This past Saturday, I knew that I'd have the day all to myself.  Davis was working out of town, Blair was at college, and Carson was at a church retreat, which left me with a day that was totally and completely open for whatever I chose.  Wow....that almost never happens!  This was exciting!

You, moms, can relate.  From the time the little angels are born, our days are dictated by their whimpers and whims and hunger and moods and bodily functions.  Even when they get older, not much changes.....except the bodily function part.  Not that we'd have it any other way, but an occasional alone day.....well, that is just a gift from above.     

So....on Friday night, I began to daydream about what this free day might hold.  Lunch with a friend, walking at the lake, shopping, a movie, scrapbooking, redecorating?  Oh, the possibilities.  I went to bed without setting an alarm, ready to dream of what Saturday might have in store for me. 

Saturday morning, I woke up at 8:30 to a quiet house and got up to get myself something to drink.  I decided, while drinking my OJ, that 8:30 was really too early for people, in an empty house with nowhere in particular to go, to be up, so I headed back to bed.  While I hate to brag, sleeping is, indeed, my greatest natural talent.  

At 10:00, I tried the whole getting up thing again.  It went better this time.   

I fed the dog, who was famished at this point.   

Ate some breakfast, myself. 

Decided to do some laundry while I mapped out my exciting day.  "Oh, this is going to be fun", I thought.   

"I'll get started with my fun day just as soon as I call a few friends", who I needed to talk to about various things.  "I can straighten the house while I'm on the phone, too", I thought.  Win-win.      

I finally found my way to the shower.....well past the respectable time to be showering. 

I got ready and decided that I should probably run another load of laundry since the washing machine was barely visible behind Mt. Dirty Clothes.  I vaulted over the mound with the broom and did the whole washer to dryer transfer and then started another load. 

I thought, "Well, I might as well eat some lunch"....I mean, since it was around 1:30 at this point.   

I couldn't help but notice as I fixed my sandwich that I really needed to make a grocery run unless I thought I could get creative with ranch dressing, salt, vanilla wafers, and frozen peas for the following week.....because that about summed up our inventory.   

"Oh, this shouldn't take long", I tried to convince myself.  "I'll just run there and run right back and then get started with my exciting day!"  So, I darted to the grocery store, waited in the long line, poked through traffic, came home, unloaded it all, and put up the groceries......the last two being so, so very near the bottom of the ordered list of "Fun Chores". 

After that, I said to myself, "Let me just get those clothes out of the dryer and fold them before they get all wrinkly.....that should only take a minute and then the fun will start."   

I got that done and looked down and the dog was looking up at me....wagging her tail.  She was wanting to go for a walk and since she's started to take on a shape much like the United States Capitol rotunda this winter, I decided I couldn't refuse her pleading with good conscience.  It was a beautiful day, after all. 

We got back, both breathless, and on my way up the steps to the front porch, I noticed my plants were taking on a kind of gray hue, most likely from dehydration.  Well, we couldn't have that, so I took care of those. 

I was a little tired by then, so I decided to sit down and read a couple of chapters of Sophie Hudson's new book, because I just hadn't had time to read much lately and I was itching to really get into it.  "I'll just read a chapter or two.....Well, maybe one more chapter.......Well, that one was so good.......just one more." 

Before I knew it, the sun was setting on my exciting, all to myself, absolutely free day and what had I done?  I did sleep in.....and got some laundry done......talked on the phone......cleaned the house.....went to the grocery store......folded some clothes......walked the pudgy dog......watered my plants.......and finished Sophie's book. 

My exciting day really felt a lot like a regular day.

Oh, well.  Such is the life of a mother, I suppose.          

Soph's book was definitely the highlight of my very exciting, all to myself, absolutely free day.  Every page of her two books has been such a treat for me.  Maybe because I knew her back when.....or maybe because I can relate to all the southern-ness.....or maybe because I know the places and many of the people she talks about......or maybe because I enjoyed learning about what went on in her life after she left Mississippi.  I think it's a combination of those things, plus I think she just writes in a way that makes you feel like you're right there with her.  She's one of those people, who you can just pick back up with right where you left off.   Like the day that I was walking across the Summit parking lot toward Chuy's and heard, "Joan, Joan, Joan!", in a most jolly voice.  "Oh, that can only be one person", I thought as I looked up.  It had been years since we'd seen each other, but we stood on that sidewalk and talked like we'd never missed a beat.

I love her theme of God's sovereignty in the people we meet along all the paths we travel.  I'm glad that ours crossed so long ago.  The 17 year old me had no idea that she was exchanging notes between classes with a future author.....it may have been too much stress for the 17 year old me, so I'm glad she didn't know.  I'm so very proud of her and everything she's accomplished.....maybe that's the biggest reason of all that I've enjoyed the pages of her books so much. 
I would've never started blogging if it hadn't been for Sophie.  I barely knew what the word meant.  It sounded like a problem for which you might call Roto-Rooter or schedule an appointment with your gastroenterologist.  All I knew for sure was that it was something that other people did, who were way more world wide web savvy than me.  She encouraged me to try it and answered my questions.....my stupid questions.  Lots and lots of stupid questions.  Even now, I will ask her for advice or help with something and, while I'm sure she has about 2,000 other things to do, she patiently helps me.  

One year ago today, I pecked out my first blog post and nervously clicked "Publish".  This followed about 6 months of stall tactics as I tried to keep my start date far enough in the distance to keep me comfortable.  Someone should've reminded me that I was just committing to blogging, not to signing on with the Navy Seals.          

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed the last year.  I think God must have thought, "I have to let her write, because she won't ever be able to communicate worth a flip with that clumsy mouth of hers."  Some days, ideas flow so fast that I can't decided which topic to write about first and other days I think, "if only they made Ex-Lax for the brain, that would be swell".  But, we made it through the first year.  My biggest worry was that I wouldn't have anything to write about and, some days, I'm sure you think, "Wow, she was really scraping the bottom of the barrel today".  But, life seems to always provide some sort of subject matter......just some days more than others. 

Most of the time, life is joyful and I just want to laugh and have a good time.  Some days, I feel drawn to write about spiritual matters.  Sometimes, I'm feeling particularly sad or concerned about something and, whatever it is, I find it easier to cope with things by writing about them.  They seem to take order in my mind when they take order on the page, so, occasionally, you're just an audience for my self-therapy....and I appreciate that.  Bless your hearts. 

I appreciate each and every time you visit here. 

Each and every time. 

It humbles me to no end.

I just want to keep having fun with y'all in a way that glorifies the One who gave me this opportunity.   

Have a great Tuesday!