Don't Mind Me...

First, an apology to the three of you who check this regularly.   I have been trying to post regularly on Tuesday and Thursday and I am back on the wagon next week, okay!  I have been struggling with MATERIAL this week.  But today I have a little time to "catch up."  Love to you all.

Don't Mind Me

Don't Mind Me... teachers of my neighbor boy.  I know I am texting him all day when he is in school.  But I need someone to take care of my dog, who I nearly forgot to arrange plans for, while I am gone Friday night.  Such a bad puppy parent.  Thankfully, he works super odd hours, so between him and his folks Josie will probably be more spoiled than when we're home!

Don't Mind Me... I'm just finally putting away the laundry I washed and folded last Friday.  Boy, these baskets look like they have been sifted through all week while a certain someone dug out just the clothes he needed for the day and left the rest in the basket.  Odd...

Don't Mind Me... unhelpful and rude lady at Mulhalls.  I could go another 28 years without you yelling out over your walkie talkie "I'm sending someone your way in a RED SWEAT SHIRT."  You don't have to talk about me like I'm not three feet from you!  And don't mind me, but directions like "Go down that way and then turn half way down" are not enough in a HUGE nursery.  If Hy-Vee walks me to the product and their aisles are numbered, surely you can do better.

Don't Mind Me... man who DID NOT meet me and my red sweat shirt near the house plants.

Don't Mind Me... man who gets the Mulhalls website e-mails who got a nasty gram from me today. (Oh heavens, update, I just got a message from Mr. Mulhalls himself.  He wants to talk about my experience and make it better...stay tuned)

Don't Mind Me... Yon, the lady who threads my eyebrows.  I'm not sure "You have really long eyebrows" is a compliment, but I'll take it.

Don't Mind Me... to the 1200 people who will listen to me preach on Sunday.  I just broke out in a sweat thinking about it.  I borrowed a sweater to wear, the manuscript is in, the program is done... so all that's left is... me.  (This, by the way, explains my non-posting this week.  Every last minute I had without daycare was spent on it!  I have been preaching to my closet doors all week.  Don't mind the crazy lady next door who talks to herself all day...)

Don't Mind Me... to the people who I have (basically) stole stuff from off Craigslist this week.  And to my neighbors, I know it seems funny that we keep coming home with the trailer loaded up with something... but we went on a poor man's shopping spree.  We love our new daybed, table and chairs, and weight set.

Don't Mind Me... to the landscaping company.  Our yard was suppose to be done by Easter.  I know it has been raining a lot.  And we're not in a big hurry.  Just communicate with us a little better next time, okay.  We still love you, and your super reasonable prices.

Well Hello To You Too, Sir

Oddly enough my phone was blowing up over the weekend with Craigslisters.  I have some interested company in the POND, which is fantastic since we would love to use that money to help pay for the landscaping guy, if he ever makes it to my house (go away rain).  Last night the oddest couple came over to look at the garden pavers.  They wanted to stand out in the cold and chat about colored concrete and they didn't buy anything.  I tried to be polite but finally I started heading to the door and told them to drive safe.  Again, I love people who shop off Craigslist.  Such a fun sociology experiment.

Anyway, we were at church Sunday night (after a fab weekend at our friends cabin) and my phone has a message.  I assume it is from Craigslist so I tell my friends to wait so they can hear this message-- because for some reason I think everyone thinks this is as interesting as I do-- "Hey, I'm calling about the turtle that has water coming out of it's mouth..."  Anyway, we were all in for a surprise.  This is what I got instead...

"Hey my baby beautiful darling.  Just wanted to call and see if your Sunday was going wonderfully and if it is I hope it continues to go that way, Sweetie.  I love you.  (changes to a very low, serious tone) I'm so in love with you.  (back to normal tone) Call me if you get a chance."

Here is what was going on in my head as I listened.  My thoughts are in red.

"Hey my baby beautiful whoa wait a minute, this is not a Craigslist call.  What number was that?  I did not recognize that number... darling daughter?  Is this a joke?  Maybe this is my dad calling from Colorado-- he would call me a beautiful daughter.  This is too much.  I can't believe I'm standing in church with everyone waiting while I listen to this.  Just wanted to call and see if your Sunday was going wonderfully for sure not my dad.  This is borderline creepy...and if it is I hope it continues to go that way sweetie did he not listen to my voice mail?  Hello, this is Stef's phone... hello, this is a 402 number.  Is this actually for me?  Do I recognize this voice at all?  No I don't.  This has got to be a wrong number, right?!?.  I love you oh boy.  (changes to a very low, serious tone) I'm so in love with you I say out loud "Dave, you have got to listen to this."  I don't want to even appear to be hiding this from him-- no secrets, I promise.  Call me if you get a chance." Don't automatically hit delete, don't hit delete, don't hit delete.


In case you are wondering I did delete today after I listened to it approximately five times so I could transcribe it here.  While it was not my husband (though he does leave me yummy messages from time to time), it did warm my heart to know that two people out there are so in love and that my voice mail picked up a little of the love.

Awkward, but lovely.

On the journey,

Stef

Hello, Wednesday

Today is a good day.  After all, Psalm 118:24 reminds me that, "This is the day which the Lord has made; we will be full of joy and delight in it."  I am reminded today that (Psalm 30) joy comes in the morning, (Nehemiah 8:10) the joy of the Lord is my strength.  We've got joy, people!  And I have a few Wednesday ramblings for you.

Rambling #1: We sold the alligator off of Craigslist.  So long little buddy-- he was a pond accessory and water actually shot out of his mouth-- kinda cool (just kinda).  Aside from the cash and de-cluttering the back yard, one of my favorite things about Craigslist is the PEOPLE.  I love the type of people who buy off Craigslist.  I am one of them.  I just can not get enough of people-- they fascinate me.  Last night this super nice man from Council Bluffs drove all the way to our house to hand us $40 for this beast.  And then told us a rather lengthy story about his turtle collection (it's live) all while the sweet neighbor boys tried to talk to all of us through the fence.  Then, he called my son a girl and repeatedly referred to him as "her."  I tried to correct him passively, by saying things like, "Yep, HE'LL have more grass to play in..." but it didn't work.



Rambling #2: My SON's hair may or may not need a cut.  Aside from nice-Craigslist-man, the nurse at our One Year well baby appointment told me today to "lay her right here."  I laughed.  I said, "He's a boy.  He might need a haircut."  She talked like a nervous person talked but finally did say that she should have known with a name like... Dekker.



Rambling #3: I love Chinese food.  My sweet husband took time off to go to the appointment with me today and then we went for lunch.  I love having lunch with Dave far more than Chinese food any day.  The server asked if we needed a highchair... "for him? her?"  Okay... I get it.