Our Thanksgiving Weekend started on Wednesday...
Miss C has her annual Turkey Marathon...where they make the kids run to win a Turkey.
They hand out one Turkey for each boy and girl who come in first place in their grade.

Miss C wins by default.
She is the only girl in her class.

I had the pleasure of being there this year, only to find out I had to run.
Thank God I didn't wear stiletos...they made me run with her, hand in hand,

UP A HILL!!

And I'm like:

"Run...Run Miss C..Run dammit..I want that Turkey!!"

Ok.
Not really.
But I did get her pumped up enough to win second place....

Which was a miracle, since when we headed out for the race, she saw the huge inflatables and didn't wanna run...she wanted to go bounce in them...

We convinced her to run real quick and homegirl flung her medal at me and headed for the inflatables, where she obeyed no rules, shoved in front of the rest of the kids, and launched herself with no type of fear, sliding with sheer giggles...

That's my kid!

***
The evening went on about...as I put my tree up...and True came over to practice for Thursday's event. Our church was having a special service, where we would show thanx in different, creative ways...

The pastor directly invited me to make my return to the emcee scene...
Me and True put together this last minute thing..and we spent Wednesday night practicing up until like 1am...

We had a few minor glitches...and creative differences..but we pulled our act together...

***
Thanksgiving...On my way to church....stomach flying in all directions...totally nervous...have half of my song written in my hand....praying and holding onto Christ's robe...a la Vader..

I get to church and while the service begins I'm here repeating my parts over and over...then the pastor comes to me to ask me for a favor...

"Yeah..sure?"
"We have picked 3 people to go up front and speak on what they give thanx for...would you mind being one of those 3?"
"Sure".

So right after the band....I went up front and told them how thankful I was for my daughter's progress...how I didn't understand God's plan for me up until the other days...how I no longer believe in coincidence...that everything has a purpose...

Of course, I didn't not say this with a straight face...I got teary eyed a thousand times...kind of choked on my words..and giggled on how they were gonna make me cry...

Everyone handing me boxes of tissues...

I can't help thinking...
I'm such a corndog...

Then the time was here....
Stage time...
I thought I wanna gonna throw up....
I took the mic...we got on stage..and it went all...all...good...
I kind of stumbled once..but I got it together and you guys should have seen the church...the pastors...EVERYONE!!

Cheering and singing!!

I handed my camera over to a friend..but the batteries died out...Only Mary Poppin's camera would die out on such an ocassion!!! so I couldn't take any videos...only pics...

Another friend managed to take a short video..but don't have the tag to upload it onto here yet...
It's on my myspace if ya care to see...in my comment section..or try the second link..I think you can see it there better...

http://www.myspace.com/marypleavesthebuilding

True & Me

I was so relieved when I got down and it was all over...

And in the pastor's words:

"That was the extra "Umph" you needed to finally be here!!"

Amen.