Friday, May 30, 2008

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five ~ Garage Sale

Since will smama is preparing for a joint garage sale with her parents, and Songbird's church had a Yard and Plant Sale last Saturday, we have five enormously important questions we hope you will answer:

1) Are you a garage saler?
I'm not really a garage saler--now. Growing up my family always had one or two a year. We would do them jointly with other families and I loved them! I loved sitting at the table taking money, and especially earning some of my own. I think my parents relished the chance for my sister and I to get rid of stuff, so they let us earn some money for the items we put out. (We had a fairly detailed labeling system to determine who received what profits.) My mom would often take us with her too as we went to many garage sales. I don't remember much stuff making its way home though. I guess it was cheap entertainment--and a chance for us kids to spend the few bucks we made at our own sale.

2) If so, are you an immediate buyer or a risk taker who comes back later when prices are lower?
I'm more likely to be an immediate buyer--if I even go out.

3) Seriously, if you're not a garage saler, you are probably not going to want to play this one.
(That wasn't really #3.)
3) This is the real #3: What's the best treasure you've found at a yard or garage sale?
Can't think of one--so I'll say the best treasure that we had at our yard sales was the "Free Box"--full of things like Happy Meal Toys and random junk that kids love. It keeps kids occupied and happy while parents really look at what's for sale.

4)If you've done one yourself, at church or at home, was it worth the effort?
Now that I'm an adult, I don't think it's worth the effort.

5) Can you bring yourself to haggle?
I hate haggling, so I won't do it. My husband would be likely to though! So I'd just have to bring him along.

BONUS: For the true aficionado: Please discuss the impact of Ebay, Craig's List, Freecycle, etc... on the church or home yard/garage sale.
What I like about these options as a buyer is being able to look for just what I want without having to go to 18 different places in hopes they will have it.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Still Standing?

Wow--it has only been a week and one day, but I feel like I haven't blogged in forever. Maybe because I've shoved about a month's worth of activity into this past week--or maye it was shoved into the week for me! I'm really not sure which.

Friday through Sunday I was at my synod's annual assembly. I really, really enjoy assemblies. Last year, I even served as a voting member at my churchwide assembly. At it, I reconnected with the bishop from my home synod who presided at my ordination. I don't know him all that well, but my family has known him for years. He asked about my family--particularly my mom. As we were chatting, another person came over and joined the conversation. The bishop introduced me and said, "She's a church groupie--the only bigger church groupie is her mother." This is true; I embrace it. I love, love, love, church gatherings beyond the congregational level. No big hoopla at assembly--though we did elect a new bishop. I'll miss the current one very much when he retires. So, though it was a good event, it was very tiring.

Sunday, I actually left early to attend my step-son's high school graduation. (Yes--for those reading who haven't read every blog...I'm expecting my first child in June, but my husband has two children--one newly graduated and one who is finishing up her freshman year of high school. He started really young the first time around.) The ceremony itself was fine except that the gym where it was held was about 852 degrees. Not very nice for this already puffy pregnant girl! Then came the real fun--hanging out at his open house, held at his mom's house. Thankfully we all (kids, husband, ex, step-dad, me, various in-laws) get along really, really well. It's just that after my hubby's parents left, we really didn't know any other guests, so it was pretty boring. By the end of the hour drive home though I was exhausted.

Monday was a fairly quiet day--thankfully. Because Tuesday turned into a whopper! 7:30 a.m. I left home for a third ultrasound to check something of concern by the doctor on Monday. I haven't heard back from the doctor's office, but the ultrasound tech was reassuring that there wasn't a problem. I called my husband to let him know the results of the ultrasound; he had managed to get people to cover his classes for the other two and just wasn't able to make it work this time--especially since he planned to be gone Wednesday to take my step-son to register for college. He told me that the other teachers had brought in gifts for a shower that day and that it would be cool if I could come eat lunch with him to open them. So I went in to the office for a few hours and then left for that. Teachers don't have really long lunch times, especially because hubby had recess duty, but we got some lovely and thoughtful gifts. They did a 'shower' shower--so the baby will be very clean for a long time with all the soap. Then back to the office for a few hours. Tried to keep it short since I had a meeting that evening too. So I went home and sat just briefly until hubby came home. We had to take a bike wheel in for repair, so decided to take it and with step-son go out to eat and then I'd go to my meeting. After the meeting, had a message and talked to hubby--father-in-law being airlifted from home 3 hours from us to best hospital in the area 1 hour from us with a brain bleed. So--I frantically packed a few things for overnight; he took care of getting a sub--and we headed off. Met ex to drop off step-son and went to hospital. Thankfully it wasn't quite as severe as it sounded from that. They would admit him and do surgery on Wednesday. We did drive home to sleep, getting home around 12:30 or so. That felt more like 3 days than one.

Wednesday, we went back to hospital when he was in surgery. This is the short version. The blood was actually a clot that had formed between the brain and the skull and was putting pressure on the brain. They drilled holes and sucked it out and left a drain in. He was doing fine coming out of anesthesia so we left late afternoon. We did not go back today, but have gotten word that they took the drain out so he can be up. May go home as early as tomorrow.

Thankfully no sermon to write this week, but lots to do in next weeks in preparation for baby. I'm trying very hard to only do what needs to be done. Easier said than done. But I'm still standing--or at least still functioning and trying to find time to sit and put those puffy feet up! Which is what I'm going to do now.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Ready for Baby?

I cannot believe how fast the last months have gone! I'm down to 5 1/2 weeks to my due date--which is really close. There are still a few things I need to do to get ready, some important things to buy--like diapers and a car seat. Beyond that, I think we could get by for a short time with what we already have. But I've been waiting. The folks here at my church are going to have a shower for me on June 1, so I figure on June 2, I'll go shopping for whatever I don't get and that we need.

I've heard of many women at this point who are simply tired of being pregnant. I don't feel that way. I love being pregnant (in spite of the swollen fingers rendering me unable to wear my wedding ring and in spite of the swollen feet at the end of the day). I love feeling this baby move inside me as I try to guess--was that a happy kick or scared kick? Was it even a kick? Or just a roll? Was that a finger poke? I love my maternity clothes--mostly. And I feel more attractive than I have for a long time--not sexy, but attractive. I feel like I've got this pregnancy thing down. I could stay pregnant forever. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited to see this baby and hold it in my arms.

But the reason I'm ready now is that I am so aching for a break from work. I'm looking forward to a mini-sabbatical, in a way. I know I won't sleep...I know I'll be exhausted...I know I won't get any of the reading I want to do done...I know I won't tackle the many projects at home I'd love to do...but I won't be at work. I'll get a break from church, from this place that is slowly stealing bits of me. I'm ready for a break--now. It's like I'm looking forward to summer vacation--I just don't know when it's going to start!

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Happy May Day!

Today is the day of some pretty significant anniversaries for me.

May 1, 2003 ~ The very first day of my very first call as an ordained pastor. I had been ordained in April and would be installed at my congregation on May 10th, but my first day was May 1st. For the month of May, my husband and I would be living in two different cities, with the major move of household happening mid-month so that each of us would be living with an air mattress and basic necessities about half the month. So on the morning of May 1st, I drove the two-ish hours from our home to my new town, my new church, expecting it to be a somewhat quiet day. I'd get to know the senior pastor and office manager better; I'd do some unpacking in my office; I'd just generally get my bearings. Instead, it was the "First Annual Senior Pizza Party" for members of the congregation over 60. So I got to meet 40-50 people and be fully overwhelmed!

May 1, 2008 ~ Today was the "Fifth Annual Senior Pizza Party." I knew everyone who came through the line. I helped serve pizza and ice cream and just generally had a good time. I got to watch them visit and chat and enjoy one another and chat with a few myself. I also got to visit and connect with the ladies in the kitchen, another important ministry I believe.

May 1, 1999 ~ My love surprised me with a May Day basket--set outside the door of my dorm. A basket filled in the bottom with almond hershey's kisses (gold wrapper looks somewhat like dirt) and a single rose--that was a jewelry case bearing the most beautiful diamond I had ever seen. We had talked about marriage before; I even knew he had a ring. He's not so good at secrets. I had told him that if he proposed, I would say yes. There were only a few critera. He had to pick out the ring himself and he had to suprise me with the proposal--both of which he pulled off amazingly!

May 1, 2008 ~ Today we are expecting our first child, in about two more months. We've had some ups and downs, as all couples do. He's still not so good at secrets and neither of us is so good at surprises. But I absolutely love him with all my heart and am grateful that we should be able to spend the evening together--not something that generally happens between my evening meetings and his track coaching. But before I get home to meet him tonight, I think I'll stop by the store for some almond hershey's kisses--which to me always taste like love.