Thankfully me...

I looooooovvvve holidays, but especially the ones that give me an excuse to pull out the elastic-waist yoga pants and over indulge in delicious treats! I really don't have much to do for tomorrow's feast (I'm making apple cobbler and brownies - from scratch not the box thank you very much), so I'm especially looking forward to lounging around until dinner is ready : )

Although I make sure to say a quick prayer of thanks every morning before I get out of bed, I feel moved to share my list of things that I am thankful for in honor of the big day of thanks tomorrow, so here goes.

I am thankful for:

...having a family and friends who love me.

...having a job, even more so one that I enjoy, during these crazy economic times when so many people are losing their steady source of income.

...being able to indulge in a new pair of shoes or random article of clothing every now and again. Okay, so its been more now than again, but I'm thankful all the same.

...being so close to my Godsons! I may joke about living in the servant's quarters, but I really love it. I like being the first person to hear them when they wake up in the mornings and being able to offer a little late night/early morning hug or 2 if they have a nightmare.

...feeling as if I am walking in my purpose.

...being able to realize when I need to subtract people/behaviors from my life.

...my ability to pretend that all food consumed on Thanksgiving is calorie, cholesterol and fat free : )

Leaf me alone

So, in the month that I've lived in North Georgia, I've learned several things about myself...really profound things.... I heart fall leaves....okay so I lied, it's not profound.

But seriously I honestly love seeing the vibrant yellows, reds and oranges as the leaves on the trees concede defeat and accept the arrival of fall and the impending winter.

Since I live in Alpharetta, but work in Gainesville every morning on my way to work, I get to really drink in the changing colors as I drive along I-985.

Living in South Georgia all my life, I've never really experienced anything like this before. Don't get me wrong, we have trees down there, but the leaves just turn brown and then fall off. And I've been to other northern states in the fall before, but I've never actually been able to see the steady progression from green to the other fire-like colors that I've seen now.

I mean I love everything about these fall leaves. From the color to the crunch.

The other morning as I was pulling into the parking lot at work I noticed that there was a significant pile of fallen leaves stretched between 6 or 7 empty parking spaces. So in a decidedly child-like moment, I turned my radio off , rolled down my windows and slowly drove through the parking spaces and over the leaves, just so I could hear the CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH.

Now, I still miss the beaches of my original southern Georgia home, but the leaves here give me something else to enjoy while I'm away.....

A CHANGE is gonna come

As a journalist, I am expected to remain impartial on the issues even when everyone else expresses their views so freely. Well on the morning of a such a momentous occasion, I feel justified in breaking that rule because I feel more passionate about this presidential election than I've ever felt about anything else EVER.

As I type away on my computer, through the tears that threaten to spill from my eyes, I am proud to announce to the world and the infinite web audience that I am without a shadow of a doubt Probama!

Yes I voted early, and I am proud to say that I cast my ballot for the first Black president of the United States. Yes I am Black, but I did not vote for him because of his race, I voted for the BEST man for the job.

I voted not for myself, but for my niece, godsons and my own unborn children. I voted because I know that change doesn't happen overnight and so I took a stand today for their better tomorrows. I voted to plant the seed so that their generation may reap the harvest. I voted unselfishly for CHANGE because I want to leave this world a better place than it was when I found it.

I voted because I know that if you do what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always gotten. I voted for the man that WILL get the job done. I voted because I have faith that I can help correct the mistakes of the past by voting to elect a visionary leader for the future.

The journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step and I am proud to say that I took a step in the right direction...