THANKFUL FRIDAY

The other night, after finishing my Love Thursday entry, I got up and started clearing out the linen closet. I figured that I could make enough room in that closet for the things in the second medicine cabinet. The linen closet isn't the proper name for that space. Yes, there are linens in there, but there's also various toiletry things that are either not used often or spares for when I run out of what's in the bathroom. That closet has needed a clean out for a really long time. Making room for Michael was just a good excuse to do that. I pulled all of the things off from one shelf and at the very back was this little toiletry bag. It was the type of bag I might have carried in a purse or something because it contained things like tampons and chapstick and a little pill box. I started to just dump the whole thing in the trash, but then thought better of it. It was a good thing too because wedged down in the very bottom of that bag was my long lost scooter key. My hands started trembling as I pulled that key out of the bag and stood there in shock. I had been chatting with Chad via text off and on, so he was the first person I told.

I think most of you know the story of the scooter key and how I couldn't find it after Chris died. I had come to the conclusion that he'd hid it from me so that I wouldn't ride the scooter which had a bald back tire at the time. In fact I know he did because I would never have put my key into that bag. But another reason I believed that he hid the key was something he said to me during our nightly talks before he died. We were laying there laughing at the idea of me trying to get a 100 ft drain snake into the basement and then actually knowing what to do once I got it down there. He said "See? This is what worries me. You think you can do these things, but you can't". At first I was a little irritated, but then I heard the words he didn't say. What he meant to say was that I couldn't do those things on my own. He worried that I would wait until I had actually gotten myself in too deep before I would ask for help. Let's face it. It was a legitimate worry.

The lost scooter key has been a running gag for more than a year and then on the night before I announce to everyone that Michael is moving in, I find it. That key is so much more than a joke now. That key is a blessing. And OK...maybe I found that key because I was cleaning out crap. Maybe I found that key because I'd just made plans to finally replace it.( I should tell you that the key I've been using contains a special sensor. To replace that key would cost me $2500. That's not a typo. The spare key is only about $50 to replace.) It all depends on how you look at things. Me? Well...I see it as a pretty big sign. This week I am thankful for finding that key. I am thankful for the why and the when of finding that key. I am thankful for the blessing.

Something else I'm thankful for? You guys. I know you guys want me to be happy and I know you want good things for me. I don't know why I'm surprised by your wonderful words of encouragement and love, but sometimes, I am. It amazes me that I've been able to surround myself with such good people. I just keep thinking of Julie Andrews singing Something Good in the Sound of Music. Thank you.

Here's to a great Holiday Weekend but an even better Thankful Friday.