Teach Me How to Snuggie

Me with my Snuggie...I look like the Black Statue of Liberty

This next birthday story is from 2009.  It was the last year of my third decade of existence.  I was excited because I had just hit my stride in my job at the Roanoke Elementary Autism Program, affectionately and conveniently known as REAP.  I made some pretty good friends that year.  My co-workers were pretty cool.  That year, I guess they liked me so much that they all kinda pitched in to get me the one thing I wanted more than anything in the world, a Snuggie.  Yes, that blanket with sleeves.  Well, they all said that they got me something that I would be happy to have.  After many days of hype, the box came in.  There it sat, a brand new Snuggie in that sea foam green.  It made me smile.  Not only did I get a Snuggie, I got that awesome flipping book light that went with it.  It gets better than that.  The package came with a SECOND Snuggie and book light.  I told my pastor that if I ever got a Snuggie and it came with an extra, I'd give it to him.  So that Sunday in church, I gave him his Snuggie and book light.  He was obviously happy.  Mostly over the book light, truth be told.  I think he just liked the flipping action.  That birthday was kind of the culmination of a lot of things for me.  I was starting to really get close to God because of my new church.  I trusted God with my career after not being a youth pastor anymore.  The day I joined that church was the day that I was called to be hired to work at REAP and Mountain View Elementary.  I loved my job as a youth pastor, truly did.  However, it was hurting me to be so out of it because of working at two other places.  I also felt the call to go into education.  What facet, I didn't really know until I got into REAP.  That was a great group of people.  I still work with some of them today and keep fairly decent contact with others.  That Snuggie is still next to me right now.  In fact, I'm probably about to put it on.  It's my constant reminder that I'm in a good place now.  I'm where the Good Lord wants me, which is the best place to be.