My friend Stephenie S. had blogged how great MAMMA MIA! was. As she and I began to text I found out she REALLY enjoyed it and insisted Barbie, her mom Sue and I go see it. As it turned out, Saturday, the day planned for this adventure, Sue would be working, Barbie had a chap and I had chaps. We decided we would just load up all the girl chaps and head to town. Off to Brookhaven, Barbie driving, me (co-pilot) up front. JoBea & Brandi in second seat with Madge and Carly to the back. I let Stephenie know we had the movie covered with all ages going to critique it. With this call I had orders to call her AS SOON as we left the theater.

After stopping for a good deal on shoes for Carly and Madge, on to the movies we went. Got tickets, packed up on the popcorn and drinks and settled in the darkness. We laughed the whole way through. Very good cast, great setting, but as always, they have to put a little of everything that is "not of God" in movies to not offend anyone...at least they were very quick and moved on without dwelling there in those places. As soon as we pulled out the parking lot of the movie, I called Steph. She asked if we liked it, I moved the phone away from my ear and we all sang "we're having the time of our lives" (that's part of "Dancing Queen" which was in the movie). Carly and Madge said it was going to be a VERY LONG time before they went to another musical! They loved the most of it, but not the semi-slow songs. All in all it was great! Girls out there, if you haven't seen this one, you NEED TO! Did I mention it had been 23 yrs. since I had gone to the movies?!

Sunday rolled around. As soon as lunch was over at Church, I got JoBea and Madge settled to where they would be while I went to Jackson to stay overnight for an early Dr. appt. Debra drove me up, and really got into scooting around in my little red car! She and I got a room, of course we were hungry and in the process of talking I told her she needed to see MAMMA MIA! She had seen the previews and that was it. Well, luck would have it, or I should say God would have it, the Movie Theater was right next door. It was now 5:30 and with starvation at our door we decided where to eat, but first I bailed out the car and up to the window to check the time on the movie. 7:10. We were excited about this, but she wasn't sure about me seeing it a 2nd time. I reassured her I wanted to see it again. At 7:10 we are seated, along with the other 6 people, PRAISE GOD, in the darkness once again. After 20minutes we had wondered if we had gotten tickets to see just previews of shows because that's all there was. FINALLY, MAMMA MIA! I laughed just as much, I think maybe more, than the first time. I definitely wanted to get up and dance, clap and just let loose. After leaving I found out Debra felt the same way. It was one of those movies you want to clap (because you lose yourself) as if watching a play. While walking to the car we were giddy like school girls. Maybe it was the tiredness of our bodies in thinking about that long 2 min. trip back to our hotel : )

Debra was hyped with enjoyment from the movie. She and I talked until around midnight before calling it a night.

Monday morning was a GOD day. We woke up, both of us, with the song, MAMMA MIA running in our brains. We couldn't shake it.

God lead me to another good Dr. (orthopedic) where I had x-rays, and sent on for MRI. Let's stop here. As many MRI's I've had, none of them have ever told me bye before....has yours? As I laid there with my right leg strapped down (the one being seen about) and my left one stacked in the air on a wedge with 6 pillows on top of that, barely making it in the MRI, the lady told me she would see me in about 20 minutes. Oh how I hate to be in a dimly lit room, strapped down, not being able to see IF anyone is there . After singing praise music to Jesus, looking him face to face because lying down you can only look up : ) I began to count the number of different sections being done...it gets quiet between intervals, that's how I know. After a few rounds of this, the silence was broken by the machine sounding just like this: bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye, and so on. I thought to myself, wouldn't that be funny if this wound up being the last test! Just as the last "bye bye bye..." was being said, the lady walks in the room as says "that's it." I told her I had NEVER had an MRI tell me bye before and she just laughed.

We had lunch, stopped at a place or 2 and headed back South...even tho we really didn't want to. As we traveled on, we HAD to stop in Brookhaven at Sonic for lemonberry slush and chocolate shake! On down the road, Debra began to struggle with the strawberry in the glass. She kept sucking it up and it would stop up her straw...this was serious business! After she struggled awhile, she finally won the battle, and that just set us off again. As we laughed, Debra told me that when laughing you also are burning calories. I said, "well that's a good thing, we should be losing some weight...except here I am drinking on a shake while laughing so no loss here!" Needless to say we finally arrived home.

Here we are on Tuesday and guess what we are doing tomorrow?!

YOU GOT IT!!! We are taking Sue to see the movie! Debra and Barbie will see it their 2nd time and it will be my 3rd. I'm calling it quits after that...until the movie comes out on DVD. I actually went the 2nd time and will go the 3rd because I just don't feel like ANYONE should see this one alone. You need to SHARE in the fun!!!

Lord, I THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for the great friends you have put in my life that we can share fun times & laughter, as well as the hard times & the tears...and still be there for each other because we are each on the same journey and that is to serve You.

"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20

Study note: The old saying "A rotten apple spoils the barrel" is often applied to friendships, and with good reason. Our friends and associates affect us, sometimes profoundly. Be careful whom you choose as your closest friends. Spend time with people you want to be like--because you and your friends will surely grow to resemble each other.

Umm, then again, we might better rethink these friendships : )

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!