Cruisin' Birthday List

In the middle of this slow dance in the pandemic, like Smokey Robinsons song "Cruisn' Together" I cruised into a birthday. (This was Fatty's favorite song, by the way)

I demand we cruise together.

Mine...

"Mine..." Yes, he scratched me to prove it. 

This little face!

I know, I am a few weeks behind my birthday, but that's ok. I've just started realizing that I had a birthday. It came and went like wildfire, I barely had a chance to realize I got a year older. "Again?!" Yes, again, older again. And to celebrate I have a thankful list! I love thankful lists. They are like pulling cookies out of a cookie jar to remember all the good that is in it.

Here is a list of 25 things I am currently grateful for, in no particular order of importance and leaving out a few for my heart to be thankful for: 

 1. French vanilla coffee sweetener: Really? I couldn't start with something more intense or profound? The depth of my depth only starts thinking clearly after coffee. It is a sad genetic trait I picked up from my parents. They raised me to love strong coffee and neither could remember their name, age, or walk in a straight line without coffee in the morning. I'm almost there. 

2. Dr. Fauci: I bet he never saw this year coming and I am happy he has been giving us all of his professional and personal time to try to keep us healthy. I can't imagine how crazy and stressful this has been for him. 

3. The Rosary: I love having my best friend, my Mom, my guide and my creative cheerleader by my side with Mother Mary. Holding one of my several rosaries that are all different shapes, helps me stay close to her. I love being able to ask Mother Mary for help with friends, people who are sick, or just to help me stop sulking to be where I am supposed to be and who I am supposed to be. Love my rosary, doorbell to heaven.

Grandma with her rosary, clicking along the beads talking with Mother Mary

Bringing Mom some roses

4. Sound cancelling headphones: Working from home has major distractions but sound cancelling headphones are amazing! Suddenly the growling gardeners machines, tree cutters and other noise are totally gone and replaced with talks by Father Swink, Father Dan, songs by Smokey Robinson and focus music by Mozart. Bliss in my head!

5. Recorded pep talks by priests: I have had a knack for listening to recordings of retreats by Father Dan and Father Swink. I especially love the men's retreat talks that are more natural, direct and funny.  I loved hearing the last one on Conquering our Giants. I am so thankful for them putting their creativity and love for their flock into helping us.

6. Snail Mail: I have been working on a little snail-mail project and it reminds me of having a pen pal in the 1990's before internet took a boom. It is so nice to practice nice cursive and remind myself of letter etiquette. My 4th grade teacher would be proud.

7. My sewing machine: I am super thankful that my sewing machine is going strong. She has been helping me whip up facemasks for family, friends, neighbors, priests and nuns. I have a little convent of nuns wearing fabulous colorful floral facemasks and that makes me happy. 

8. The Nuns: I have a few nuns I occasionally interact or help with and I love their spirit! They are such a great example of joy, are amazing gardeners and I love their constant total trust in the providence of God. One Sister that is always super joyful dishes out the best advice on trusting God's providential care like a Father and having true inner peace.

9. Lavender: My lavender plant is nothing to admire, but she's alive and I have hope. I was hoping to make nice lavender sachets for the fall, but she only gave me two limp flowers. In any case, I am grateful for lavender. Little sachets make me feel fancy.

10. My little garden: This was my first year working on a vegetable garden and I had such a blast. I shared a few tomato plants with my neighborhood friends and we had a fun time naming our tomatoes. 

11. My brother: I am super thankful for having a funny, sensitive brother who is an incredible writer and knows how to make me laugh in a heartbeat. 

12. My friends: I love having a variety of friends and staying on top of encouraging each other, praying for each other, looking at nature and being in each others lives.

13. My Co-workers!: Lucky 13... just kidding. They are a fun and wonderful bunch. There is no other or prior group of coworkers I would rather go through a pandemic with. They have a wonderful dark sense of humor, blurry boundaries, know where to get good sandwiches, and as a group all get very shy, but individually are vibrantly full of life and beautiful strong opinions. 

14. My planner: I got a planner I can't live without. It separates the day into  hours, weeks, months, has a grocery list and even has the names of the saint of the day and Catholic prayers in it. I have been working hard at optimizing time and facing each day like if it were a 24 hour mission and carefully scheduling my dreams and missions into hours. It has worked like clockwork.

15. Bentley: He has no calendar, no plans, very few priorities other than getting fed, napping most of the day and sitting on my lap. I love his simple love and generosity of self. He is devoted to none of us and goes to sit with each of us when he thinks we need it. His favorite song at the moment is "Moon River" by Andy Williams, and his favorite food is Gravy Lovers Chicken Feast with a big drop of warm water mixed in. 

Sleeping with a full belly to the sound of "Moon River"

16. Long walks: Thank you, COVID! I have been walking an average of 5-8 miles per day. I started by walking and praying 1 rosary, about 30 minutes, for my neighbors to stay healthy. On sunny days the walks got a little longer, and the prayers as well. It has been the highlight of my day. I am friends with all of the neighborhood dogs who wag and don't bark when I walk past them.

17. Confession: I really shouldn't roll sacraments into here. But I am super grateful for the sacrament of confession. Going on long walks and praying has sometimes opened up areas or patterns of sin that hurt me and hurt others. Ouch! Take that to the priests box! I love that in the sacrament of confession you can just take the list of yucky things and leave it there, never to think abotu it again as you try to avoid the terrible hurtful habits that tried to make a slave of you and embrace true freedom trying to live without that habit. 

Cars lined up for prayer in adoration and confession

18. Priests who hear confessions: there are some priests who listen to 30 mintues of confession per week for their flock. Then there are priests who listen to daily confession, do it outdoors to make their sheep more Covid-comfy and don't get scared of heat, rain or shine. On Saturday night I sat in line for an hour in my car to confess with a priest in the rain. He heard my confession at 9 PM, getting soaking wet and with joy to keep going with a line of about 30 cars waiting. Father Majano didn't rush with anyone, making sure each soul was attended to with care.

19. My kindle: I have been really enjoying reading new books on my kindle. Now that I have my fantastic planner I can schedule time to do literally everything, including reading on how to use time more efficiently! Is that what I have been reading? A little yes and no. I just finished a book by an Ultramarathoner, David Goggins who had a little too much bad language but was full of good ideas on endurance that I think could be translated into other areas of life. I am now reading "Story of a Soul" by St Therese the Little Flower and I am loving it and several times find myself floored and re-reading a passage. She's a kindred spirit.

20. Annapolis: I think Annapolis Harbors should exist in each state. They are laid back, flip flops are mandatory, crab cakes the norm, and lots of cute little corners and angles in the streets that would make excellent post cards, Christmas cards or be embroidered into a darling pillow. 

21. Calculators: where would we be without calculators? I use one several times a day for work, play, home etc. I usually try to do math on paper or in my head but I am so grateful for calculators.

22. My cell phone: a blessing and a curse. I often try to remember life without my cell phone, I try to set her aside when I go to bed and on weekends. 

23. Music: Music is a big part of our day and life. At lunchtime I always try to play something to set the mood: instrumental jazz, Spanish guitar, Frank Sinatra. It helps relax the mind and eat in a better mood almost instantly. 

24. Journals: Journaling has been a part of my life since I was a little girl. It is wonderful to have a record of my life and remember beautiful things that I might have otherwise forgotten.

25. Crabcakes and Old Bay seasoning: There is something in my blood that begs for crabcakes each summer and puts Old Bay seasoning on everything. Life just isn't tasty without Old Bay.

I hope you enjoyed my list! I should make more thankful lists, there is so much good we get everyday that is easy to miss with the noise of sadness or over stimulation. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who doesn't change like shifting shadows." James 1:17.