Desperately Seeking Gina

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Thankful for: My Place In This World

Have you ever felt like your troubles are so much bigger than your physical person?  I like for this to be my happy place and so I try not to share the bad stuff;  the trials and tribulations are bigger than some but most often they so much smaller than I percieve them to be.

Sometime last year I was driving alone, on my way home from work, and suddenly the trouble-of-the-day came into perspesctive.  For some reason my mind wandered above me. I could see myself from above, much like what I’ve heard from those who claimed to have died and floated out of their bodies.  I watched myself driving down that two lane highway, and as my mind floated higher into the sky, my physical being grew smaller and smaller until my mind was somewhere in space and I was just a miniscule spec on this earth.  My place on this earth came into perspective for me that day.  And, so did my troubles.

Atrocities happen every day.  Death happens every second of every single day.  Famine, murders, sicknesses, and disease appear daily just as wealth, food, and shelter disappear. These terrible things that happen are so much bigger than my daily troubles.

The view I had that day? Rising above myself until I was almost nothing?  It made me appreciate my place on this earth.   For that, I am thankful.

I came across this beautifl shell of a barn one day.  Some would see old wood leaning and ready to fall.  I saw a frame still standing, beautiful and sturdy and I see myself in the barn;  a sometimes empty shell but framed with such solidity that I just won’t fall.

I’m linking up with Arkansas Women Bloggers for Day 3 of the ThanksBlogging Challenge.  I hope you’ll take a moment and read some really great posts by these amazing women.

A Thanksgiving Day Miracle

Growing up in Michigan there were always two constants on Thanksgiving Day:  Grandma’s biscuits in gravy and Detroit Lion’s football.

Dinner duty was always dealt to the women of the family.  The men would lounge in my grandparent’s living room, stretched out on couches, recliners, and even the floor.  Occasionally they would venture to the kitchen for snack refills {Grandma’s little wienies or bbq meatballs}. My grandmother was pretty good at timing the turkey to be done at just the right time:  half-time. As soon as the last whistle blew at the end of the second quarter, the guys would scramble to the dining room grumbling all the way {Detroits win record on Thanksgiving Day}.  The turkey would be carved and brought to the table and everyone would dig in.

In those days, when my dad, his two brothers, my grandparents, and the entire second generation of Knuppenburgs all lived in the same zip code there would be fourteen to sixteen of us crowded around the table. Half-time didn’t last long, so while there was always laughter and conversation, it didn’t last long because the Lion’s just had to be watched.

So back to the living room went the men and the ladies lingered over dinner just a bit longer before starting the clean up.

Except, that one year. 2005.

It was a Thanksgiving Day Miracle. Unlce Jeff, my dad’s younger brother and middle Knuppenburg son, did the unthinkable:  he offered to do the dishes. It must have been a sad day in Lion’s football.  Or, maybe he was sincerely wanting to help us women.  Whatever the case, I’m sure I was most thankful.  And, not stunned enough to know that I should get a picture to document the occasion.

Linking up with the Arkansas Women Bloggers for day two of the ThanksBlogging challenge.

ThanksBlogging with AWB

This week I’ll be joining the ladies over at Arkansas Women Bloggers with another week long blogging challenge.  Todays challenge topic involves taking a picture of something we’re thankful for.  Since all that I am thankful for isn’t here with me in Arkansas, I’ve pulled together some pics from the past and used Pic Monkey to bring them all together in collage form.

I know that I complain an awful lot about not having friends here and missing my family during the holiday season is emotionally draining.  I am thankful that my friends and family are just a phone call or Skype session away.

There’s so much more to be thankful for:  a garden that feeds us, a niece and nephew who giggle a lot, new friends in Arkansas, Hop {the cat}, brothers, my job, and a fiance that puts up with my moodiness and crazy crafting/photographing/baking antics.

What are you thankful for today?  

Premeditated Christmas Spirit

Popping in real quick to blog for blogging’s sake.  I have absolutely nothing going on today.  I feel a bit guilty about that.  All I’ve managed today is to have watched a Christmas movie {The Grinch} in my pjs, make a quick meal, and do up the dinner dishes.  I’m seriously considering snuggling up with another movie and calling it an evening. Do you ever feel guilty for an unproductive day?

I’m not usually one to skip all the fall stuff and be excited for Christmas, but this year it’s on my mind earlier than usual-especially weird since it’s not a year I’ll be returning to Michigan to spend the holiday with family.  December brings not only cold weather and holiday cheer, but something altogether warmer and brighter for the love of my life.  I’m excited for him and maybe that is the reason for my anticipation.

I think I’ll head on up to my waiting bed and spend the remainder of the night lost in Christmas magic.  Hope your weekend had been lovely-I’d love to hear about it.

A Different Kind of Gap

There’s just a bit of difference in age between Thom and me. I like to remind him every so often that while he was out galavanting in his midnight blue/metal flake 1974 Dodge van {that his dad nicknamed the “Thom’s whore house on wheels”} I was two and probably still in diapers.

The phrase “you’re showing your age again, baby” is often heard in this household, especially when we’re listening to music.  Like this afternoon, for instance.  We were on our way to town to do some wedding thrifting.  The windows were down, the sun was shining, and it was a glorious afternoon; a perfect day for some funk {Thom’s self-proclaimed: favorite!}

The Gap Band came on the radio. What?  The Gap Band was a funk band?  I had no idea.  I thought The Gap Band was bunch of preppy old white guys.  You know, like an old version of the guys from The Gap commercials.  I’m mostly serious. In my defense I think I had them confused with The Allman Brothers.

So, of course, I’ve been schooled this afternoon and the subject was funk music.  I now know and appreciate the difference in gaps.

And, for your viewing and listening pleasure I present the real The Gap Band and You Dropped a Bomb On Me.  I feel ya guys.  I totally feel ya.