weekly gratitude

thank you black wedges for a heightened sense of femininity all day followed by bone-numbing pain by the time I got home

I don't know about the rest of you, but it's been a surprisingly busy week on this end of the stick.

(And is it just me, or does that expression sometimes sound like it borders dangerously close to dirty innuendo? too much?)

The ball got rolling Monday morning around 7:30 or so. My day off. 

So of course, there is nothing I love more than the petulant ding-ding! of my phone.

(here is where I summarize Jared asking politely, and somewhat sheepishly because in our entire history, he's never really asked for any favors, if I would come make dinner for him that night because overnight shifts at work are already sucking, and something about the good of a home-cooked meal...)

It's a good thing I like cooking, or I'd be shooting mind bullets at him from the comfort of my bed. Mean, pointy, explosive ones. Imagine shrapnel. Did I mention it was 7:30am on my day off?

But there was this recipe that marries pork chops, whole cloves of garlic and red wine and... You had me at dinner. 

So then that happened. 

(Jared, this is my official okay to work third shift and be hungry whenever you'd like.)

Of course, that may not be necessary anymore...

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1. Thank you United States Forest Service for adding a new member to your ranks. Guys... Jared got a job with the Forest Service. 

This is the single most exciting thing I can imagine right now.

God, thank you for answering the prayers, the years of waiting, and the faith that this would finally happen in such an incredible way. As luck would have it, I was with ol' Smoke Signal when he got the call and seeing that cautiously excited smile creep across his exhausted face will remain forever in my heart as one of the best memories of my life (second only to the look on his face when he got his first dispatch). I have to thank God for letting me share that moment with him. For three and a half years I have known this was what Jared was born to do and knowing all he has done, all he has sacrificed, all everyone around him has worked for and prayed for is finally happening makes my heart swell with the purest joy. Jared, on the off-chance you ever read this, words will never do proper justice to how excited and proud of you I am. Thank you for making your dreams a reality, and showing me that is truly possible. 

2. Thank you, on that same note, for Robin's new gig at the Examiner, Gary's movie (yeah, the guy is off in Puerto Rico making a movie) and Jodi's new business! (Oh, hey, check out those photos!) Basically, my friends are just out there in the world kicking some serious hindquarters and when the world catches wind of their general spectacularness (I'm only as good as the words I make up...), I will be there all like, "Yeah, I totally knew them back in the day - we drank a lot of wine together and ate a lot of really good food." Because that's what everyone will want to know - what kinds of shenanigans we'd get up to back in the day and yes, they will almost all include food and beverage. Wow. We're so good at life.

3. Thank you for a rather splendid Valentine's Day. I can't say I was looking too forward to the holiday for obvious reasons, but when Wendy asked if I'd like to head out to Aurora (woah, Toto, we're not in Multnomah County anymore!) to The Colony, with her and Jodi? Gee, let's think about this - a chance to see Miss Wendy in her element and a chance to hang out with two of my favorite gals on Valentine's Day... On Taco Tuesday? Yes please. And Scott ended up being able to join us too, which made for an overall wonderful evening. Thank you all for a damn good time. 

4. Thank you for the awesome seven year old who brightened my day today. My first customers this morning left a little something to be desired in the manners department in terms of how be respectful to the person serving you wine. Needless to say, it put me in a right state before noon and I was seriously bent on annihilation for about an hour. But then this little gal came in with her mom and uncle and turned the whole day around just in the nick of time! Starting with her voicing a love of cheese (kid after my own heart), mentioning that she "looooved" wild mushroom risotto (when I mentioned to her uncle that the wine he was sipping was my favorite pairing with said dish) and, the best, her response when I asked her what her favorite food was:

"Sushi. And all that that implies."

This kid is my hero. She had no idea she was as entertaining as she was. But therein lies her charm. That and the fact that she was a little cheese snick, nabbing another chunk of brie as often as she could. Given the chance, I feel like I could mentor this child into a veritable Cheese Whore like myself in time. Ah, to have a purpose in life! 

5. Thank you Martha, Sam & Bud.

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People are on the move. Wonderful things are happening left, right and sideways. Even when the wonderful things are hard, and ask for sacrifice, they are wonderful because they are done with pure hearts and a lot of faith. 

It's amazing to live amongst people who live their lives that way. It's inspiring. 

It revives the soul.

To everyone in my life, you are wonderful.

And you need to know that. 

You must believe that. 

Thank you.