Day 107 of 365 Days of Being Thankful

        Today I am thankful for the new music minister at our church.

This was the first Sunday that he performed.  He plays guitar and has a fabulous voice. I really like him a lot.  Dan and I have been going to the 8:05 service for the past few months.  We had planned to go to the 8:05 this morning but I forgot to set my alarm.  The next service is 9:30. We got to church about 9:25 and the parking lot was mobbed, it is never that bad even on holidays.  I had to park illegally and I hate to do that but there were no open spaces and all the extra cars also parked illegally.  The church was packed when we walked in at 9:28 and the service had already started. We had to sit in the last pew and we have a really huge church.  As the service progressed, I realized that something was off. We had a guest speaker and he was really good, but he wasn't a preacher, just a speaker. I realized that it was the week of COSMOS and the service today/Sunday started at 9:00.  We didn't get out until 10:35 so it was a really long service!  We missed the sermon and the offering so I'll put the check in the basket  next week. The guest speaker told us to close our eyes and think about who brought us into being believers.  I was born and raised Catholic and went to Catholic elementary school so I guess I was always a believer because I knew no other way of being.  When Amy died, I  lost my faith, totally and completely. I met my friend Deb G online when I was looking for people who had kids about Olivia's age who spoke Russian.  Deb was hosting a Russian girl for the summer and brought her over with her own two adopted daughters.  She is also an older adoptive mom. Things clicked, she is a wonderful person, and we became friends.  Deb invited me and Dan to an adoptive parents group at church. 

She knew I was pretty much an agnostic, but she never judged me even though she is a true Christian believer. She once said to me, maybe I would feel the same way that you feel if I lost one of my children.  That statement made me know that she didn't judge me.  Fast forward, Dan and I went to the weekly adoption group and then we decided to join the church, it is a non-denominational Bible based church. I really enjoy belonging to the church and I am glad I have my faith back. So I have my friend Deb G to thank...thank you Deb. 
     I am also thankful that I have a sister I can talk to and joke around with.  I don't know how we got on the subject but yesterday we were talking about jail and prison and we started thinking..............hey, maybe it's not so bad, we'd be fed and clothed and no one could reach us to handle their problems and issues.  She said we'd have the added advantage of it being a fat farm for us because we are really picky eaters!! I think I'd wind up being a size 5 because I don't think I'd be eating a lot of what they served! We'd also get good workouts running from the leaders of the prison gangs!
      The GLAM ROOM continues to be worked on.  Today I found really pretty turquoise and white seat cushions for the two black high chairs in the room.  I got them at Burlington Coat factory, they have good prices. They look great and fit perfectly!  Afterwards Dan and I went to Walmart.  We rented a cabin for next weekend and we had to get some supplies.  Somehow we are always in the food aisles.  Olivia and her best friend Dustin went to the mall today and then came back to our house to watch movies.  Dan grilled steaks and we all ate together.  It was really nice, we all spent time teasing Olivia and that is always fun!