My "February 17th" Thankful List

I wake up on the 17th of every month and make myself get up.  I find a small reason quickly and if I know it's going to be a slow day I plan something extra.  Before this morning I had no idea we were going to have a snow day; I actually thought it was going to be our first day back after having been off for four days.  Those days are already hard for another reason (I miss my twins) but this particular Tuesday was going to have the added weight of missing Charlie.  So I scheduled an appointment for the dog to get groomed.  I know it sounds silly but he needed it and I knew I would need that reason to get up this morning.

I actually didn't need it this morning like I thought I would.  It was completely unexpected but February 17th looked differently than it was supposed to.  It all began to unfold on Monday evening when I received an email from Robins Nest Wellness Skin Spa saying that I had won a Valentine's Day promotion where clients nominated someone who could use a little extra "pampering."  Not long after receiving that email I got a text from our principal letting us know school was cancelled due to snow and the cold temperatures.  Both of those little bits of news made me smile.

So while I laid in bed last night I decided to go ahead and check on scheduling the facial that I was gifted (since snow days mean no bedtime around here and we were both still up watching t.v. at 11:30).  I was a little nervous but kind of excited to take advantage of this rare opportunity to leave the house and the chaos of life and feel pampered.  I looked online and saw 9:30 the next day was available.  I kind of sat there for a minute and tried to think of a reason not to do it, but I couldn't.  So with affirmation from my husband it was scheduled and at the perfect time to drop off Scout on the way (my original reason to get out of the house).  I leaned over and double checked with John to make sure he would watch the twins for a bit and of course (as he always does) he said, "I absolutely will."

I woke up excited.  I was anticipating this facial and the time alone with my thoughts.  I dropped off the dog  and then made my way to Robins Nest Spa in Highland Heights.  As soon as I walked in I immediately felt welcome.  It was going to be perfect and much needed on this 17th of February.  If you have never had a facial (which I never had either) you should go to Robin!  Ask someone for this gift!  I literally loved every second of that hour and a half. Amazing! 

After my facial, I drove through White Castle.  Gross, I know, but it reminds me of when the twins and Charlie were first born.  Long story short...there is a time after you deliver a baby that you are STARVING and anything sounds good.  Since we delivered all three babies at Christ in Cincinnati, White Castle seemed to be a close and convenient restaurant of choice for John and I.  The bad part, all three of them hated it!  I was nursing so they all got their first taste of chicken ring sandwiches a bit too early in life and it made their belly's hurt.  I eat it now not because of those bad memories, rather because it reminds me of a time when we were given our three most precious gifts.  For the minutes it takes me to eat that little sandwich I get to relive a little bit of heaven on earth while I remember the first time I met each of my children.

After I drove through I could turn left to go home or go straight to keep these little peaceful "happys" from ending.  I went ahead and drove straight through the light and so proceeded to take myself to get a pedicure.  Don't judge.  I just wanted a few more minutes of "me time" and I figured I might as well wait for the dog to be finished so we didn't have to go back out in the snow.  The timing couldn't have been more perfect.  I finished up with pretty red toes and Scout was ready to go as I drove past the Animal Hospital.

As I sat down (after I laid the twins down for a nap) I wanted write my list about what I am grateful for.  I thought about what my list would have looked like had the day gone the way I thought it would in my mind.  I would have found joy somewhere but I am taking heart that this day turned out completely different than I thought it would.  It is the whole day today that I am grateful for.  It is the facial but more importantly the friend that nominated me that I grateful for.  It is the White Castle chicken sandwich but more importantly the happy memories of my sweet babies that I am grateful for.  It is the spontaneous pedicure but more importantly my husband willing to watch the twins that I am grateful for.

There are always, always things I can be grateful for.  I am so thankful for that today, February 17th, 2015.

...and the day is not over!