I will not.

I am thankful.  I am thankful for many, many things.  At this hour, there are LOTS of people who STILL are not home.  Cause of the snow and icy roads and traffic and all.  So, I WILL NOT allow myself to be frustrated by the events of today.  I will not.

What were the events of the day, you ask?  Well, I'll tell you:

1.  Mice.  We have mice.  Mice in my car eating the #7 injector wire - TWICE.  Mice in our storage room.  Mice in our attic.  Thanks to Josh the exterminator guy, we now have a whole bunch of traps.  I'm thankful that he came out at 10:00 today and investigated our problem.  I'm sorry that he BUSTED IT when he slipped outside on our sidewalk.  And I'm pretty sure that we're gonna have to SELL OUR HOUSE cause I cannot deal with mice.  I cannot.  BUT:  for today, this house is warm and I'm IN IT instead of STRANDED on my way TO IT, so I WILL NOT complain. (But if I actually SEE a mouse, I'm checking into the Sheraton.  Just sayin'.)

2.  Snow.  We also have snow.  Much snow.  Snow is cold.  Snow makes my hair wet.  Snow makes the roads hard to drive on.  Snow makes school let out early, which is normally GREAT, unless you're helping a dude set mice traps and don't get to leave the house until 11:10 to get your children from school at 12 across town and CANNOT EVEN GET THERE.  Mary says that snow makes your hands cold and hits you in the face.  Mary also says that snow gets all over her shoes and makes them wet and makes her feet cold.  But, I WILL NOT let the snow bother me today.

3.  Traffic.  There was much traffic today.  I was on McFarland - BAD.  I was on University Blvd - BAD.  I was going across big bridges - BAD.  But, since my tires kept hold of the road and I wasn't part of the traffic in the DITCH, I WILL NOT complain.

4.  Joe.  We do NOT currently have a Joe at our house.  Joe works in Birmingham on Highway 280.  No one who works on Highway 280 is gonna get home today.  Some are sitting on Highway 280 and will be sitting there all night.  Thankfully, Joe's co-worker lives just across the street from their office, so he's toasty and warm and safe.  I'm glad.  So, even though we'll miss our Dad tonight, we're glad he is safe.  So, I WILL NOT worry or be sad.

It's been a long day, huh?  Well, there are LOTS of folks who've had it rougher than we've had it here. So, I will not be stressed.  I WILL smile and enjoy spending time with my kiddies.  I WILL remember to be thankful for electricity and a warm fireplace.  I WILL be grateful for a safe journey across town.  And I WILL be up all night waiting for a mouse to crawl across my face. (That last one stresses me just a bit.)

I did manage, in between all of the mice and snow and traffic and Joe-less-ness, to take a few pictures of our girl on her FIRST SNOW DAY AT HOME!  She liked it, then she didn't like it.......

Didn't even tell her to stick her tongue out..... that must just be a natural snow response!!

For the MILLIONTH time, I told Mary to "say cheese!"..... for the FIRST time ever, she actually smiled at the camera when I said it!!!!  

Uh.  This snow is getting on my shoes.  All pictures after this were taken on the DRIVEWAY.  Girlfriend would NOT get off the driveway to play in the snow.  "Mo!" she would say..... (That's NO in Mary-speak.)

Uh.  I do NOT like this stuff.

Uh.  The DOG is getting snow on his feet.  "Go over THERE, Buddy."