What’s Your Moose?

The organization I belong to (Daughters of the Nile, check us out at www.daughtersofthenile.com ) has an office named Princess Badoura.  I have had the honor of serving in this station this year.  Diane, one of our members who always finds a way to make me smile, found out that Minnesota has a Badoura State Forest.  So, a couple of weeks ago, a van load of Nile friends and I went to Badoura, MN to see the forest.  We rented a van, piled in, and drove the three hours north to Nimrod, MN, had lunch, and then went to Badoura State Forest to take pictures of a sign.  Because where on earth will you find Badoura State Forest?

More significantly, where else will you find a van full of women willing to drive 6+ hours in one day just to have lunch and take a picture of the sign?  Only Daughters of the Nile.  This group of women is unlike any group I’ve ever seen. Our group is filled with amazing women of all ages, with many talents.  And we love to use these talents for the common good.  And we have a lot of fun along the way.

Side-Segway into my life goals for a moment – Living in Minnesota, you get to see all sorts of animals in the wild – Deer, moose, bear, pheasant, cougar, coyote, wolf, etc.  I have always wanted to see a moose on the side of the road while driving, and I am CONSTANTLY on the lookout for moose.  Literally, it’s been almost 42 years now, Mother Nature.  Throw me a bone, will ya?

Back to my story.  So I was driving on this three and a half hour odyssey north.  We are really 10 miles outside of nowhere.  Farms, forest, and road.  Well, you KNOW I’m looking for Moose.

And then it happened.

A big, beautiful moose on the side of the road, standing in the trees.

Excitedly, I cried outloud to the car full of women:  “Look!  A Moose!”

And everyone started laughing.  And I soon saw why.  My moose was actually a cow.   And that’s not the typical female moose (they’re called cows, ironically).  This was a dairy cow.

Soon, everything became a moose.  Since this car ride, I’ve seen Donkey Moose, Deer Moose, and Turkey Moose, and the ever elusive State Trooper Moose.  Embarrassing?  Hardly.  These are the women who always make me smile, and it’s just another excuse to do so.

What’s your story?  What always makes you laugh?  I’ve got a lot of them – the hallmark of a life well lived – the moments that make you laugh.