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).
