Shoving My Hand Up a Turkey's Butt Twice

I did not write the title of this post, but it's pretty dead on for those of us who need second chances. 

When crap first hit the fan back in 2010, my friend Audrey, who wasn't really "my friend" back then but rather an acquaintance, spent many a dinner with me with one or both of her sons, even on school nights. She accompanied me to my first attorney consult. We exchanged countless emails, texts and phone calls. Why? Because, earlier in her life her husband also walked out and left her with two beautiful little boys, never to come back to see those kids for the first year he was gone.

She knew what heartache was.

She knew what it meant to put one foot in front of the other.

Friend is an entirely inadequate term for the connection we formed.

She's an amazing single mom of two gorgeous, sweet, kind boys who Oliver completely adores.

Audrey posted this on Facebook on Thanksgiving, and I asked her if I could share it with you. It's unedited, reprinted exactly as it appeared on her post.

Despite shoving my hand up a turkey's butt twice, here it is to add to the pile of posts on gratitude:

I am grateful for do-overs and 2nd chances. I am grateful for being alive, after all the boundary testing I did in that area. I am grateful for the people who were waiting to show me I didn't have to live like that, who helped lift the fog so I could see differently. I am grateful for my friends that waited for me, despite my behavior, they loved me anyways. I am grateful to have been raised in a family with morals and values so that I, in turn, can give that to my boys. I am grateful for my boys, they are full of the spirit and it's a privilege to watch them grow and learn. I am grateful for the 2nd chance to be the daughter I always wanted to be, because it didn't have to turn out like that (which is why I stuffed that turkey's ass twice :) - love you Daddy! )I am grateful for having my heart broken and being given the courage to let it mend and leave it open for more, because it has been filled to the point of overflowing, countless times over. I am grateful for the seemingly bad, that always turns out to be awesome life lessons. I am grateful for this life we live, that was not my design, not even close, and THANK GOODNESS! Because it is just SO much better than I ever could have planned or pulled off for myself.

I am grateful for my God, who I know is looking down, wagging his finger at me saying "you just wait Audrey... You ain't seen nothing yet!"...

My heart is full and I hope all of yours are too! gobble goo!


Thank you Audrey for walking me thru this and for loving me despite my choices, for being a wonderful friend to me, a loyal confident who patiently and painstakingly watched me find a way to stay on my feet.

I'm grateful for Audrey.

I'm grateful for all my friends, my family, my readers who love me despite the time it takes to muddle thru this part of my life.

I'm grateful for my beautiful son who breathes life into me, sprinkles it with joy and fun, who loves me unconditionally, who adores me more than I deserve.

I'm grateful for second chances, for living and loving differently, better, with dignity, forgiveness and grace.

Happy, peaceful and full of joy is how I feel today.

I have Oliver this long holiday weekend. All is well in our world today, despite my stubborn oven deciding to become indignant and unresponsive just as I needed to preheat it for our delicately prepared, brined, organic turkey on Thanksgiving.

Seriously.

But I also have the oven part to fix it and hear me friends: I don't need a man to do this! :D

Love, Andrea





Comments

  1. I am grateful that you write this blog, because I get to read about the miraculous loyalty of friends like this one.

    Having the part to fix the oven is also a miracle. That has never happened to anybody I know.

    I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving, with blessings for you that extend and extend and extend in time.

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