Appreciation.

Today I wore a rather frilly dress. The kind that you put on and immediately want to curtsy in. The occasion? Nothing special. In fact, it had more to do with the fact that I need to do laundry than anything else.

And so. In my Sunday-go-to-meeting dress that I had turned into a Monday-go-to-hospital dress, I strolled down the street to grab a bite to eat for lunch. Nothing too spectacular. Just a doctor in her Mary Poppins frock bopping down the street.

The sky was extra blue. The clouds seemed like they'd been piped into the sky like frosting on a wedding cake. And all of it was sort of magical and special so I took a moment to marvel at it.

Which reminds me.

Isaiah and I were riding in the car last week after a rain storm. He suddenly started yelling for me to pass him my phone so that he could snap a picture. And he pleaded with me, "Mom! Hurrrrry!" And I guess I decided that it wouldn't hurt to oblige him.

Here is the photo he took:

And I mean, seriously? Does it get any better than that?

I love that kid.

So yeah. With that in mind, I guess I decided to take a minute to appreciate my surroundings. Which is what I did when I snapped that picture of Grady today that you see above. To remember that blue sky with the fluffy ribbons of clouds nestled against her proud towers.

Anywho.

I kept on walking and I heard someone speaking to me.

"Hey there, pretty lady! You sho' look nice!"

I turned around and saw an older gentleman who was dressed pretty dapper himself. He had his own style and boy was he owning it.

"I appreciate the compliment, sir!"

"What's the occasion, Doc?"

"No occasion. Just one of those days, I guess. A day to be fancy!"

"I heard that, sugar!" He cackled when he said that which made me laugh, too.

"You're pretty snazzy, too. What's got you so spiffy?"

He laughed again. "Oh, sugar, this is what I does." And yes, that is what he said. Then he struck a pose.

And that pose was just too good to not photograph. He proudly gave me permission to share it with you.

And you know? This sight made my day. I swear it did.

You know what else? I curtsied to him. I most certainly did. Grabbed the corners of my girly-girl dress with delicate fingertips, plucked them skyward and then gently lowered my knee and chin. A curtsy fit for the Duchess of Cambridge and her new little baby with all the names. Mmmm hmm. Right there on the sidewalk in front of the hospital. Which, in a way, felt like a curtsy to Grady, too.

Yep.

You know? I just love Grady Hospital. I mean it--I do. And I am so, so glad to be here.

Yeah.

***
Happy Monday.