be for her BLOG...OK, I'll have to disqualify her because she doesn't write often enough, but her LIFE definitely qualifies!
However, I CAN chooseJessieU, who, not coincidentally, is Notcon4med's daughter! Jessie has such a tender heart for ministering to the needs of others. Her blog clearly shows this and is always a joy to read!
Marianne gets the award because SHE GAVE ME A FREE BOOK! Besides that, she always has intriguing quotes on her site AND she's taught me volumes about fiction writing and publishing and the lifecycle of a butterfly.
I can't pass over Grandma Dawn. She has been such a support and blessing to me through some difficult moments. I 'm getting kinda teary just thinking about it! She's kinda like my internet Mommy (though she's young enough to be my sister!). I love you Dawn!
Lastly, I'd have to pick BooMama because she ALWAYS makes me laugh and she keeps me abreast of all the latest fashion developments so that I never need go to the grocery store looking like frumpy Jesus Freak. (Warning: She does occasionally ramble on and on about stupid college football, but then, everyone has their faults.)
I love all the rest of you, but I'm already pretty darned close to exhaustion and putting in links is a tedious process for this ever groovy, but never geeky ole gal. So, for the rest of you:
(((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))
(Don't worry, you can't get lice over the the internet!)
Those of you who have won this illustrious Christmassy award of bloggity goodness can find the button code for your blog HERE. Now you generous souls can pass the joy on to others!
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EDIT (Because Groovy can't leave well enough alone!)
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I just read this on the Harvard U website and almost spit my coffee on my clean keyboard:
Washing the hair each day may dislodge a few active lice; the remaining lice and eggs will be unaffected (but clean).
13 comments:
Never have I read a commentary on lice that was so captivating, so fascinating, so entertaining! I am so sorry for this adventure in bugdom!!!!!
Really appreciated reading your gratitude list.....way to go! Woo-hoo for each and every item!!!!
Blessings!
Diane
I'm so glad you can look on the positive during this very difficult week! And even think of others - thank you so much for this new and different award! I love singing carols, and feel we don't sing enough, but it's okay to disagree agreeably, right?? I'll be your mom or your sis or whatever you need! I hope your week is better starting now, and that the lice go "bug" someone else! - Or better yet, go into hibernation underground somewhere!
I LOVE the mental image of the girls singing that song with plastic spoons on their heads - high tech imaginations! Too hilarious and adorable.
*GASP!* dad's hair!!! oh no!!! with his mullet only shoulder length he probably feels bald :( this is why i think that you should by him one of those fake-hair ponytails to clip on so that he feels that he still has his long, glorious locks!
also...i think i finally erradicated the bugs of biting doom...but this is not the place to speak of such things. stay tuned for an email or facebook post.
LOVE YOU! (you scrooge, you...christmas is only the best holiday EVER. i've already addressed all our christmas cards for this year, bought or planned almost all the gifts, and am strongly considering popping in 'garfield christmas' this afternoon...)
Huggles sweet friend! There is always plenty to be thankful for! Don't worry, I feel the same as you on Christmas. It is way to busy and hectic and more stressful than it should be!
Well, FSG, I DO know what YOU're getting for Christmas...at least theoretically.
Only you would make reading about lice so interesting! lol Awww, Groovy, it does sound like you're winning the battle slowly but surely...and poor MM, having to have some hair cut off! Every time I go to my friend's place whose daughter always seems to have lice, I cringe at the thought of my ever getting them because I have such long thick hair...no frigging way is anybody shaving my head! lol
Thank you so much for passing on the Spirit of Christmas award to me...I sure do love my Christmas:-) I'm worse than a kid...when asked where is mom, the answer is look under the tree...I'm usually under there shaking all the packages! hehe I'm gonna get the Scrooginess out of you yet! lol
ROFL on what you read on the Harvard U website...at least you know the lice is clean! Dear Lord, they must know about you!!! lol
Love ya, gf, Thinking of you...darn it, now I'm itchy! xoxo
LOLOL on that bit from Harvard U -- I snorted tea right through my nose. Thankfully, my *mostly* clean keyboard was far enough away to suffer no damage.
Your eBook is most like in your inbox. I hope you enjoy -- I feel great pressure when choosing books for someone else. But this was reviewed by a lady whose opinion I value, and sounds goofy enough to entertain you. Enjoy.
Thanks for the award ((blushes)). Golly. I'll try to address is on Weds (already have my blog planned for tomorrow).
Good luck with the lice. Poor MM.
Years ago when my eldest was a little thing head lice attacked the daycare she was at while I was in school. She has super thick hair. My niece got them and so I treated my daughter just in case. The place closed for a week while everyone battled the bugs!
Praying all goes well. Congrats on the award! You are deserving!
Long hair and lice is not a fun combination.
The Harvard study makes me laugh, because folks think only "dirty" people get lice. No, actually, the cleaner the hair, the easier it is for the little nits to stick to the hair shaft.
Using product (gel, leave-in conditioner, etc) tends to deter them because they cannot lay their eggs on the coated hairs.
Hm, the more I read about your cootie travails, the less inclined I am to go back to work once my leave of absence is up in June.
After a year of on again off again lice infestations I found that putting a little teatree oil in everyday shampoo deterred them. Also, hair gel or any kind of product as Karen said. They hate the stuff. Your hair may be stiff but at least it's nit free!
I liked your 'Counting Your Blessings' list. It's important to remember what is good about your life. I try to do it at least once a week. Good on you, Groovy. Nice post.
I can't save the picture... ARGH. So... no post for tomorrow.
((beats head on keyboard))
Just what you wanted -- squeaky clean lice.
And that Tim Horton's? Must've moved from my town to yours. Ours closed.
Awesome post! It blessed me and caused me to take a moment and mentally list a few of my blessings.
Congrats on the award! I plan on checking in on the blogs you listed.
Be safe!
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