That date would change her personal and professional life and result in a fart heard around the country.
When Anna and Rob first locked eyes, "I don't know how to explain it," she writes, "other than to say when I saw him, I saw my husband." It was love at first sight for him as well, and it's a good thing. They drove over to the mall to do some shopping. And then it hit.
"Gas strikes in two different ways--uncontrollable toots or sharp, shooting pains that feel a lot like dying. I thought I was dying." She made some kind of excuse about not feeling well, but as Rob was driving her home it happened. "A horrific fart cloud. Not in an 'Am I smelling something?' sort of way. More like an 'Is someone dead and rotting in your trunk, and am I in hell?' sort of way."
The tale went viral and Thomas left Chico to take up humor writing fulltime. Her first book is full of common scents, so to speak, as she takes up raising two daughters who want to know about mommy parts, body image ("I'm almost forty now and the chubby girl is still there") and coming to terms with overlarge fears. Does that late night thump mean there's a murderer in the house? Rob, go see!
"We'll Laugh About This (Someday): Essays On Taking Life A Smidge Too Seriously" ($18.99 in paperback from Nelson Books/HarperCollins Christian Publishing and for Amazon Kindle) also comes in an author-narrated audiobook. (Thomas hosts the "It's Not That Serious" podcast.)
Thomas faces multiple miscarriages and a falling out with a business partner. But God gave her a dream even "as a little girl.... I wanted to make people laugh, see themselves in my words, and have hope."
She's not tooting her own horn. The dream really did come true.
