Thankful Day 19 & 20

November 19: Modern Day Medicine
Thank you God for Advil, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Acetaminophen, and all things (legal) painkillers. I say this with the utmost seriousness as I would need them desperately on November 19. Saturday came, and as per our weekly weekend schedule, we woke up before the sun and packed the car for the mountains. 5 girls and 5 pairs of equipment later, with Lindsay Behnke squished between two snowboards in a seat made for a toddler, we were off!

Snowboarding lasted for 8 hours and for some reason I had more confidence than usual and decided that Saturday was the day to start training for the x-games. Karla showed me a little jump that she thought would serve as a good “beginner trick-park.” After pumping myself up with music and staring down the jump for approximately 12 minutes, I pointed my board towards it and jumped. I landed in the snowbank on my face laughing. So off came the board, and I hiked back up the mountain to try again. The second attempt I landed on my butt and slid down the mountain. The third time really is a charm because I jumped, picked my feet up and landed back on them on the other side, shrieking with joy. Seriously, a child fell down beside me because I screamed so loud. Sorry, small child, but I just landed a jump! From that point, I was on a high for the next hour or two. I was chatty Cathy about it and was laughing incessantly and did probably one or a hundred too many fist pumps and/or high fives.

I should have called it a day after that. But “should have” is a going theme in my life, so why screw that up now!? The rest of the day I jumped prolly 4 more times, and I only landed on my feet one other time. So it goes with learning. However, as bad as the wipe-outs were, the worst one came much, much later in the night on an icy driveway wearing UGGS which, by the way, have zero traction. $150 and they couldn’t afford some traction? Anyways, I was running down the sloped drive at the boys’ cabin trying to get to my car and slipped, feet in the air landed flat on my back. Thank God no one saw it because it was maybe the most un-graceful fall of my life, which is saying something because I am the least graceful person I know. I got up quickly only because the ice was cold, and moaned in pain.

That was the final straw. I needed drugs. Immediately. And praise the Lord, we live in America and I have access to any type of drug I want. I spent a lot of time in the hot tub after that and popped pills like an addict, hoping to rid myself of a migraine and full body aches. To no avail, I might add, because it’s Monday afternoon and the migraine is still pursuing. Maybe I have a concussion? It’s likely. Worth it? Absolutely.

So on Saturday, and on Sunday and Monday and let’s be honest, probably Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday – I am very thankful for modern day medicine. Because let’s be honest: all week I am gonna be poppin’ pills, takin’ names, and kickin’ ass trying to get rid of the monster headache of self-inflicted pain.


November 20: Naps
I have a love/hate relationship with naps. On the one hand, they are the most glorious things one can do on a cold and/or rainy Sunday afternoon. On the other hand, they make you more tired than you were when you began said nap. Also, naps prevent you from falling asleep at a normal hour later that night… (leaving you no choice but to look through a countless number of Pinterest pages). But don’t get me wrong, I am THANKFUL for them.


Things that I should have done with my Sunday afternoon would include, but are not limited to the following list:

1. Cleaned my room, which is starting to go all “Where the Wild Things Are” on me, and I may or may not be one pizza box away from being featured on the MTV hit show, “Hoarders.”

2. Showered. JK! I showered Sunday morning. (miracle)

3. Found new music to listen to at work, but thanks to Matt Huling (SHOUT OUT), I am currently listening to and perfectly content with William Fitzsimmons.

4. Hung out with Bethany before she leaves forever for India and sends me spiraling into a deep dark depression.

5. Worked out. HA! Just made myself laugh with that one.

6. Gone to the SINGLE On the Border restaurant in Denver and combined two of my loves: overeating and chips/salsa.

7. Blogged. But let’s just take some time to acknowledge how great I have been keeping up with the “Thankful” days! I mean, I guess by now I’ve had enough practice. I have been turning words into sentences since like, 1988.

8. Planned my Thanksgiving Day costume.

9. Drank responsibly.

10. Practiced my Beyonce dance moves. Because we all know if ever there was a standard of excellence to compare ourselves to, it’s Beyonce. (And the Lord Jesus Christ. Probably Him first though.)


Anyways, regardless of all of the productivity that I could have, and didn’t accomplish, I instead took the route of down-comforters and feather pillows and fell asleep for the majority of the afternoon. So I accomplished nothing. Ask me if I care, though? (hint: I don’t) This is my life and my goal is to do what I want. It was blissful and amazing and I drooled all over Bethany’s pillow. SURPRISE! And sorry about that!

So for naps, I am thankful!