Matt and I actually did the 5:00 in the morning thing the day after Thanksgiving. How, you might ask, did I talk Matt into this shopping mania? Simple: our destination was Circuit City and our mission was a computer monitor. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Whoo-hoo! We saved $250 on a much needed monitor. The particular SONY was sold out when we arrived at 5:20, so we resigned ourselves to the no name monitor with a comparable price but less features and quality. We purchased it and were actually walking out the door when (PTL!) I spotted one next to an unrelated display. I tapped the only person standing nearby and asked if it was his. It wasn't, so we took it to the Customer Service desk and exchanged the one we had bought minutes ago for the one for which we had woken up at 5:00. An extra bonus, was at the Customer Service Desk, we didn't have to wait in line. (The normal lines were not so normal in the fact that they prob'ly had 50+ people in each line.)
I'm not taking either blessing for granted.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Long Enough for the Dedicated Blogger or Bored Individual
I'll be surprised if anyone actually reads these long and consecutive posts.
We're becoming more and more unpacked everyday. So much has happened in the less than a month that we have technically owned this home.
We have been the recepients of so much undeserved help and grace. You wouldn't believe how much time my dad has given to driving up here and helping us. I haven't even heard him complain about the time or inconvenience. I know it must have been hard to be away from home so many evenings. My dad took out part of our kitchen wall, to give the dining/kitchen more of an open look and so that I can be in the kitchen piddling and still see Simon eating. He preserved the ventahood by taking it out, cutting out the top, resanding it, painting it, putting it back up and making it look new again. We asked for his help just in setting up a temporary desk in the kitchen's built-in, and he surprises us with putting up something that is not temporary and will look like a built-in, especially once we paint it. With the help of George from church, they rewired the stove and moved an electrical outlet. They also came over one Friday and set up shop for a laminate workshop. What I mean is that some wonderful volunteers and friends at GFA planned to come over one Friday to help us lay flooring. Dad came over earlier and got things ready so that things would be ready for the flooring. Dad and George also began laying flooring in the den and stayed until after 10:00 that night finishing it. This really means a lot to me because my dad has bad knees and laying flooring is hard on him. He also worked for hours to cut the brick at the base of the hearth so the laminate could go under it.
Our GFA crew came after 5 and was able to lay the flooring in the hall and our bedroom. So, what could have taken literally weeks, took one day. PTL! (Praise the Lord for those who are out of the loop of abbreviations...)
Grace on top of grace was that our GFA community not only brought help but dinner that night for everyone working. A couple at GFA let us borrow their moving truck which is what we used to move. A group of 20ish people came over one day after work to unload it. So, what could have taken hours, took less than an hour. Ramble: That particular day the outside trashcan was overflowing with household trash of the previous owners that hadn't been taken to the curb. Matt noticed at one point that it was no longer overflowing. He wondered aloud about it, and Paula C. spoke up that she had taken some of the trash and put it in her trunk. True service, I think, it illustrated in this act. It is very undesirable to put someone's trash in your trunk. The bed of a truck wouldn't be as bad, but actually inside your car. It was very thankless b/c she did it silently without being asked and only telling b/c Matt was wondering. Matt says he thinks others had taken some trash, too. Anyway, that meant a lot to me even though it might sound odd or minute.
Matt was here about a week or so by himself--working on painting and pulling up carpet. GFA families brought him dinner each night. Some people came over to help pull out carpet. Jeff C. came to help pull the carpet to the curb and to bring dinner I think. On two Saturdays, Dave J., came over to help Matt with painting preparations and such. J.D. came over to help paint two nights. The first night we were all here (even Simon), The Christofferson family brought us a casserole and salad which was so thoughtful b/c it was prob'ly going to be cherry cokes and sunchips again for Matt and I. I was going to resort to jarred babyfood for Simon, so the homemade meal actually made our first night more like being at home and not being in a workshop. There's been at least one evening where Matt had to call on some of the single guys to help us move in some heavy furniture.
My mom has helped so much by watching Simon so I could come up to Carrollton and help Matt when Matt was here solo. She also kept him one Saturday and Lisa was able to spend most of the day helping me organize, plan, and buy some necessities.
Our next wave of help came when Matt's mom from Georgia came last Wednesday. Sandy has been a super help cleaning and helping watch Simon so I could unpack. She cleaned windows and mopped floors (sometimes on her hands and knees and even behind the refrigerator and under the stove.) She also cleaned the bathrooms on a level much deeper than I had done. Like mother, like son, because Matt is also known to clean behind the refrigerator. Sandy washed every dish and what not that was unpacked. We also were treated to homemade chocolate pies, turkey, mashed potatoes, turnip greens where actual turnips were added, green beans that were actually strung, homemade blueberry cobbler, and other yummy things. Ollie came in and was a major help in babysitting and playing with Simon. Ollie raked the yard and washed our van.
The more I write, the more I am feeling really thankful and blessed and indebted to so many people.
I better quit while I can still say I am not including everything and that way I don't actually leave any acts of service out because I am purposefully recording the events incompletely.
We're becoming more and more unpacked everyday. So much has happened in the less than a month that we have technically owned this home.
We have been the recepients of so much undeserved help and grace. You wouldn't believe how much time my dad has given to driving up here and helping us. I haven't even heard him complain about the time or inconvenience. I know it must have been hard to be away from home so many evenings. My dad took out part of our kitchen wall, to give the dining/kitchen more of an open look and so that I can be in the kitchen piddling and still see Simon eating. He preserved the ventahood by taking it out, cutting out the top, resanding it, painting it, putting it back up and making it look new again. We asked for his help just in setting up a temporary desk in the kitchen's built-in, and he surprises us with putting up something that is not temporary and will look like a built-in, especially once we paint it. With the help of George from church, they rewired the stove and moved an electrical outlet. They also came over one Friday and set up shop for a laminate workshop. What I mean is that some wonderful volunteers and friends at GFA planned to come over one Friday to help us lay flooring. Dad came over earlier and got things ready so that things would be ready for the flooring. Dad and George also began laying flooring in the den and stayed until after 10:00 that night finishing it. This really means a lot to me because my dad has bad knees and laying flooring is hard on him. He also worked for hours to cut the brick at the base of the hearth so the laminate could go under it.
Our GFA crew came after 5 and was able to lay the flooring in the hall and our bedroom. So, what could have taken literally weeks, took one day. PTL! (Praise the Lord for those who are out of the loop of abbreviations...)
Grace on top of grace was that our GFA community not only brought help but dinner that night for everyone working. A couple at GFA let us borrow their moving truck which is what we used to move. A group of 20ish people came over one day after work to unload it. So, what could have taken hours, took less than an hour. Ramble: That particular day the outside trashcan was overflowing with household trash of the previous owners that hadn't been taken to the curb. Matt noticed at one point that it was no longer overflowing. He wondered aloud about it, and Paula C. spoke up that she had taken some of the trash and put it in her trunk. True service, I think, it illustrated in this act. It is very undesirable to put someone's trash in your trunk. The bed of a truck wouldn't be as bad, but actually inside your car. It was very thankless b/c she did it silently without being asked and only telling b/c Matt was wondering. Matt says he thinks others had taken some trash, too. Anyway, that meant a lot to me even though it might sound odd or minute.
Matt was here about a week or so by himself--working on painting and pulling up carpet. GFA families brought him dinner each night. Some people came over to help pull out carpet. Jeff C. came to help pull the carpet to the curb and to bring dinner I think. On two Saturdays, Dave J., came over to help Matt with painting preparations and such. J.D. came over to help paint two nights. The first night we were all here (even Simon), The Christofferson family brought us a casserole and salad which was so thoughtful b/c it was prob'ly going to be cherry cokes and sunchips again for Matt and I. I was going to resort to jarred babyfood for Simon, so the homemade meal actually made our first night more like being at home and not being in a workshop. There's been at least one evening where Matt had to call on some of the single guys to help us move in some heavy furniture.
My mom has helped so much by watching Simon so I could come up to Carrollton and help Matt when Matt was here solo. She also kept him one Saturday and Lisa was able to spend most of the day helping me organize, plan, and buy some necessities.
Our next wave of help came when Matt's mom from Georgia came last Wednesday. Sandy has been a super help cleaning and helping watch Simon so I could unpack. She cleaned windows and mopped floors (sometimes on her hands and knees and even behind the refrigerator and under the stove.) She also cleaned the bathrooms on a level much deeper than I had done. Like mother, like son, because Matt is also known to clean behind the refrigerator. Sandy washed every dish and what not that was unpacked. We also were treated to homemade chocolate pies, turkey, mashed potatoes, turnip greens where actual turnips were added, green beans that were actually strung, homemade blueberry cobbler, and other yummy things. Ollie came in and was a major help in babysitting and playing with Simon. Ollie raked the yard and washed our van.
The more I write, the more I am feeling really thankful and blessed and indebted to so many people.
I better quit while I can still say I am not including everything and that way I don't actually leave any acts of service out because I am purposefully recording the events incompletely.
More Rambling
Here is the bonus rambling I promised.
When I went to the Carrollton Library last week I was so excited at all of the possibilites. I was fond of our little South Garland Branch, even a little touched when the librarian seemed like she would genuinely miss seeing Simon and I, but....
the Carrollton library (the one on Keller Springs) is a world of difference. The South Garland Branch was in an old abandoned Food Lion Grocery store. Here are some of the new ammenities we will enjoy: a parking garage, an attached coffee/tea shop, walking paths/lake outside, nice librarians who looked in the back for a particular book for me without me even asking, actually letting you walk around with the coffee (I think), a place for parking your bike or skateboard, should I ever take up skateboarding which is past my imagination's limits...
When I went to the Carrollton Library last week I was so excited at all of the possibilites. I was fond of our little South Garland Branch, even a little touched when the librarian seemed like she would genuinely miss seeing Simon and I, but....
the Carrollton library (the one on Keller Springs) is a world of difference. The South Garland Branch was in an old abandoned Food Lion Grocery store. Here are some of the new ammenities we will enjoy: a parking garage, an attached coffee/tea shop, walking paths/lake outside, nice librarians who looked in the back for a particular book for me without me even asking, actually letting you walk around with the coffee (I think), a place for parking your bike or skateboard, should I ever take up skateboarding which is past my imagination's limits...
Thanksgiving Update
I haven't sat in front of a computer in awhile, but now that we the computer set up and dsl working, I should be able to enjoy the privilege once again.
I just finished listening to Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon on audio cd. I love the Mitford Series. I was so excited a few weeks ago to see the last novel come out. I was at the airport in St.Louis. I resisted the urge to buy the hardcover edition, knowing my grandfather in Cartersville would be buying it and knowing he wouldn't mind me borrowing it. He must have read it super fast, because word has it that it is already in the mail. Last week I checked out Shepherds Abiding, a novella with the same characters as the Mitford series. I needed something to keep me company while I unpacked and organized our bedroom closet.
I am a huge fan of audio books. They kept me company during Simon's first months when it was really hard to sit and hold a book and feed him at the same time. It's still hard, but for different reasons. Now, it's hard because there is always something to pick up, wash, cook, heat up, or throw out. But, I'm enjoying the sitting down that the actual paper book I'm getting in the mail will require. I'm already anticipating stealing moments to read.
Simon is becoming less like a baby every day and more like a toddler. Lots of fun. His uncle Ollie just left for the airport. He's been here a week and is a huge fan of his favorite (and only) nephew. We're thinking about going to IKEA this afternoon with Matt's parents. I have a couple of returns to make and am in desperate need to make some decisions for curtains in our home. Really, it's a good thing we have nothing to hide because two of our front windows are completely open. Which means, if anyone is looking, that they can see that we still need to buy a light for our dining room which has wires hanging down from the ceiling.
I'm going to end this post just so it doesn't look too long. I have more rambling to offer.
I just finished listening to Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon on audio cd. I love the Mitford Series. I was so excited a few weeks ago to see the last novel come out. I was at the airport in St.Louis. I resisted the urge to buy the hardcover edition, knowing my grandfather in Cartersville would be buying it and knowing he wouldn't mind me borrowing it. He must have read it super fast, because word has it that it is already in the mail. Last week I checked out Shepherds Abiding, a novella with the same characters as the Mitford series. I needed something to keep me company while I unpacked and organized our bedroom closet.
I am a huge fan of audio books. They kept me company during Simon's first months when it was really hard to sit and hold a book and feed him at the same time. It's still hard, but for different reasons. Now, it's hard because there is always something to pick up, wash, cook, heat up, or throw out. But, I'm enjoying the sitting down that the actual paper book I'm getting in the mail will require. I'm already anticipating stealing moments to read.
Simon is becoming less like a baby every day and more like a toddler. Lots of fun. His uncle Ollie just left for the airport. He's been here a week and is a huge fan of his favorite (and only) nephew. We're thinking about going to IKEA this afternoon with Matt's parents. I have a couple of returns to make and am in desperate need to make some decisions for curtains in our home. Really, it's a good thing we have nothing to hide because two of our front windows are completely open. Which means, if anyone is looking, that they can see that we still need to buy a light for our dining room which has wires hanging down from the ceiling.
I'm going to end this post just so it doesn't look too long. I have more rambling to offer.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Happy Birthday Scott
Yep, Today is Scott's 23rd birthday.
I'm trying to reach him on his cell phone so we can confirm dinner plans. I can tell he's on the other line by the way it rings. His phone is always ringing, so he uses it a lot, but it seems like he never actually calls anyone. Oh well, I'd hate to see that cell phone bill. Maybe I should offer to pay one month's bill for his birthday gift. Oh, I already bought him something. Okay, regardless, I'll call him right back, and if he answers by the third ring, I'll pay the bill. Okay, it rang more than 5 times, so that offer is off the table, little bro.
Someone's at the door. Hold on.
It was Scott, on the cell phone. I am not making this up. He continued to talk as I wished him Happy Birthday. I told him he just missed out on a golden opportunity. He is still talking and trying to open his bedroom door with his hands full of stuff and still talking.
Gotta publish. He's trying to read over my shoulder now.
I'm trying to reach him on his cell phone so we can confirm dinner plans. I can tell he's on the other line by the way it rings. His phone is always ringing, so he uses it a lot, but it seems like he never actually calls anyone. Oh well, I'd hate to see that cell phone bill. Maybe I should offer to pay one month's bill for his birthday gift. Oh, I already bought him something. Okay, regardless, I'll call him right back, and if he answers by the third ring, I'll pay the bill. Okay, it rang more than 5 times, so that offer is off the table, little bro.
Someone's at the door. Hold on.
It was Scott, on the cell phone. I am not making this up. He continued to talk as I wished him Happy Birthday. I told him he just missed out on a golden opportunity. He is still talking and trying to open his bedroom door with his hands full of stuff and still talking.
Gotta publish. He's trying to read over my shoulder now.
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