Thankful

Waking up in the night to the sound of ice pellets bounding from your windows and dancing around the asphalt shingles on the roof, along side the bone chilling screech of tree branches scrubbing the flesh from each other and sensing the invisible force that moves mountains ripping away at the mortar of the chimney, is not what I picture as inviting, or even amusing.  But that is what I faced over night leading to Wednesday morning.  I shouldn't have been surprised, the weather forecast was calling for snow and freezing rain, but as experience has documented, never trust the weather man.  So I went to bed, half expecting it to be warm and sunny in the morning, only to be jolted by what I imagined was a group of ninjas creeping along the sides of my house tormenting me and my innocent family as we tried to find rest, or that the assembly of mythological creatures I sometimes read about on line, had come to prove their existence to me when I was most vulnerable.

No I didn't eat anything weird before bed, and had is been a thunderstorm I would have slept through it, but for some unknown undesired reason I shot up awake.  Also did I mention I was on the couch?  My family has gone through a long, sorry loooooooong bout of sickness.  With no exaggeration we have been cycling in and out of different illnesses since last May, including basic colds and severe allergies.  On the weekend I was sick with our middle child, he more so then I was, and it was not enjoyable. 1 hour of sleep through the night, waking up to the sound of 'Daddy I need to tell my throat not to puke', good thing I had a popcorn bowl handy.  So we were both shut down for Sunday and Monday.  Which brings us to last night, our daughter has had a cold, but out of knowledge of the belly monster and fear of top bunk puke, I traversed the hall way with daughter in arms to the living room, onto the the oh so comforting and inviting couches.

Maybe it was the fear that she was waking up tossing the last days meals all over her blankets, but every sound sent me into the defensive 'who's there' mode, lunging for the bucket to get it near the girl before she made our everything stained carpet a little worse, with no results.  So I made my way back to the couch, curled under the Thomas the Train blanket, folded up the too thin pillow and closed my eyes.  Sleep is coming.  For 10 minutes. Coughing, what sounded like a gag, a quick sneeze and then it happened.

The dog licked my face.  

With the smelliest, slimiest tongue that has entered the atmosphere, my face was covered in slobber and dog bowl water, at least it wasn't from the toilet.  And at least it wasn't puke.  I pushed him away, he went and curled on his lazy boy, yes my dog has a recliner that he has claimed for his own.  And none of us dare try to claim it back, that chair is disgusting, even if it does have a built in heater and massage function, which are broken but not beyond repair.  It's his and we all know it.

Back to sleep.  Wake up to my alarm clock, to rain, to a happy, healthy, coughing daughter.

And all I can think is, I am thankful for angry trees and roof dancing ninjas, and the loch ness monster, and the nasty smelling dog snot on my face.  Because at least it wasn't a hacking, gaging, puking daughter that woke me up.  That's one thing I can celebrate today, even in a dreary, wet, fall emulating spring day.

What are you thankful for today?  What sounds do you hate waking up to?