Very THANKful :)

Today, rather than a quiet meal alone crying into my turkey and mashed potatoes, God infused me with enough energy to attend our church celebration!!!! WAHOO! I KNOW I was the most thankful person there. I relished scanning each wonderfully decorated table, drinking in the joy on each face (oh, LUV those Hadadeens!) Seeing the anticipation in the eyes of the lined up ones as they chatted, and the kids around the dessert table (we usually have a rule, children may not come for dessert until all the adults have been served from the main food, and there allowed only three selections per trip. They are little pigs, you know They take 5x more than they can really each, trash the yet full plate, and there isn’t enough to go around for the big folks. This year, someone forgot the announcement, but they did not forget last year’s lesson!)

Folks must’ve been praying, as yesterday about 4pm I got so weak and dizzy I was nauseated and almost blacking out. Hypothyroid became hypochondria and at 8pm I asked a Dr. gal-pal to come over and take my blood pressure. She took one look at my sallow, yellow face and purplish lips and got concerned, until she got the numbers. Then she rolled her eyes and said: “Your pulse is 66. Your blood pressure is 130/90. These are your numbers when you are ten weeks hypothyroid? Girl, you are just fine, hang in there.” Well, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear! It was, I mean, it beats hearing “You need to be admitted for observation”. SO I went to sleep, knowing there was NO WAY I’d be with my fam the next day.

And I woke up refreshed! In my right mind, no fuzzy, ditzy silliness. How long has it been since I could get out of bed and feel normal? I don’t remember. My eyes didn’t water, my tummy worked, and I actually washed and seshwared my hair!!!. Easily, it has been a month since I lifted that blow-dryer. Hubby had the kitchen under control (Umm Farouq, we went with those littler Carrefour turkeys ) kids were peeling potatoes and making cassaroles. Our Sudanese friend came to join us, and got very excited over the thought of mashed potatoes. He asked if he could try making them so that he could teach his wife in Khartoum. There we go, white folks corrupting the cultural balance again. He did say he wanted his wife to try it with sweet potatoes, though. Smart man.

He did a great job! Creamy and delish! The whole kitchen was full of Men at Work, doing my job, while hubby insisted I rest. Heh-heh, I submitted, (wives, don’t you just love it when it is EASY to submit???) I was just so tickled for this privilege.

People were amazed I was there, walking normally, carrying my own plate, talking fine (I did get tired about three minutes into each convo, but they seemed to see the fading signs and hug me and move on), with mascara on. What a visible, palpable living gift God gave today, a gift of abundant life. The kids got to eat and play with friends, play American football with the dads (altho Spikekid was disappointed they made it adults vs kids) and I got to see my friends. Happy sigh.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord of Lords, His mercy endures forever!