greenbean almondean cows and greener grass!

WOW I'm in a phenomenal mood today!
Thanks for part of my blog title to my friend Kristin (my new nickname - LOL)
yes - I'm secretly a dork!  HA HA
Green = my last name +  my new found love for Almonds!  ha ha  (I have a HUGE jar of them on my desk that I'm made fun of for daily!)
In fact - if I can figure out the signature thing - this may be my new sign-off!  GreenBean Almondean!
anway....."GREEN" will be a feature in the blog today  :)

Today I got an email from one of my dearest friends whom I don't get to see often enough anymore..boo!  We do keep in touch via email and facebook of course, but BTW Michelle - we need to do lunch soon! :)
Anyway - she was reading my blog about my bittersweet weekend and sent me the sweetest email. (which I'm of course pasting....right here) 
"I'm sure there are lots of people who look at you and wish they had your life. You have a college degree, working toward another one, have a healthy son who is very smart and athletic, have a house, an SUV, can come and go as you please, don't have to explain why you spent $$$ on a shopping trip, get to go to "little black dress" parties, the perfect Wednesday night, and the list goes on and on . . . :)"  
Did I mention I LOVE her?!?!  :)  And - can I TELL you how bad I needed someone to say that to me today?!?!  A nice little reminder of what I preach on the TITLE of my blog every day.......LOVE the life I never expected! 
Sometimes I get so down on myself for not being where I think I "should" be - that I miss all the things that have happened in my life so far and why I AM happy about where I am and how I freaking faught so hard to be here!!

So - in true (hidden) country girl spirit - I started thinking about the cows at my parents farm.  Of course we have ALL heard the saying "the grass is always greener on the other side".  With the cows... I have seen it.  I can't tell you how it cracks me up to be at the farm and watch these silly cows (and horses) stick their neck through barbed wire fence just to get a nibble of the grass on the other side!  HELLO - it's inches away from what they are already eating..... it is no different whatsoever!  SO what makes it so enticing for them?!!  The fence!  The fence marks where they are shut out, what they theoretically can't have... which makes them want it that much more.  Just like us silly little people sometimes!!!
Today my special friend reminded me that I have PLENTY of green grass in my life!!  oh how I needed that reminder today.  It's so easy to look from the outside at someone else's life and it all appears "green".   How many times are we guilty of this?!?!  For me personally - I can say alot!  And the thing is - it's not always as green for them as it looks to us.  Look inside your own pasture  :)  Make your own green!
And I'm not just talking material stuff........I'm pointing fingers right back at me....in every aspect.  There are lots of things I wish for in my life that other people have.  And I'm guilty of some days thinking that "if only" I had "that" my life, it would be so much easier and I would be so much happier!

But guess what - TODAY - I looked over my life and I am SOOO thankful for all the blessings! I am sooo thankful for all my friends (and my new blogger buddies!!) that God has put into my life for a reason - and I truly truly believe that...each and EVERY one of you!  I am soo thankful for a GREAT family and a wonderful son (I forget WAY too often how lucky I am for that!)
To quote my friend Michelle again:
"No matter what, I am thankful for where God placed me and what He has given me. That's what matters most. "

The song I'm sharing with you today is a pretty new song "Fireflys" by Owl City - and it just makes me smile!  (not to mention it sticks with the country theme....ha ha pastures and cows and fireflys!)  The version of the song that I'm sharing with you is a MIX of the song made by a local DJ here in Bowling Green, KY- Thanks DJ Handlon!!!  LOVE IT!