Bitter/Blessed
This has been the worst day I've had in a long time. Why?
*Woke up at 4:45 AM, after two sets of flights north were canceled yesterday, to catch a 6 AM flight out of our new Georgia town to Atlanta, so I could run to a connection to Detroit, so I could run to a connection to Columbus, to retrieve my children & our van from my BFF.
*I then had to immediately drive 3.5 hours with the kids back to Michigan (seething over the fact that I had just flown through there) to catch the tiny weather window b/t the horrible ice Columbus got overnight before it started back up again this afternoon. Not to mention the SNOWSTORM OF THE CENTURY I was so excitedly (*dripping sarcasm*) trying to beat back to MI.
*Yeah, that. We all know how I feel about snow. And to purposely have raced back just to get trapped with the kids in our house, all alone with no JB, (today was his 1st day in his GA job! Yay for him! Bubbling jealously for me...) and no one to shovel us out from under a forecast 18" of snow in 40 mph winds??? Bitter doesn't scratch the surface...
*The other reason I hauled tail back up here was to settle our rent, (as it is the 1st.) I pulled right off the highway & into their bank...where they proceeded to tell me they couldn't deposit the check, b/c I didn't write it out correctly. You.Must.Be.Kidding.Me. I told them *their* branch told me to do it that way & that we'd been doing it since June! Nope - they wouldn't help me. I left with 2 bickering kids, having been cooped up in the car, & evil steam coming out of my ears, when I was then chatted up by a divorcée, hoping I was in his same boat. WHAT?!?!
*Came home to find Bonnie had pooped in the house several times & the dogsitter didn't clean it up.
*The TV wouldn't work.
*The smoke detector in our master was chirping...and is also 14 FEET up the cathedral-ceiling wall.
*And finally, the icing on the cake: I looked over at Will while I was scrubbing the carpet where the poop had been, cursing the chirping...and saw pink eye goop. On this, the first day that our old insurance with JB's last job has run out, and before he has our policy number for our new insurance (for which everything up here is out-of-network, anyway) and on the eve of being trapped in our house for at least the next 48 hours under over a foot of snow. And all after traveling since 5 AM, having been home for about an hour, AND with me now as a single parent until we actually move.
*I had to pay out-of-pocket for a minute clinic visit & eye drop script. Apparently Will's wheezing a little, too, so he'll be thrilled to sit with the nebulizer. (Again, sarcasm.)
*We couldn't even go out to our beloved cheap pizza place, so I wouldn't have to cook dinner, b/c the blizzard started as we were in the minute clinic.
It has been a Job day. No doubt.
I was so angry, I was on the verge of tears. Each new obstacle sent me to new heights of resentful/bitter/furious/pitiful.
I kept praying all day for God to help me, and even though the blizzard is still coming, He *DID* use some of this mess for my good:
*My flight to Columbus was the *ONLY* one in the last two days that didn't get canceled! We literally slipped in the weather window.
*I didn't fall asleep at the wheel, and I actually learned a few things as the kids watched their new "What's in the Bible?" DVD. (I know it sounds blah, but it's AWESOME! They laughed their heads off, and I actually gleaned some info, too!)
*I got an email from neighbor boys who want to shovel for money tomorrow. PRAISE with JB gone! They'll get my business.
*The other branch of that same bank took the rent check like they always do in less than a minute with a happy smile, stickers for the kids, & a dog bone for Bonnie. (In your face, rude loser branch! :-P)
*I guess I should've taken the divorcée's interest as a compliment? :-D
*My BFF Tina went out & bought Bonnie a new little bag of dog food, so I wouldn't have to, and was graciously willing to take her in, even though they don't do pets, if I got stuck somewhere in all the traveling. [I LOVE YOU, TBP!!!!]
*At least Bonnie's poop was firm & self-contained.
*I fixed the TV (after 20 minutes, but I still did it!)
*I haven't heard a smoke alarm chirp since we got back from the minute clinic, but I'm ready to get the ladder out of the garage & climb that mountain w/o crying.
*Snowmageddon works for us in just one way: no school until 24 hours after Will started his eye drops, and school has already been canceled for tomorrow, so fine.
Things could be so much worse. I'm blessed. Thank you, God, for covered airfares & automatic rebooking, a break in the weather, a van to drive, a house to rent, a minute clinic close by, a TV in the first place, and MOST IMPORTANTLY: THANK YOU for my BFF in Columbus & her family who took in our children for 72 hours!!!!!! That absolutely blessed us beyond measure!!!
(And thank you for letting me get all that out, so I don't churn with it nonstop. *sigh of relief*)
Keeping my eye on the prize: only a little while longer until we're reunited in a warmer place. :-) (And more happy details on that front forthcoming...)
*Woke up at 4:45 AM, after two sets of flights north were canceled yesterday, to catch a 6 AM flight out of our new Georgia town to Atlanta, so I could run to a connection to Detroit, so I could run to a connection to Columbus, to retrieve my children & our van from my BFF.
*I then had to immediately drive 3.5 hours with the kids back to Michigan (seething over the fact that I had just flown through there) to catch the tiny weather window b/t the horrible ice Columbus got overnight before it started back up again this afternoon. Not to mention the SNOWSTORM OF THE CENTURY I was so excitedly (*dripping sarcasm*) trying to beat back to MI.
*Yeah, that. We all know how I feel about snow. And to purposely have raced back just to get trapped with the kids in our house, all alone with no JB, (today was his 1st day in his GA job! Yay for him! Bubbling jealously for me...) and no one to shovel us out from under a forecast 18" of snow in 40 mph winds??? Bitter doesn't scratch the surface...
*The other reason I hauled tail back up here was to settle our rent, (as it is the 1st.) I pulled right off the highway & into their bank...where they proceeded to tell me they couldn't deposit the check, b/c I didn't write it out correctly. You.Must.Be.Kidding.Me. I told them *their* branch told me to do it that way & that we'd been doing it since June! Nope - they wouldn't help me. I left with 2 bickering kids, having been cooped up in the car, & evil steam coming out of my ears, when I was then chatted up by a divorcée, hoping I was in his same boat. WHAT?!?!
*Came home to find Bonnie had pooped in the house several times & the dogsitter didn't clean it up.
*The TV wouldn't work.
*The smoke detector in our master was chirping...and is also 14 FEET up the cathedral-ceiling wall.
*And finally, the icing on the cake: I looked over at Will while I was scrubbing the carpet where the poop had been, cursing the chirping...and saw pink eye goop. On this, the first day that our old insurance with JB's last job has run out, and before he has our policy number for our new insurance (for which everything up here is out-of-network, anyway) and on the eve of being trapped in our house for at least the next 48 hours under over a foot of snow. And all after traveling since 5 AM, having been home for about an hour, AND with me now as a single parent until we actually move.
*I had to pay out-of-pocket for a minute clinic visit & eye drop script. Apparently Will's wheezing a little, too, so he'll be thrilled to sit with the nebulizer. (Again, sarcasm.)
*We couldn't even go out to our beloved cheap pizza place, so I wouldn't have to cook dinner, b/c the blizzard started as we were in the minute clinic.
It has been a Job day. No doubt.
I was so angry, I was on the verge of tears. Each new obstacle sent me to new heights of resentful/bitter/furious/pitiful.
I kept praying all day for God to help me, and even though the blizzard is still coming, He *DID* use some of this mess for my good:
*My flight to Columbus was the *ONLY* one in the last two days that didn't get canceled! We literally slipped in the weather window.
*I didn't fall asleep at the wheel, and I actually learned a few things as the kids watched their new "What's in the Bible?" DVD. (I know it sounds blah, but it's AWESOME! They laughed their heads off, and I actually gleaned some info, too!)
*I got an email from neighbor boys who want to shovel for money tomorrow. PRAISE with JB gone! They'll get my business.
*The other branch of that same bank took the rent check like they always do in less than a minute with a happy smile, stickers for the kids, & a dog bone for Bonnie. (In your face, rude loser branch! :-P)
*I guess I should've taken the divorcée's interest as a compliment? :-D
*My BFF Tina went out & bought Bonnie a new little bag of dog food, so I wouldn't have to, and was graciously willing to take her in, even though they don't do pets, if I got stuck somewhere in all the traveling. [I LOVE YOU, TBP!!!!]
*At least Bonnie's poop was firm & self-contained.
*I fixed the TV (after 20 minutes, but I still did it!)
*I haven't heard a smoke alarm chirp since we got back from the minute clinic, but I'm ready to get the ladder out of the garage & climb that mountain w/o crying.
*Snowmageddon works for us in just one way: no school until 24 hours after Will started his eye drops, and school has already been canceled for tomorrow, so fine.
Things could be so much worse. I'm blessed. Thank you, God, for covered airfares & automatic rebooking, a break in the weather, a van to drive, a house to rent, a minute clinic close by, a TV in the first place, and MOST IMPORTANTLY: THANK YOU for my BFF in Columbus & her family who took in our children for 72 hours!!!!!! That absolutely blessed us beyond measure!!!
(And thank you for letting me get all that out, so I don't churn with it nonstop. *sigh of relief*)
Keeping my eye on the prize: only a little while longer until we're reunited in a warmer place. :-) (And more happy details on that front forthcoming...)
I am sorry you are going through all of this. But, hey, even if you do have to climb "Fire Alarm Mountain", you know you have the strength to do it! Plus, I know you are counting down days...how many more now?...until you are back SOUTH where even the winters are warmer!
ReplyDeletehang in there susie! things are looking up. :) you can survive a blizzsrd you can survive ANYTHING. you are stronger than you think and where you are weak God is strong and taking care of you! I am so glad you got through your awful horrible no good very bad day... some days ARE like that even in australia! :D
ReplyDeletelove you!
whew - i'm glad you ended the post with praises - i was getting a bit depressed! good on you for seeing all the good in the craptacular. :)
ReplyDeleteThank y'all sooooooo much for the support. I know I can get through this; it's just not fun. :-P It will be a lot easier once we have an actual move date set, which we don't want to do until all the house papers are signed, which HOPEFULLY will be this week. LOVE Y'ALL!!!
ReplyDeleteum, you had a horrid day! i hope you treated yourself to something special! you are such an inspiration to me - after all that, you sat down and counted your blessings. thank you for that reminder.
ReplyDelete