#9 Hugs

Hugs on Best Friends Day! 

 Some days we all just need a hug. Time in the arms of those that make us feel safe and loved. 

He is the best dog ever, To think that someone threw him away on a ditch bank as a puppy.
Me and this guy have been doing life together for over 8 years now.

Both by each others side when we were broken and undone. Me during back surgery recovery and him after a bad break.  Always there helping each other recover from the harshness of life.
We slept days and weeks away TOGETHER healing.
We walked miles and miles TOGETHER in recovery.  Some days we were slow and steady. Others times pushing the other past the comfort zone.

He is the most caring. Always there to lend a hand.

I love him BIG!

My Dufus Xavier...my thrown away puppy.

#8 Making a List Checking it twice

Today a coworker made a comment that I was "unbelievable happy" HA!! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. They went on to say that they admired my life and wished they could have their own "Living the DREAM" moment. This blew. My. Mind. 
Happy? What in the world? 
We sat and talked for a bit and I shared some things happening in my life right at that very moment. Feelings I was having, and how more day's than not, I feel like I am failing at adulting.  In the words of my all time favorite movie Forrest Gump. Life is tuff! 

It got me to thinking about all the things happening in my life and how I was dealing with them. Were my reactions and choices helping or hurting the situation? Was I trusting that God would work it all out for me. Or was I making choices in order to manipulate the outcome of my current and most pressing needs/issues. So I did what I always do and I made a list. List are awesome!! They keep me on task and let me know what still needs attention. They also make me fill productive and fulfilled by seeing those check marks and lines crossed through items. Done, done & done. This is how my brain works. 

Then my mind wandered...squirrel. This happens often and off the rails I go. 
My train of thought has just jumped tracks and heading in a completely different direction. 

What list could I make from Forrest Gump? What nuggets of pure genius could I derive from him? So...

#1 We are all different so embrace it.

#2  Giving compliments is always good

#3 Pick your battles
#4 Admit your flaws

#5 Make your peace with God
#6 Friends are forever
#7 Dr Pepper is a GOOD THING  

#8 Expect the unexpected
#9 Put the past behind you (Let go of what you can't control. This one hits waayy to close to home) 
#10 Do your very best.

"And that's all I have to say about that"

In other news, there has been more movement on the job front. I don't want to jinx it but I'm hoping for exciting news very soon!! 

Fingers + Toes crossed. 

Night Y'all 

#7 You've Got Mail

I love getting handwritten mail!! Snail mail as it's called now. I adore it! Someone took the time to put down their thoughts on paper, in their own words. It's the absolute best thing ever in my opinion. The other day I found a note on my desk from a student worker. It was adorable and endearing. It made me feel ever so special.

Tonight when I was thinking of what to write about since today was kind of a crappy day.  That note came back to my mind. How special it made me feel at a time in my life when I am feeling anything but. As I sat back in my chair pondering the GOOD stuff, there it was right in front of my face.

 These little gems were given to me in the last year or so. I treasure them dearly. They make my heart smile. They are the GOOD STUFF.

(Not sure why they are yellow but alas technology is not my friend today)

Every single day, do something that makes your heart sing. Yes that is absolutely a good thing and some great advice to follow. 

Nite y'all and keep an eye out in your mailbox, there just might be some snail mail headed your way. 

Side note, You've Got Mail is in the top 10 of my favorite movies. 

#6 Mitford & April Fools

Good thing #1
I like to read. I am a somewhat slow reader compared to Mister. He can get ravage through a book in a day or two, I have three half read on my nightstand that have been there for 6 months. I guess some would say that I possibly don't like it all that much.  I honestly do enjoy reading but I dread getting to the end of the book. I have invested all this energy into imagining what they look like, how their home would smell the first time I walked in (weird I know), where are they now, are they still in love, did the four best friends go on another summer girls trip? It puts me into a total "Misery" downward spiral!!
The very fist book I ever set and read non stop was Are you there God? It's me Margaret. I was 13. After over 30 years, I still have questions!  Did she marry her crush? Did the brace help her scoliosis? Is she still talking to her bra? Is she still friends with Nancy her neighbor, Gretchen and Jane? Crazy I know. So I am giving this whole reading thing another shot by starting the Mitford series.  There are 14 books so this could be my answer. Fingers crossed the characters are as interesting as the reviews claim.

Good Thing #2
A coworker that I didn't even know I was friends with on Facebook asked me today why I call the blog     "Just a couple of April Fools". Wait? What? First off, let me tell ya I was totally shocked that anyone at all reads this silly thing. I was totally flattered. So I explained...

Mister and I met in high school, our sophomore year to be exact. We were inseparable after about a month. Had our son one year later (Que the gasps), and right after high school just started to live the adult life of two teenage parents with no money. We didn't get married until our second child (more shock & awe. However we did wait almost 5 years. That makes it a little more socially acceptable right? ) was almost 2 years old. We were living in Little Rock Arkansas. he was moving furniture across the country and I was working for Sears. The total American dream right? He came in on April 1'st to pick me up for lunch since he was home for a few days. Being the total funny guy he "thinks" he is, he asked me to marry him right there in the store. Now I knew what day it was and didn't take the bait. However my coworkers and his father, who was tagging along for lunch, thought it was just too cute for words. He looked at me, I looked at him and we were both like "WHY NOT"? Off we went to the JP on my lunch hour and tied the knot. Yup, we got married on April Fools Day. I always tell him "So who's the fool now? Still think your funny?  I went back to work and that night we had Sonic for dinner with both kids and his dad. The rest is the stuff of novels...horror, drama and tragic novels LOL. He is my knight in shinning armor. He is my best friend. He is my everything. He's my Mister.

So now you know why this blog is named what it is. I promised God 365 days of "Good Things". My life with Mister is a really Good Thing.

Night Y'all...

#5 HOME PART 2

Yesterday was a free fishing day in Texas. Anyone could fish without a fishing license for that day only. Well you know we were all over that. The Mister and I love to fish. I wouldn't say that either of us is very good at it but we love it none the less. So today I could join in on the fun as well without the worry of getting in trouble ( I'm cheap and won't spend the money for my own license).

We got up early having made all the plans the night before. First, we needed to head into town (Waco) to get a new battery for the car. It was time for a new one and it had been giving me fits all week. It was a quick and kind of expensive first stop. Why do batteries need to be cost so much? Then we were on our way. Now by this time it was already almost 10:00 AM and we decided that the our primo location, decided on the night before, was probably already swarming with rods, reels and eager anglers. So we made our way back to good ole HWY 6 and headed for Tradinghouse Lake. Later in the day we learned it also goes by TP&E. (It's always good to learn the lingo 'round here).

We surveyed the land and found our spot. Unloaded the car, set up gear and waited to land our first BIG FISH of the season. We waited eagerly, then patiently, then not so patiently. Fish were biting but we weren't catching. They're sneaky little buggers. Good thing I had the foresight to purchase this month edition of Better Homes & Gardens. I was sure it would come in handy soon since my patience was running a little thin.

As I have told you in early posts (you know cause I've been doing this forever) we get clouds and WEATHER pretty quickly in central Texas, and here they came. The wind picked up a little which felt amazing. Then that all to familiar amazing scent started wafting over the lake. Rain was on it's way.

Some of the boaters knew it as well. They started coming in one after the other. We decided the locals may know more the us, so we packed up. Thank goodness we did since about 5 minutes after we were in the car it started to pour.  Our fishing day had come to an end.

On our drive back to good ole HWY 6 and home, the radio was hitting all the best songs and then this came on...

"A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while"

American Pie always makes me happy and just a little sad. It is one of my all time favorite songs. As we drove down the back road heading "HOME", we couldn't help but notice how much more beautiful it seemed to be today.

It still surprises me that I live here. This is HOME.

Isn't it something that this is just behind our house. You know the one in the residential neighborhood??

Then came our turn. It seems so much more picturesque now than it had on the our first drive down this road.

Not the best photo since it is still raining just a little but this is the entrance to our neighborhood. (Teacher Row as some call it. Again it's important to know the lingo. We are trying to fit in. Assimilation is key)

Then on to good ole Canton Ln. 

Hard to believe this is just to the left of the road. It makes for a great view out of my computer room window as I sit here and type this.

And here is the curve right before you see it...Our home. Our little piece of Texas heaven. It's it just grand?

God really knew what he was doing here don't ya think. (Ignore the trash can..get it together Gentry's. We're ruining the neighborhood)

It hasn't been easy. Leaving everyone we love to follow our heart. Changing the narrative of your life is never easy but it is always worth it when God is doing the writing.  

And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

Since this was all yesterday, today's GOOD thing is watching BIG FISH tonight. I haven't seen it in forever and it always makes me cry. Till tomorrow my sweet family and friends.

#4 HOME PART 1

Today it has been 368 days since we stepped off the plane at DFW airport in Dallas/Ft. Worth.
It was raining. The air was crisp and cool. Back in SoCal the temperatures were steadily climbing up over 100.  Not here...not today. We were so full of anticipation. What would our new home town look like? Was it as lovely as the pictures we had seen? Where would we find "THE" house? We headed out in our rental truck. You need a truck when your looking for acreage. It's the only practical thing to do.

I remember coming over the hill just north of Hillsboro. My O my what a view. Rolling hills, dense trees broken up by pasture land and crops. It was almost magical. They sky was grey and the soft rain steadily feel.  I was HOME. What a weird thought it was at the time but if felt natural, comfortable. Like putting on your favorite sweater.

We drove on headed for our temporary housing at the Quality Inn & Suites. (Picked this one because of Jerome. The reviews about his customer service skills made it an easy choice. You should stay there if you ever visit Waco, TX. Tell him the Gentry's sent you.)  We settled in and looked for a place to have dinner and go over our strategy for the next day. It was game time. Time to start the search for the one. We knew it was out there but where? That night I had the best sleep in the biggest bed you ever did see. We could roll over twice and probably still not touch each other. Way to go Jerome, awesome choice of rooms!

Day 1 started at Magnolia Realty. Oh I can hear y'all now. The fixer upper folks? YES!!
I had been corresponding with Haley (Also amazing reviews! You really should read them before making any decision) for over a year. I knew she was the realtor for us when I found her on Instagram and saw a couple of videos of her pet turtles. She has a turtle named FAT AMY! How in the world could I not pick Haley? She was most assuredly the right person for the job at hand. Her reviews said just that

We chatted for a bit and got to know each other. She gave us some Magnolia coffee cups, which by the way is the perfect item to hold all my makeup brushes while we were staying at our temporary home with Jerome manning the front desk. Then we set out!! It was happening y'all! We were now on the hunt!! After seeing several houses that day. One of which I was almost sure something possibly illegal may or may not have happened inside those walls. Three houses, in three separate towns, all of them were not the ONE. I quickly began to realize that this task might just be a little more complicated than first anticipated.  We parted for the day while they (Shelly was here as well. Also GREAT reviews) went back to their office to formulate a new plan of attack. We headed in search of a lunch.

Day 2 started early and in the rain with what was to be 6 houses to see. The forecast the night before called for rain. All.  Day. Long. Hard rain, BIG rain. lots and lots of Rain. Not to worry...I came prepared. Aren't these the cutest?

We headed for Speegelville to see the first house on the list. NOPE!! we didn't even get out of the truck. We beat Haley there, so we called her and politely said...next. She obliged. We met up with her at a church nearby to follow on to the next destination. She looked worried and a little sad. The news she was about to give us was NOT what we wanted to hear. The six houses on the list to look at just 12 hours prior had quickly went to 4. Two of the houses sold overnight and sight unseen. Who does that?? Who buys a house before they've seen it, touched it or felt it's spirit? Apparently it was a "THING" happening in this area. Real Estate was a hot item and houses went quickly and for way more than asking. I began to panic!!  As we headed to the second house (she assured us we would love this one), still with the rain pouring, she called us on the cell to say, this house had also just went "under contract". Two houses left!! We only had two houses left to see. We said a prayer and pushed on. The rain seemed to be coming down faster and harder than before but we were undeterred.  She let us know that this particular one was in a very small town and had been vacant for some time. Wait what? Houses go quickly here you said. What's wrong with it? Why? What? Where? Questions began to flood my mind. But on we drove. We entered what seemed to be a small spot in the road. Something we were most familiar with back in Cali so that was perfectly fine. We turned into what seemed to be a residential neighborhood. Wait! She's knows we are looking for acreage? Where are we headed? Then down another street. This isn't happening right? And then as we rounded the small curve in the road...there it was!

Mister and I looked at each other in disbelief. How is this here? In this neighborhood? We can't afford this? It's way better than most everything else we had seen.

The land was beautiful. Everything that I had imagined in my mind was starting to be tangible. The trees, the rolling green pasture, the ranch style, single story house. It was all here. I could touch it and see it for the first time outside my mind.

We got out in the pouring rain and waited for Haley to let us in. .

We walked the house as she explained every detail. We looked at each other and said "this is it". We found our HOME. Isn't that just the best feeling! When you know in your heart you are home. God had this house, on this block, just for US!! Isn't He just something else? He's pretty fantastic if you ask me. Well him and my Mister. (God had him just for me as well). To be continued...

#3 Clouds + Crepe Myrtles

Walking outside after dinner I was greeted with this. 

Isn't it beautiful? Like God is kinda just showing off. As if I can almost reach out and touch these billowy, magical puffs that fill the air with the most amazing scent. 

Why do I suddenly want a moon pie?

I still haven't gotten used to watching the clouds roll in, making me full aware that I am now in the land of WEATHER!  

Weather!! Where the most beautiful sunshine can change within minutes. That gentle breeze turns a little more ominous and there is a shift in the air. Suddenly, those billowy clouds of puff grow grey and dark.
Still thinking about a Moon Pie! (Pull it together woman)

Watching this all happen in the span of about thirty minutes makes me fully aware that today's good thing is. The rain waited until I was home. Safe. Dry.  And with my Mister. The only place I ever want to be. Today's GOOD thing is HOME! 

Our Texas home. Where even if the wind howls and the rain falls, we are right where we are supposed to be.