Thankful

Thankful.



It's a week to be thankful. Thanksgiving is Thursday. Black Friday is the next day.

I remember back in the old days when Mom and Grandma Morgan would go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. I don't think it was called "Black Friday" back then, but Mom would always get the Santa Bear at Hudson's (or whatever name the store was called then). I think they always went to Flint.

Life is busy. We always move way to fast. Time never slows down. But then again, what is time if we don't force ourselves to be bound by calendars and clocks? Time? I don't have any problem being busy because it keeps me focused. The busier I am, the better the results.

A few years ago, my Dad and I decided we would venture out on Black Friday. It's usually pretty fun. We get to visit, do some Christmas shopping, and have some fun. A couple of years ago, Lori decided she would come along, too. Now, we go out and about, hit a few stores and try to get some deals.

Life goes fast. Some days, I can't believe it's November, let alone believe that in a few weeks it's going to be 2010. That would mean I've been out of high school for 20 years. Where did all that time go? I can just hear Jim Croce sing, "If I could put time in a bottle ... "

Lately, I've been taking a lot of pictures. I've always liked to take pictures. They provide memories. But, I've been taking pictures lately because by slowing down, really looking at a potential picture, setting up my tripod, setting the D60 just right, and really thinking about what I'm going to capture, allows me to slow down and put time in a bottle. It's like the phrase, "Stop and smell the roses." That's what I do when I capture a sunrise or sunset — or if I just stop and take some shots of a swamp. It's a way to relax. It's my way to relax.

I normally don't get all serious in my posts, but I'm going to switch gears. We recently found out that Amber (she's the one pictured above) has a large cyst in her abdomen area. It may be attached to her ovaries or it may be attached to her uterus. It's huge — the size of a cantaloupe we were told yesterday. She has to undergo surgery on December 10. After the surgery, we will find out what the cyst is made of.

The CT–Scan, ultrasounds, etc. cannot show exactly what is happening. It may have grown suddenly; it may have festered for years. We're hopeful for the best. You know what worries Amber more than anything? It's missing her classes at college and her work at Meijer! She's in a groove (well, she is struggling in her math class) and it stresses her that she has to STOP to take care of this.

She is relieved to know that the pain will go away. But the timing isn't just right, but it's as good as could be done. She'll miss her last week of classes and miss some busy times at work. Her attitude toward the surgery is positive. And that's half the battle. We're thankful that we know what the problem is and that it can be solved.



So, when you're out and about, think about what you're thankful for. And stop and smell the roses. Or snap a shot of the sunset. It's worth slowing down ... for just a moment.