The one where I'm humbled.

So this morning I woke up to get ready for church. I looked outside and saw the several new inches of fresh, heavy snow. My shoulders fell a little and I just wanted to get back into my warm bed. The thought of getting my five little ones ready and out the door by 8:55 a.m. was daunting.

I was having an unusually bad hair day. I didn't love my outfit. Olivia didn't like how I did her hair and Ethan didn't like my breakfast choice of cold cereal. Lindsay couldn't find her other dress boot and Tyson would not let Makenna get him dressed. I was frustrated and half thought to myself...would anyone even notice if we just stayed home?

Anyway, we got it all together and managed to get to our bench with a few minutes to spare. (even though I got snow in my shoe and now my toes were cold.)

As I sat there trying to keep the kids noise level at a dull roar, I heard a plunk and then a dragging noise. Again, and then again. I turned around to see a beautiful woman with silver hair pushing her walker down the aisle. She wore a pretty red coat and comfy shoes over her nude colored hosiery. She was assisted by another white haired beauty and came to sit in the row in front of us. I found out that these ladies were the speaker's mother and grandmother.

She was 96 years old.

As I sat behind her and looked at her newly curled hair and noticed her wrinkled hands, I wondered what efforts she had put forth to get ready for this special day. She had to drive in that horrible snow and then get from the car to the building using a walker.

I was instantly overcome with gratitude for the opportunity I had to be there at church to worship the Savior and feel of the spirit. My hair didn't seem as bad and I didn't feel quite as frumpy as I had before. I thought of all the people in the world who walk for miles to get to church. People who go to church alone without any family. People who don't even know about Jesus Christ. I was sufficiently humbled and I'm so grateful for the sweet little stranger who strengthened my testimony simply by making the decision to get out of her warm bed.

What a bunch of goofs!

The only way I can get a shot like this....

is to promise the opportunity for a shot like this....

It's a win/win for me.

I'm a voter, he's a voter, wouldn't ya like to be a voter too

So I was pretty excited to go vote this year.
I tried to go early in the day before people got off work so I wouldn't have to wait in line.
Well, if you know me, you know that I was there at 5:15...standing in line.
As I stood there in the line watching people vote, I couldn't help but get a smidge emotional.
I know, that's silly.
But I just couldn't help it.
It all started with the little old man leaning on his cane while he voted. His hands were so shaky that he may have inadvertantly voted for the other guy. But he was there...voting.
I got looking around at the people that had taken the time to come and let their voice be heard.
If I were brave (which I am not)
I would have taken out my camera and snapped a shot (which I didn't).
But if I had, it would have looked something like this.
The skinny kid with big glasses who I'm sure was casting his first vote ever stood behind a guy in a suit and really expensive shoes.
Another guy with skin like leather walked past on his way to leave. With every step he took, a small billow of dust or concrete mix or something puffed out of his work boots.
A young mother rummaged through her purse looking for something to shush her bored toddler.
A not so young mother right behind her freely dispensed with unsolicited advice.
A woman in fancy clothes stood next to a lady in sweats as they picked the candidates they thought would do the best job...I wondered if they were the same candidates?
And finally, the man standing in front of me wore a work shirt with his name on it.
He smelled like motor oil.
The woman behind me wore a lovely sweater vest and smelled like butterscotch cookies.
Such different people all doing the same thing.
Different incomes, different jobs, different houses, different beliefs.
But there we were. Standing in line.
How lucky are we to pick our leaders?
Sure, they may not be perfect and sometimes they're just downright stupid...but we get to pick em'.
No socialist dictator or ruling monarchy chooses. We do. It's downright cool actually.
I hear people whine all the time about the state of things and then find out they didn't vote.
Whatever. I mean, come on! A lot of people fought and died so we could.
I was just really proud of my little group of fellow voters. Especially the guy I saw walk in with a cast on his leg.
Anyhoo, I'm glad I got to vote. Thanks mom for making me a sentimental, patriotic sap.
God Bless America. Stars and Stripes forever and Don't Tread on Me. For the People and all those other ones.

p.s. Who was the guy that thought up the donkey and the elephant? It couldn't have been something a little cooler? A Jaguar and a Lion or... something?

oh, and p.s.s. Lady behind me that smelled like butterscotch, if you're blogging about standing in line behind me, will you please say that I smelled like Tahitian coconuts? Thank you.

Look who's the cool girl now!!

Dear Fall,

Way to get in there and throw your weight around.

I have thoroughly enjoyed your extended visit this year.

I still have flowers like this blooming in my front yard.

Kudos to you for making your presence known.

We all like you....a lot.

Love,

Mindy