Just some random, end-of-the-week thoughts in this post:
#1. Yes, I am going to this. Laugh if you want, but I am counting down the days. And, yes, I only bought ONE ticket. So, if you are a fan and you want to join me, I'll be more than happy to share in the delight. I knew Chad would not want to sit through 2 hours of a 1970's documentary. So it will be just me and my popcorn.
http://www.fathomevents.com/concertsandmusic/event/elvisontour_night1.aspx
#2. Last night Chad and I had a date night. It was a little rushed, but we had a free babysitter, so I'm not complaining. But, we dropped by the mall, and who knew? Apparently EVERY store that is a national chain is having some sort of semi-annual clearance sale. Including one of my all time favorite clothing stores: The Limited. I bought THE perfect pair of jeans for $16.99. No, that is not a typo. They were originally $70. It was love at first sight. Then I tried them on and it was magical.
I also went to Yankee Candle store with my coupon. I bought $85 of candles for $30. I am a sucker for things that make my house smell good. I am all the time walking around the house spraying Febreeze. Chad calls me the Febreeze Queen. And Yankee Candle candles are pricey, but they do the job!!!
#3. This morning I asked Brennan if he was sweet last night at church. (Our church had Parent's Night Out which is how Chad and I had the free babysitter.) He said, "Mama, you should already know the answer to that question because you are a mama-- and mama's ALWAYS know more than daddies." I found that quite hysterical and quite truthful.
#4. I ordered Chad some business cards this week for dirt cheap. They were so cheap(500 cards for $4.99), I was thinking it could be too good to be true, but I have had friends use this company before and they say it's a GREAT company to order from. (VistaPrint) I even came up with a catchy little business slogan.
Chad's business cards are for his small part-time extracurricular job he wants to do, just to make a little extra cash. Since Chad will still remain a C.P.A. (he worked WAAAAY too hard for those 3 little letters behind his name to give it up just because he has a new job) and his new place of employment will pay for his 40 hours of C.E. that he needs each year, he wanted to put himself to good use. He wants to do small tax work/tax returns for families and individuals and maybe even small businesses and charge a smaller fee than big accounting firms and accounting chains like H&R Block.
#5. The coupon monster was alive and well at Kroger this morning. And I did not lose my keys, nor did I stress about anything. I remained calm and actually enjoyed my entire shopping experience. And I saved $66. I bought Dawn detergent for $.50, a 3- pack of Ivory soap for $.50, I had a BoGo coupon for Sobe drinks, which were marked down to $.88. So I basically paid $.44 a piece for each bottle. My kids love Kraft Mac & Cheese, and they had a bulk deal of 5 boxes. Normally it would have been $5.69, but Kroger had them marked down to $1.99 WITH a coupon for a free box of Capri-Sun drinks. So, I got 5 boxes of Mac & Cheese AND an entire box of Capri-Suns for $1.99. THOSE are the kinds of deals I LOVE!!!!!!
I also had forgotten about the Coke rewards program. I signed up a long time ago and I guess just forgot all about it, which I could kick myself for. Chad will drink nothing but Coke products (Coke Zero to be exact) so I try to stock up like crazy when I find them on sale. I could have had some great prizes under my belt if I had remembered to enter in my codes each time. Oh well, better late than never.
And that is all, my friends. Happy Father's Day to all you dad's out there. Hope tomorrow is a GREAT day.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
My new obsession...
Well, we all have our vices, right? I got rid of one only to pick up another: Couponing. Okay, so it's not so much a VICE as it is a "hobby" or a new obsession. I'm not really sure what category you could put my new extracurricular activity in. But, it's making me want to shop even MORE just so I can see how much I can save. Is this good? Or is it bad?
I'm new at it, so I'm learning the ropes, but Sunday night I hit up Walgreen's, CVS, and Wal-Mart and spent $45 and saved $52.66. I know people who could do a lot better than that, but remember, I'm a newbie. I've been printing coupons like crazy and organizing them like crazy. Just today I found one for $10 off of a $35 purchase at Yankee Candle Stores. Right now they are having their semi-annual clearance sale AND you can use the coupon on clearance items. I know, right? I could stock up on Christmas and teachers gifts. My husband is proud of my new found grocery shopping abilities, but when it comes to coupons like the Yankee Candle, he just rolls his eyes at me. What? I can't help it. IT'S A GOOD DEAL...........
And don't even get me started on free samples. In about a month the mail lady is going to hate my guts. I have so many samples coming my way it's really not funny. This could be the beginning of a mental disease. But, if I have to have a vice, isn't it convenient that is saves money too?
And if someone could explain EXACTLY how the CVS dollar rewards works, I'm all ears........
I'm new at it, so I'm learning the ropes, but Sunday night I hit up Walgreen's, CVS, and Wal-Mart and spent $45 and saved $52.66. I know people who could do a lot better than that, but remember, I'm a newbie. I've been printing coupons like crazy and organizing them like crazy. Just today I found one for $10 off of a $35 purchase at Yankee Candle Stores. Right now they are having their semi-annual clearance sale AND you can use the coupon on clearance items. I know, right? I could stock up on Christmas and teachers gifts. My husband is proud of my new found grocery shopping abilities, but when it comes to coupons like the Yankee Candle, he just rolls his eyes at me. What? I can't help it. IT'S A GOOD DEAL...........
And don't even get me started on free samples. In about a month the mail lady is going to hate my guts. I have so many samples coming my way it's really not funny. This could be the beginning of a mental disease. But, if I have to have a vice, isn't it convenient that is saves money too?
And if someone could explain EXACTLY how the CVS dollar rewards works, I'm all ears........
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Friends....
Friends: Most of us have them. All of us want them. Very few can live without them. However, TRUE friends come along and our lives truly are changed for the better. I don't want to sound mushy and gushy. But, I have learned in almost 30 years of life that people come and go in our lives-- whether they are no longer in our lives because of a disagreement (which really, if you can't have a disagreement with a friend and still remain friends, it would be safe to say they were never a true friend to begin with) or because of distance and time, there still remains the handful (in my case it's not even a handful) of people that you can count on for anything or who would do ANYTHING for us.
Facebook is a funny thing. I have 460 people listed as my friends. Some I went to high school with, college with, some were coworkers at some stage in my life, some were teachers I had in high school or college, and some friends go as far back as elementary school. Then there are those who have requested to be my friend, and I have seen those same people in public, and they don't speak or acknowledge my existence. I enjoy being on Facebook. It's fun to "socialize" and read other people's status updates. But, it can be an awkward thing, too. But Facebook isn't the reason I'm posting this blog entry. I just got a little off the subject here.
Back to my original train of thought-- So, last year I went to Nicaragua on a mission trip. Some of you may or may not know that and may or may not care. But, it was a blessing. I enjoyed every SECOND I was there. We had limited electricity, no air conditioning, no toilets (well, not what I would consider a toilet), no comfortable beds, lots of bugs (which included a few scorpions), lots of heat, lots of dirt, lots of standing up on concrete floors all hours of the day, a maniac bus driver, muddy showers outside, and we even had to de-lice ourselves (twice) at the end of the week, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment from the minute I stepped on the plane in Jackson, Mississippi, to the time I stepped OFF the plane a week later in the same airport. I was already set in my heart and prayers to go back the following year (which, of course, would be this summer.)
When the time came around this past winter to start signing up again and getting finances in order, I knew I wouldn't be able to go. However, I still held a small glimmer of hope that somehow God would provide if He wanted me there, but I was really trying not to get my hopes up. A couple of months went by and no money magically fell from the sky, and apparently the money tree I planted out back didn't quite thrive as I had hoped. So, seeing as how a mission trip to Nicaragua cost more than a luxury vacation ($2,000) I knew my opportunity to go was not going to be this year. Plus, we sort of knew Chad would be taking this new job, and his vacation time would not be accrued in just a few short months, and I needed someone to take care of the boys during the day while I was away. It was looking like God wanted me to stay here this time. I was heartbroken. I didn't dwell on it, but when I thought about it at all, it made me really sad.
So, what does going to Nicaragua and true friends have in common? Well, I'm getting to that. When I knew there was no way I could afford to go (even if someone offered to pay for half) I told the Minister of Administration at our church and just had to make peace with it. Within a couple of days, I was called and told to sign up to go, fill out my forms, and make plans to go that week because my trip was going to be taken care of. At first I didn't say yes. I don't always feel comfortable knowing someone else is footing the bill for me to do something. Sometimes it makes me feel selfish. So, I told the church that I would think it over and pray about it and see how I felt in a few days. Apparently the deadline to sign up was quickly approaching because I had to make a decision almost immediately. I went ahead, filled out my paperwork and sent it all in. I had no idea who was taking care of this and how many people were taking care of it (and I still don't know ALL the details, of course, because people give anonymously in situations like this) but I had to trust that God would provide every last penny because once I signed up, my hopes soared through the roof and I got really excited about being able to go. And I knew we were strapped for extra money and I couldn't afford it.
Well, one of my sweet friends has taken VERY good care of me. I knew this friend had been helping out financially and possibly getting others to contribute. Because of her, as of last week, my trip was paid up. And no, she is NOT the type of person who wanted me to know that she took care of me financially-- she is the most humble, giving, genuine person I have known. Her AND her husband are. Which is why Chad and I have enjoyed getting to know them the past couple of years. She sat at the hospital with me for 6 hours on Memorial Day weekend last year when I was sick as could be and never thought about leaving my side. They raise their children with the exact same values we do, and they are true servants of Christ in EVERY way. I had no words to adequately thank her. How do you thank someone for doing such a HUGE thing? Not only financially, but this is a life-changing trip. For me AND for the ones I will be going to serve. I sent her and her husband a thank-you note in the mail, but really??? Is that adequate? No, it's absolutely not. I don't want to name who she is, because many who read my blog know her and her family and she would be embarrassed. And I realize there are probably others who contributed, and for you, whoever you may be, I am truly grateful. Again, there are no words to thanks the individuals who give in such a HUGE way.
Sometimes I feel sorry for myself, because friends have come and gone, some over some pretty petty stuff, and others who no longer needed to be in my life, nor I theirs. I don't have much of a life outside of my home-- my husband and my boys are my life, and I don't really get out much. But, I have friends who I know will take care of me. And I don't mean in the sense that they help foot the bill for a trip I want to go on. But, I mean friends I can call and cry to if I need to. Friends I can hang out with in the middle of the week in my pajamas when I need some girl time for a couple of hours (Adrienne that's for you.) I have lots of acquaintances and I have casual friends, but true friends are very few for me, and they're as good as gold, but priceless. As far as the situation with Nicaragua, God has truly woken me up and made me realize how precious my true friends are and how EXTREMELY blessed I am outside of my family. I truly treasure the friends I can still consider true friends that I've known since elementary school and high school, but I can also equally treasure the friends who have recently come into my life within the past few years. I have nothing to complain about, do I? So, why do I continue to do so?
Facebook is a funny thing. I have 460 people listed as my friends. Some I went to high school with, college with, some were coworkers at some stage in my life, some were teachers I had in high school or college, and some friends go as far back as elementary school. Then there are those who have requested to be my friend, and I have seen those same people in public, and they don't speak or acknowledge my existence. I enjoy being on Facebook. It's fun to "socialize" and read other people's status updates. But, it can be an awkward thing, too. But Facebook isn't the reason I'm posting this blog entry. I just got a little off the subject here.
Back to my original train of thought-- So, last year I went to Nicaragua on a mission trip. Some of you may or may not know that and may or may not care. But, it was a blessing. I enjoyed every SECOND I was there. We had limited electricity, no air conditioning, no toilets (well, not what I would consider a toilet), no comfortable beds, lots of bugs (which included a few scorpions), lots of heat, lots of dirt, lots of standing up on concrete floors all hours of the day, a maniac bus driver, muddy showers outside, and we even had to de-lice ourselves (twice) at the end of the week, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment from the minute I stepped on the plane in Jackson, Mississippi, to the time I stepped OFF the plane a week later in the same airport. I was already set in my heart and prayers to go back the following year (which, of course, would be this summer.)
When the time came around this past winter to start signing up again and getting finances in order, I knew I wouldn't be able to go. However, I still held a small glimmer of hope that somehow God would provide if He wanted me there, but I was really trying not to get my hopes up. A couple of months went by and no money magically fell from the sky, and apparently the money tree I planted out back didn't quite thrive as I had hoped. So, seeing as how a mission trip to Nicaragua cost more than a luxury vacation ($2,000) I knew my opportunity to go was not going to be this year. Plus, we sort of knew Chad would be taking this new job, and his vacation time would not be accrued in just a few short months, and I needed someone to take care of the boys during the day while I was away. It was looking like God wanted me to stay here this time. I was heartbroken. I didn't dwell on it, but when I thought about it at all, it made me really sad.
So, what does going to Nicaragua and true friends have in common? Well, I'm getting to that. When I knew there was no way I could afford to go (even if someone offered to pay for half) I told the Minister of Administration at our church and just had to make peace with it. Within a couple of days, I was called and told to sign up to go, fill out my forms, and make plans to go that week because my trip was going to be taken care of. At first I didn't say yes. I don't always feel comfortable knowing someone else is footing the bill for me to do something. Sometimes it makes me feel selfish. So, I told the church that I would think it over and pray about it and see how I felt in a few days. Apparently the deadline to sign up was quickly approaching because I had to make a decision almost immediately. I went ahead, filled out my paperwork and sent it all in. I had no idea who was taking care of this and how many people were taking care of it (and I still don't know ALL the details, of course, because people give anonymously in situations like this) but I had to trust that God would provide every last penny because once I signed up, my hopes soared through the roof and I got really excited about being able to go. And I knew we were strapped for extra money and I couldn't afford it.
Well, one of my sweet friends has taken VERY good care of me. I knew this friend had been helping out financially and possibly getting others to contribute. Because of her, as of last week, my trip was paid up. And no, she is NOT the type of person who wanted me to know that she took care of me financially-- she is the most humble, giving, genuine person I have known. Her AND her husband are. Which is why Chad and I have enjoyed getting to know them the past couple of years. She sat at the hospital with me for 6 hours on Memorial Day weekend last year when I was sick as could be and never thought about leaving my side. They raise their children with the exact same values we do, and they are true servants of Christ in EVERY way. I had no words to adequately thank her. How do you thank someone for doing such a HUGE thing? Not only financially, but this is a life-changing trip. For me AND for the ones I will be going to serve. I sent her and her husband a thank-you note in the mail, but really??? Is that adequate? No, it's absolutely not. I don't want to name who she is, because many who read my blog know her and her family and she would be embarrassed. And I realize there are probably others who contributed, and for you, whoever you may be, I am truly grateful. Again, there are no words to thanks the individuals who give in such a HUGE way.
Sometimes I feel sorry for myself, because friends have come and gone, some over some pretty petty stuff, and others who no longer needed to be in my life, nor I theirs. I don't have much of a life outside of my home-- my husband and my boys are my life, and I don't really get out much. But, I have friends who I know will take care of me. And I don't mean in the sense that they help foot the bill for a trip I want to go on. But, I mean friends I can call and cry to if I need to. Friends I can hang out with in the middle of the week in my pajamas when I need some girl time for a couple of hours (Adrienne that's for you.) I have lots of acquaintances and I have casual friends, but true friends are very few for me, and they're as good as gold, but priceless. As far as the situation with Nicaragua, God has truly woken me up and made me realize how precious my true friends are and how EXTREMELY blessed I am outside of my family. I truly treasure the friends I can still consider true friends that I've known since elementary school and high school, but I can also equally treasure the friends who have recently come into my life within the past few years. I have nothing to complain about, do I? So, why do I continue to do so?
Friday, June 11, 2010
Friday and random thoughts from the week.
Oh sweet Friday, how I have missed you. My favorite day of the week. And what a long week this has been. It was my first FULL week at home by myself with both boys since Brennan got out of school. (Our office was closed this week for vacation, so I didn't work my normal 2 days.) Some random thoughts from this week:
#1. On Monday I went to the funeral of one of the most precious men I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I am honored to have known such a man as Mr. Eddie Beck. For a funeral, it was one of the most beautiful, sincere services I have ever attended. And even though it was a funeral, I know God had me there for a reason. It was very humbling.
#2. Yesterday my mom decided to come keep the boys for a few hours because she had been missing them. (She normally keeps them while I'm at work, but since I didn't work this week, she missed them.) I was so excited to have just a few hours with NO agenda. No particular errands to run, no one to buy anything specific for, NOTHING in particular to do. So, I had a hard time deciding how to use my time wisely. I wanted to do so many things without having to worry about being on a time limit, or worrying about one of my kids having a meltdown in the middle of a store.
What I ended up doing was simple. I picked up Chad from work, and we had lunch at Keifer's. (By the way, that was my 3rd time to eat there and I STILL don't get why everyone thinks it so great. It's good, but I feel it's way overrated.) Then I went to Dogwood and decided to be selfish. Chad and I are redoing our bathroom (which I am ECSTATIC about) and I went to Hobby Lobby and who knew??? They had a half-off sale of virtually everything in the store. I loaded up.
#3. On the subject of my bathroom..... We have a jacuzzi tub that I've never been able to really enjoy because we didn't have a hot water heater big enough to accommodate it (which NOW we do) and one of the reasons we fell in love with this house is because of the massive master bath. We finally got the hideous wallpaper stripped (after 5 years of living here) and we are about to paint it a deep gray. I bought a huge candle holder for one of the big walls,and some other things to decorate the walls. We are also changing out those UGLY, Hollywood-dressing-room light fixtures. And for Christmas my list has already been made: I have plans for a flat screen television to be mounted next to Chad's sink WITH satellite access. I don't want a big one. Just a small, cheaper one will do, but I'm leaving that wall space blank for when we have the cash to buy the television.
#4. So I am totally digging the new swing skirts from Old Navy. I am a long dress/long skirt type of girl. I have the ugliest, whitest legs this side of the Mississippi, and these are such a cute way to cover them up, but still look girly. Plus, I just LOVE long dresses and skirts. I think they are just FUN. I bought a cute, long dress at Target for $20 a few weeks ago. Now Old Navy has these skirts for $19. I bought a white one. I love it. Last year before we went to Nicaragua, we had the hardest time finding long skirts to wear on our trip (because when we are not wearing scrubs, we have to wear long skirts.) It was almost impossible to find any longer skirts that were cute and stylish. This year it seems to be all the rage.
#5. I am so glad so many people got a good laugh out of my last post. In the middle of the chaos that day, it occurred to me that someone, somewhere, at some point will get a good laugh from my distress. And yes, I saved a lot of money that day, but I don't know if it was worth all the drama I went through.
#1. On Monday I went to the funeral of one of the most precious men I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I am honored to have known such a man as Mr. Eddie Beck. For a funeral, it was one of the most beautiful, sincere services I have ever attended. And even though it was a funeral, I know God had me there for a reason. It was very humbling.
#2. Yesterday my mom decided to come keep the boys for a few hours because she had been missing them. (She normally keeps them while I'm at work, but since I didn't work this week, she missed them.) I was so excited to have just a few hours with NO agenda. No particular errands to run, no one to buy anything specific for, NOTHING in particular to do. So, I had a hard time deciding how to use my time wisely. I wanted to do so many things without having to worry about being on a time limit, or worrying about one of my kids having a meltdown in the middle of a store.
What I ended up doing was simple. I picked up Chad from work, and we had lunch at Keifer's. (By the way, that was my 3rd time to eat there and I STILL don't get why everyone thinks it so great. It's good, but I feel it's way overrated.) Then I went to Dogwood and decided to be selfish. Chad and I are redoing our bathroom (which I am ECSTATIC about) and I went to Hobby Lobby and who knew??? They had a half-off sale of virtually everything in the store. I loaded up.
#3. On the subject of my bathroom..... We have a jacuzzi tub that I've never been able to really enjoy because we didn't have a hot water heater big enough to accommodate it (which NOW we do) and one of the reasons we fell in love with this house is because of the massive master bath. We finally got the hideous wallpaper stripped (after 5 years of living here) and we are about to paint it a deep gray. I bought a huge candle holder for one of the big walls,and some other things to decorate the walls. We are also changing out those UGLY, Hollywood-dressing-room light fixtures. And for Christmas my list has already been made: I have plans for a flat screen television to be mounted next to Chad's sink WITH satellite access. I don't want a big one. Just a small, cheaper one will do, but I'm leaving that wall space blank for when we have the cash to buy the television.
#4. So I am totally digging the new swing skirts from Old Navy. I am a long dress/long skirt type of girl. I have the ugliest, whitest legs this side of the Mississippi, and these are such a cute way to cover them up, but still look girly. Plus, I just LOVE long dresses and skirts. I think they are just FUN. I bought a cute, long dress at Target for $20 a few weeks ago. Now Old Navy has these skirts for $19. I bought a white one. I love it. Last year before we went to Nicaragua, we had the hardest time finding long skirts to wear on our trip (because when we are not wearing scrubs, we have to wear long skirts.) It was almost impossible to find any longer skirts that were cute and stylish. This year it seems to be all the rage.
#5. I am so glad so many people got a good laugh out of my last post. In the middle of the chaos that day, it occurred to me that someone, somewhere, at some point will get a good laugh from my distress. And yes, I saved a lot of money that day, but I don't know if it was worth all the drama I went through.
#6. For my friend, Randi, who is interested in couponing, but hasn't gotten started yet:
I bought this binder for $10 at Wal-Mart. There is even an entire front part for wallet, keys, and cell phone. (I still managed to lose my keys.) And inside the zipper part, there is a sort of file system for loose papers. I keep my Box Tops for Education in there, and my extra coupon-holder sheets.
I bought this binder for $10 at Wal-Mart. There is even an entire front part for wallet, keys, and cell phone. (I still managed to lose my keys.) And inside the zipper part, there is a sort of file system for loose papers. I keep my Box Tops for Education in there, and my extra coupon-holder sheets.
Thanks to my friend, Lora, who gave me the tips to getting organized. Now, hopefully I won't have such issues next time I go grocery shopping.
#7. Guess I better get started on my house cleaning. It's not going to clean itself. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
#7. Guess I better get started on my house cleaning. It's not going to clean itself. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Humble Pie.
So yesterday for some strange reason, I was REALLY excited about going grocery shopping. (I think it was a brief lapse of sanity and sane judgment.) Who knows? Maybe I was excited because Chad had balanced the checkbook and we actually had money a week after payday left for groceries, or maybe the real reason was because of my new coupon binder and my organization of coupons (which I have to give credit to my friend, Lora, for showing me how it's done.) Or the real reason could have been that I was just excited to get out of the house BY MYSELF for an hour or two.
Whatever the reason, I was looking forward to my shopping trip. I went to Walgreen's and found some great deals there, then moved on to Kroger. *sigh* Apparently Sunday afternoon is the same afternoon EVERYBODY this side of the Pearl River decides to do their grocery shopping. I think I would have found it a little less stressful if I had just gone on a Monday morning with BOTH of my kids in tow. Then of course, they only had TWO lines open for everyone shopping in Rankin County. (Which we will get to that in a minute.)
I have found that couponing takes some mad, serious skill. My head was spinning. BUT, I was actually having fun. I also found that I had sort of an adrenaline rush, especially when I did something like buy a huge container of baby wipes for virtually free after the Kroger sale and my coupon. That part was kind of fun. It was people interrupting my thought process and then trying to figure out what coupons I had and if it that item was already on sale making it worthwhile that WASN'T fun.
So, moving on to the checkout counter. *Double sigh* Did I already mention they had only TWO lines open for the entire population of the surrounding communities? I am a person that gets stressed out VERY easily. (Yes, I know, I know. You find that hard to believe.) I get in line and realize I have the fullest buggy of anyone. I start feeling like people are giving me dirty looks. People looked at me like "How dare you come on a Sunday afternoon and stock up for a month, when all I'm here to do is buy some toilet paper and a gallon of milk?" My heart rate goes up. Even the self checkout lanes were backed up for days. Well, I can't help that Kroger found it necessary to open only two lanes with ACTUAL cashiers behind them. So, I had my coupons in a nice, neat stack. Had my keys out so she could swipe my Kroger card, and I begin to load my groceries on the belt.
Fast forward to the moment she gives me the grand total. I can't find my keys. I knew I had them out. I knew I needed to give them to her, and they were gone. I then proceed to break out in a nervous sweat. I ask the lady behind me (who is already irritated at me for all my groceries), "Excuse me, but do you see a set of keys anywhere?" She halfway looks. "Nope, don't see any." Ask me if the cashier or bag lady gives half a care and I will tell you NO, they don't. I was on the verge of tears at this point. Oh, and this is before she swipes all my coupons. Which, we all know, can take forever sometimes. I can feel bad vibes coming off the lady behind me. Meanwhile I'm in a mad panic to find my *%^@* keys (and yes, there were probably some vicious words running through my head at this point.) THEN, I realize after all of this that I have to write a check because my debit card expired and now my new one is in a stack of mail I keep forgetting to go through. After she runs my check through, she has to call the manager. YES, the manager. I'm already sweating, upset over my keys and the lack of concern from anyone that I CAN'T FIND THEM, and the manager gets called because of something to do with the check that I just wrote. I was actually too mortified at that point to ask if there was a problem. The manager apparently saw the look on my face and the tears in my eyes and said, "Oh, don't worry. It doesn't mean anything. Just that you spent a lot of money." I could see the lady customer behind me shifting around about to lose it at this point--with me and with the cashier.
I call Chad the whole time this is going on and I could barely tell him what was happening because I knew the moment I spoke I would start crying like a little 2 year old. I managed to tell him, then I hung up on him. Not because I was mad at him, but because I was embarrassed and crying. He calls me back twice because he can't figure out what I'm saying, why I keep cutting him off ---and there is lots of chaos at this point. LOTS.
I finally make it out of the store to wait on Chad to come pick me up and I start sifting through all the groceries. I just KNOW that my keys had somehow gotten into one of the bags. I had so many groceries and I was so hot and nervous at that point I just had to mentally forget about searching for my keys at that moment. I did, however, go back inside to double check at the manager's desk and at the line I checked out in. Nobody cared and nobody saw anything. People were staring at this point because I think I had a tear-streaked face and I was beet red and hot and upset. But, I knew my keys had to be SOMEWHERE because I still saw my van sitting outside.
There was this one precious, sweet, black teenage boy who walked over to me outside while I was waiting and asked if I was okay and if I needed anything. He said, "Are you waiting on your ride?" And then I felt sorry for him because I burst into tears and explained the situation to him. He was so sincere and so concerned, he was going to offer to help me look for my keys in all my bags. I couldn't do that to him, though. I just told him my husband was coming any second and I would find them at home probably while I was unloading the groceries. I just wanted to kiss his sweaty face for being so sincere and so concerned over this poor lady with a buggy full of groceries and nowhere to go.
Chad came and got me, brought me the spare keys, helped me load the groceries in the van, and then I got into the van after it had been sitting in 93 degree heat and the air never worked right from the moment I got in to the moment I pulled in the driveway. My a.c. only works when my foot is on the accelerator for some reason, but yesterday I was too hot to cool off period, I guess. To top it off, I had to come home and unload groceries, and turn right around to get dressed in a hot dress to go to my least favorite place on earth: the funeral home.
Yesterday I had a BIG helping of Humble Pie. A big ol' Southern size helping. And I managed to survive and maybe you can have a good laugh out of it.......
Oh, and BTW, I found my keys at the bottom of a grocery bag that had been double tied. Fabulous.
Whatever the reason, I was looking forward to my shopping trip. I went to Walgreen's and found some great deals there, then moved on to Kroger. *sigh* Apparently Sunday afternoon is the same afternoon EVERYBODY this side of the Pearl River decides to do their grocery shopping. I think I would have found it a little less stressful if I had just gone on a Monday morning with BOTH of my kids in tow. Then of course, they only had TWO lines open for everyone shopping in Rankin County. (Which we will get to that in a minute.)
I have found that couponing takes some mad, serious skill. My head was spinning. BUT, I was actually having fun. I also found that I had sort of an adrenaline rush, especially when I did something like buy a huge container of baby wipes for virtually free after the Kroger sale and my coupon. That part was kind of fun. It was people interrupting my thought process and then trying to figure out what coupons I had and if it that item was already on sale making it worthwhile that WASN'T fun.
So, moving on to the checkout counter. *Double sigh* Did I already mention they had only TWO lines open for the entire population of the surrounding communities? I am a person that gets stressed out VERY easily. (Yes, I know, I know. You find that hard to believe.) I get in line and realize I have the fullest buggy of anyone. I start feeling like people are giving me dirty looks. People looked at me like "How dare you come on a Sunday afternoon and stock up for a month, when all I'm here to do is buy some toilet paper and a gallon of milk?" My heart rate goes up. Even the self checkout lanes were backed up for days. Well, I can't help that Kroger found it necessary to open only two lanes with ACTUAL cashiers behind them. So, I had my coupons in a nice, neat stack. Had my keys out so she could swipe my Kroger card, and I begin to load my groceries on the belt.
Fast forward to the moment she gives me the grand total. I can't find my keys. I knew I had them out. I knew I needed to give them to her, and they were gone. I then proceed to break out in a nervous sweat. I ask the lady behind me (who is already irritated at me for all my groceries), "Excuse me, but do you see a set of keys anywhere?" She halfway looks. "Nope, don't see any." Ask me if the cashier or bag lady gives half a care and I will tell you NO, they don't. I was on the verge of tears at this point. Oh, and this is before she swipes all my coupons. Which, we all know, can take forever sometimes. I can feel bad vibes coming off the lady behind me. Meanwhile I'm in a mad panic to find my *%^@* keys (and yes, there were probably some vicious words running through my head at this point.) THEN, I realize after all of this that I have to write a check because my debit card expired and now my new one is in a stack of mail I keep forgetting to go through. After she runs my check through, she has to call the manager. YES, the manager. I'm already sweating, upset over my keys and the lack of concern from anyone that I CAN'T FIND THEM, and the manager gets called because of something to do with the check that I just wrote. I was actually too mortified at that point to ask if there was a problem. The manager apparently saw the look on my face and the tears in my eyes and said, "Oh, don't worry. It doesn't mean anything. Just that you spent a lot of money." I could see the lady customer behind me shifting around about to lose it at this point--with me and with the cashier.
I call Chad the whole time this is going on and I could barely tell him what was happening because I knew the moment I spoke I would start crying like a little 2 year old. I managed to tell him, then I hung up on him. Not because I was mad at him, but because I was embarrassed and crying. He calls me back twice because he can't figure out what I'm saying, why I keep cutting him off ---and there is lots of chaos at this point. LOTS.
I finally make it out of the store to wait on Chad to come pick me up and I start sifting through all the groceries. I just KNOW that my keys had somehow gotten into one of the bags. I had so many groceries and I was so hot and nervous at that point I just had to mentally forget about searching for my keys at that moment. I did, however, go back inside to double check at the manager's desk and at the line I checked out in. Nobody cared and nobody saw anything. People were staring at this point because I think I had a tear-streaked face and I was beet red and hot and upset. But, I knew my keys had to be SOMEWHERE because I still saw my van sitting outside.
There was this one precious, sweet, black teenage boy who walked over to me outside while I was waiting and asked if I was okay and if I needed anything. He said, "Are you waiting on your ride?" And then I felt sorry for him because I burst into tears and explained the situation to him. He was so sincere and so concerned, he was going to offer to help me look for my keys in all my bags. I couldn't do that to him, though. I just told him my husband was coming any second and I would find them at home probably while I was unloading the groceries. I just wanted to kiss his sweaty face for being so sincere and so concerned over this poor lady with a buggy full of groceries and nowhere to go.
Chad came and got me, brought me the spare keys, helped me load the groceries in the van, and then I got into the van after it had been sitting in 93 degree heat and the air never worked right from the moment I got in to the moment I pulled in the driveway. My a.c. only works when my foot is on the accelerator for some reason, but yesterday I was too hot to cool off period, I guess. To top it off, I had to come home and unload groceries, and turn right around to get dressed in a hot dress to go to my least favorite place on earth: the funeral home.
Yesterday I had a BIG helping of Humble Pie. A big ol' Southern size helping. And I managed to survive and maybe you can have a good laugh out of it.......
Oh, and BTW, I found my keys at the bottom of a grocery bag that had been double tied. Fabulous.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Tragedy/heartache/grief.....
This year has truly been no different than last year. The hope that this year would be better than last has already let me down. Already in the month of June, only halfway through 2010, tragedy has surpassed last year's. Today Mr. Eddie Beck, a sweet precious man of God was called home to live in peace and without illness for eternity.
Sometimes when I wonder the why's of life and the tragedies that befall the undeserving, I have to dig deep into my heart and open my Bible or read a Max Lucado illustration and be reminded that none of us are exempt from heartbreak. Neither are we alone in our frustrations and our heartaches.
The story of Job is something that really makes me sit and ponder how a man such as he could continue to worship and THANK God for what his life had become after he lost everything and was afflicted with pain and suffering and illness covering his body. It was only until his friends surrounded him and made him believe that he had done something terrible against God, and therefore he was being punished. Even when he cursed the day he was born and cried out in frustration and anger at God, God still reassured Job: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?......Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you understand." (Is. 38:2,4) Job's response after God spoke is something that I have had to learn through the sufferings of bad choices in my life and through the heartaches and grief of others I have seen who have dealt with pain and illness and hurt. "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, "Who is this that obscures my counsel and knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know." (Is. 42: 2,3)
Pain, illness, death, heartache, overcoming bad choices..... they can all be used as an example. They can all be included in God's plan. We don't always see the big picture of why bad things happen to good people. Or why we make a choice that can haunt us for the rest of our lives and affect others too. But God can take it and still use it for His purpose and His glory.
There is the story of King David, who was an adulterer and murderer, and God still chose to use him.
"Moses tried to escape justice, but God used him.
Jonah ran from God, but God used him.
Rahab ran a brothel, Samson ran to the wrong woman, Jacob ran in circles, Elijah ran into the mountains, Sarah ran out of hope, Lot ran with the wrong crowd, but God used them all." (Max Lucado, "Facing Your Giants")
Even those who did not make a choice to alter their lives forever. Those who didn't choose to be eaten alive with cancer, or choose to be in a head on collision or sideswiped by another car, or choose to lose their job, or choose for their babies to spend the first year of life in a hospital, or choose to lose their home or their children or spouse. What we go through and how we choose to accept it and live with it can be why God allowed it to happen. Our lives can end up being a living testimony to others.
Romans 8:28 states that "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose".
God even used His Son. Pain, heartbreak, and even death were part of the plan. Jesus felt the same grief and heartache we go through during suffering. In Matthew 26:38 it states that "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. " Even Jesus, God in the form of man experienced sorrow and heartache and grief. And then he even cries out to God "My Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matt. 26:39) He then went back a second time in prayer finally praying "My Father if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done". (Matt. 26:42)
I made some wrong choices in life. It affected MANY people. However, I'm just glad that instead of giving up on me, God chose to save me and hopefully he will use me. But, suffering isn't always because someone has been particularly sinful and evil. Suffering can come upon any of us in the blink of an eye. Your life can go from normal to devastating in 0.5 milliseconds. Things can crash down around us in the blink of an eye. You could unknowingly kiss your spouse or your child goodbye as you dash out the door like you always do in a hurry, never knowing that it could be the last time you saw them alive. A routine doctor's visit can turn into a devastating blow of an illness that will cause pain, suffering, and ultimately death.
When the unexpected happens, when hurt cuts your heart in half, and when you don't know what else to do, pray. It's okay to be angry with God. It's okay to be frustrated with why your life has been full of disappointments. It's okay to cry out that you're angry and frustrated and full of hurt. My grandfather had a saying taped to his wall in the office of his home written on a sticky note and I remember reading it a lot when I was a little girl. "When you go to bed at night, leave all your worries to God. He's going to stay up anyway." It's simple but true. The God who carved the mountains and created every living being from the beginning of time, cares enough about me to never forsake me or leave me alone with my hurt and anger and disappointments.
So as the family of Mr. Beck and SO many other families who have experienced death and grief just this year alone, mourn their loss and are filled with sorrow they, WE, can be filled with many promises. Not only will there be THE God of the universe to comfort and hold us, but our hope and promise in the midst of it all can be an example for others who don't quite get why we can still rejoice in the middle of a tragedy. I can only hope that when tragedy strikes me, I can be used for God's purpose.
Sometimes when I wonder the why's of life and the tragedies that befall the undeserving, I have to dig deep into my heart and open my Bible or read a Max Lucado illustration and be reminded that none of us are exempt from heartbreak. Neither are we alone in our frustrations and our heartaches.
The story of Job is something that really makes me sit and ponder how a man such as he could continue to worship and THANK God for what his life had become after he lost everything and was afflicted with pain and suffering and illness covering his body. It was only until his friends surrounded him and made him believe that he had done something terrible against God, and therefore he was being punished. Even when he cursed the day he was born and cried out in frustration and anger at God, God still reassured Job: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?......Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you understand." (Is. 38:2,4) Job's response after God spoke is something that I have had to learn through the sufferings of bad choices in my life and through the heartaches and grief of others I have seen who have dealt with pain and illness and hurt. "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, "Who is this that obscures my counsel and knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know." (Is. 42: 2,3)
Pain, illness, death, heartache, overcoming bad choices..... they can all be used as an example. They can all be included in God's plan. We don't always see the big picture of why bad things happen to good people. Or why we make a choice that can haunt us for the rest of our lives and affect others too. But God can take it and still use it for His purpose and His glory.
There is the story of King David, who was an adulterer and murderer, and God still chose to use him.
"Moses tried to escape justice, but God used him.
Jonah ran from God, but God used him.
Rahab ran a brothel, Samson ran to the wrong woman, Jacob ran in circles, Elijah ran into the mountains, Sarah ran out of hope, Lot ran with the wrong crowd, but God used them all." (Max Lucado, "Facing Your Giants")
Even those who did not make a choice to alter their lives forever. Those who didn't choose to be eaten alive with cancer, or choose to be in a head on collision or sideswiped by another car, or choose to lose their job, or choose for their babies to spend the first year of life in a hospital, or choose to lose their home or their children or spouse. What we go through and how we choose to accept it and live with it can be why God allowed it to happen. Our lives can end up being a living testimony to others.
Romans 8:28 states that "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose".
God even used His Son. Pain, heartbreak, and even death were part of the plan. Jesus felt the same grief and heartache we go through during suffering. In Matthew 26:38 it states that "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. " Even Jesus, God in the form of man experienced sorrow and heartache and grief. And then he even cries out to God "My Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matt. 26:39) He then went back a second time in prayer finally praying "My Father if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done". (Matt. 26:42)
I made some wrong choices in life. It affected MANY people. However, I'm just glad that instead of giving up on me, God chose to save me and hopefully he will use me. But, suffering isn't always because someone has been particularly sinful and evil. Suffering can come upon any of us in the blink of an eye. Your life can go from normal to devastating in 0.5 milliseconds. Things can crash down around us in the blink of an eye. You could unknowingly kiss your spouse or your child goodbye as you dash out the door like you always do in a hurry, never knowing that it could be the last time you saw them alive. A routine doctor's visit can turn into a devastating blow of an illness that will cause pain, suffering, and ultimately death.
When the unexpected happens, when hurt cuts your heart in half, and when you don't know what else to do, pray. It's okay to be angry with God. It's okay to be frustrated with why your life has been full of disappointments. It's okay to cry out that you're angry and frustrated and full of hurt. My grandfather had a saying taped to his wall in the office of his home written on a sticky note and I remember reading it a lot when I was a little girl. "When you go to bed at night, leave all your worries to God. He's going to stay up anyway." It's simple but true. The God who carved the mountains and created every living being from the beginning of time, cares enough about me to never forsake me or leave me alone with my hurt and anger and disappointments.
So as the family of Mr. Beck and SO many other families who have experienced death and grief just this year alone, mourn their loss and are filled with sorrow they, WE, can be filled with many promises. Not only will there be THE God of the universe to comfort and hold us, but our hope and promise in the midst of it all can be an example for others who don't quite get why we can still rejoice in the middle of a tragedy. I can only hope that when tragedy strikes me, I can be used for God's purpose.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Happy Friday!
This week has been a very, very busy week. Chad and I both had last week off so my days were all mixed up, and of course being off on Memorial Day threw me off even more. Then I had to work Tuesday, Wednesday, AND Thursday. I feel like I'm jet lagged. Here are some thoughts from this week:
#1. I realized as much as I LOVE my job, I could not go back to work full time (unless of course I HAD to.) Even for double or triple what I make working part time. It's just not happening. You can call me spoiled or lazy, I don't care. It's true that I'm probably a little bit of both.
#2. Chad started his new job this week. So far, so good for him. Tuesday he came home with a bag full of stuff. When I asked what it was, he pulled out all sorts of shirts and a jacket. So, they clothe him, they provide him with a company car, AND he gets a FuelMan credit card to pay for his gas. Then they decided instead of paying him his training salary for the first month (since he's officially training) that they would go ahead and give him what his normal pay would be. And the boys will be getting on better insurance in a few weeks, so that will be like ANOTHER automatic pay raise for us. We're also praying that I can change my insurance policy/company and receive better coverage at a better price. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, but everything seems to be falling into place. It's been a real blessing and I am so thankful.
#3. I started a coupon binder. I have several friends who can go to grocery stores and drugstores (CVS seems to be the popular one) and can get $100 worth of items for $20. I have not mastered that. Actually, I haven't done any shopping lately. But, I want to try and teach myself the basics of that kind of bargain shopping. I'll just be glad to be organized when I am grocery shopping. I usually have coupons falling everywhere and Ethan grabs them and starts throwing them everywhere. There's a lot of drama involved when I'm trying to grocery shop AND coupon AND wrestle with a toddler.
And I also started the binder because Chad and I are starting a new budget. Even though he will be making much better money, our goal is to spend less. We have a HUGE student loan debt that we need to start chipping away at like nobody's business. Like Dave Ramsey says, it has become our little pet..... just following us around begging for attention. Debt is bad, bad, bad.
#4. My youngest brother and his girlfriend got engaged this past weekend when he was home. Brent has 2 more years left of being in the Marine Corps, then he wants to enlist in the Reserves. His fiancee, Melissa, is going into her second year of medical school at UMC. They are not in a hurry to get married, it will be 2 or 3 years probably, but we're excited for them. We really, really like Melissa. She is perfect for my brother. And she helps keep him in line.
And Brent left Tuesday to return to Cherry Point. I think I took it harder this time because he will be leaving the country in July. He will be gone over 6 months and I guess it upset me more knowing he would be on the other side of the world for so long. Ever since he's been enlisted, he's been able to come home for the holidays. This Christmas, however, it won't be happening.
#5. I am a fan of Elvis Presley on Facebook. They advertised this iPhone skin. I don't have an iPhone, but it makes me want to get one just so I can buy this cover. This is the most beautiful, most awesome, most glorious phone skin I have EVER seen.
#6. Ethan is still a child with VERY few words. He has yet to speak in sentences or say a lot of words. However, he LOVES this backpack. He will say the word "backpack" and I swear I could eat him up when he says it. It's the cutest thing ever. It sounds like "backback". It's hilarious. He also loves his sunglasses. For some reason, Chad let him go into the nursery Sunday morning with his sunglasses on. I don't think he took them off for most of the morning.
#7. On the subject of Ethan, I have not cut his hair yet. I can't bring myself to do it. It's so curly in the back. I know when I see a pair of scissors coming to those curls I will cry my eyes out. I know, it's absolutely RIDICULOUS. If this were someone else's child, I would be thinking to myself, "Man, they SERIOUSLY need to cut that child's hair". But, I can't and I won't until it gets WAY out of control.
#8. On a very, very serious note, please pray for the Dykman family. My heart hurts so bad for them. You can read about their sweet baby: http://www.thedykmanfamily.blogspot.com/
And that is all I have to say today. Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend.
#1. I realized as much as I LOVE my job, I could not go back to work full time (unless of course I HAD to.) Even for double or triple what I make working part time. It's just not happening. You can call me spoiled or lazy, I don't care. It's true that I'm probably a little bit of both.
#2. Chad started his new job this week. So far, so good for him. Tuesday he came home with a bag full of stuff. When I asked what it was, he pulled out all sorts of shirts and a jacket. So, they clothe him, they provide him with a company car, AND he gets a FuelMan credit card to pay for his gas. Then they decided instead of paying him his training salary for the first month (since he's officially training) that they would go ahead and give him what his normal pay would be. And the boys will be getting on better insurance in a few weeks, so that will be like ANOTHER automatic pay raise for us. We're also praying that I can change my insurance policy/company and receive better coverage at a better price. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, but everything seems to be falling into place. It's been a real blessing and I am so thankful.
#3. I started a coupon binder. I have several friends who can go to grocery stores and drugstores (CVS seems to be the popular one) and can get $100 worth of items for $20. I have not mastered that. Actually, I haven't done any shopping lately. But, I want to try and teach myself the basics of that kind of bargain shopping. I'll just be glad to be organized when I am grocery shopping. I usually have coupons falling everywhere and Ethan grabs them and starts throwing them everywhere. There's a lot of drama involved when I'm trying to grocery shop AND coupon AND wrestle with a toddler.
And I also started the binder because Chad and I are starting a new budget. Even though he will be making much better money, our goal is to spend less. We have a HUGE student loan debt that we need to start chipping away at like nobody's business. Like Dave Ramsey says, it has become our little pet..... just following us around begging for attention. Debt is bad, bad, bad.
#4. My youngest brother and his girlfriend got engaged this past weekend when he was home. Brent has 2 more years left of being in the Marine Corps, then he wants to enlist in the Reserves. His fiancee, Melissa, is going into her second year of medical school at UMC. They are not in a hurry to get married, it will be 2 or 3 years probably, but we're excited for them. We really, really like Melissa. She is perfect for my brother. And she helps keep him in line.
And Brent left Tuesday to return to Cherry Point. I think I took it harder this time because he will be leaving the country in July. He will be gone over 6 months and I guess it upset me more knowing he would be on the other side of the world for so long. Ever since he's been enlisted, he's been able to come home for the holidays. This Christmas, however, it won't be happening.
#5. I am a fan of Elvis Presley on Facebook. They advertised this iPhone skin. I don't have an iPhone, but it makes me want to get one just so I can buy this cover. This is the most beautiful, most awesome, most glorious phone skin I have EVER seen.
#6. Ethan is still a child with VERY few words. He has yet to speak in sentences or say a lot of words. However, he LOVES this backpack. He will say the word "backpack" and I swear I could eat him up when he says it. It's the cutest thing ever. It sounds like "backback". It's hilarious. He also loves his sunglasses. For some reason, Chad let him go into the nursery Sunday morning with his sunglasses on. I don't think he took them off for most of the morning.
#7. On the subject of Ethan, I have not cut his hair yet. I can't bring myself to do it. It's so curly in the back. I know when I see a pair of scissors coming to those curls I will cry my eyes out. I know, it's absolutely RIDICULOUS. If this were someone else's child, I would be thinking to myself, "Man, they SERIOUSLY need to cut that child's hair". But, I can't and I won't until it gets WAY out of control.
#8. On a very, very serious note, please pray for the Dykman family. My heart hurts so bad for them. You can read about their sweet baby: http://www.thedykmanfamily.blogspot.com/
And that is all I have to say today. Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend.
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