A Hard Habit to Break...

Here I sit at the computer... wearing a skirt... and donning curlers. QUITE THE SIGHT! I am the girl who rarely gets dressed up. In the mornings, I throw on a Tshirt or two, jeans, socks, boots, grab my jacket and I'm out the door. No make up... no hair prep. Just a pony tail and whatever eyeliner might not have washed off from the last time I wore some (which is usually on an evening I have to go in public for one thing or another). So, it's pretty special when I actually take the time to dress up. The last time I wore a dress was to a wedding at the beginning of August... where a guy from my church barely recognized me. Or so he said. I don't know if he was just being a smart butt since I usually wear jeans or cords to church. Guess I'll never know. But anyway, its Christmas Eve and I decided that I'd like to spruce myself up a lil for this evening's service and family get-together. I am sure I look rather ridiculous at this point, but who doesn't when they have a head full of curlers? My hair is rather long, and boy did my arms ache from all that rolling! Also, a strange thing happened. Cory, being the precautionary that he is... has a little gas/carbon monoxide detector (I think that's what it is) in my kitchen. My house is small and the bathroom is right off of the kitchen. Well, I was in front of the mirror putting a curler in my hair and this detector starts shrieking bloody murder!!!! I about fell over. My head was already aching from the curlers that were weighing me down... the last thing I needed or expected was this shrill ear piercing BLARE to go off! Boo was so upset she kept running from room to room while I ran into the kitchen, looked at the detector which was blinking the word "GAS" over and over, and tried turning all of the knobs on my stove. Everything was off. Weird. (Poor Boo's ears are probably ringing like crazy). Luckily the thing turned off by itself... but the only thing I could figure was that maybe it was my hair spray causing the detector to freak out? I wasn't even using that much really... ? So I am confused. Of course, I can't get ahold of Cory after trying to call him ohhhhhhhhhhhh.... about 5 times. So I am hoping and praying that it was just the hair spray because ummmmm... I'm still in the house. Yikes.

Now on to my other story....
Today was a SLOOOOOOOW day at work. We were able to work 5:30AM-2PM for the holiday. I ran out of work around 10AM. So... I looked for things to do... I talked to people... I scrounged and pretty much ended up with NADA! So, 2PM rolls around and I was soooo ready to get out of there. I grab my stuff, lock my office, shut the door and start walking toward my car. Wouldn't you know... a tractor trailer pulls in. Of course everyone is leaving from the shops. All of the forklift drivers are already almost to the parking lot to leave. But there I was. Me... the girl who can't just walk away! UGH. So, I walk into the Receiving Office (this is the guy from another part of the shop who took over after my coworker got laid off earlier this month)... and I told the guy there was a truck. He DOES NOT unload trucks (although a requirement of his position... is to OPERATE A FORKLIFT!). He went through the whole "Everyone else has gone home *sigh...*" - So... I made a flippant remark about "I guess I will have to do it" and marched the WHOLE way across the plant to get a forklift (which was put away for the long holiday weekend). I zoomed over to the truck---which luckily only needed ONE skid unloaded... and couldn't resist. I grabbed my cellphone, which was conveniently in my pocket because I was ON MY WAY OUT THE DOOR just a few moments before... and I dialed the boss's son. I was so fuming. (Stemming from other things... not just that exact moment--although it had a great deal to do with it). I BLASTED him. I just let him have it about having someone in Receiving who doesn't drive a forklift... how everyone else had gone home, but this guy (and me)... and how it makes NO SENSE to have someone in that position that won't unload a truck!!! I was NOT very nice. Oh man... I was so mad! GRRRRRR!! The guy asked if there was anyone else... and I reiterated that it was TIME TO GO HOME... they actually were forcing us all to go home and I just happened to get sucked into the middle of it. I couldn't hear all that he said because the heater in the forklift was so loud--but I hung up and huffed and puffed and unloaded the truck, signed the paperwork, drove the lift back over to park... walked BACK to the receiving office... flung the paperwork on the desk and went to punch out. Ohhhh I was SO mad! I drove home in a fury! I just let it fester. Blah!
Then... little by little... I started thinking.
WOW.
I.was.just.a.total.jerk.
I was inconvenienced a whole 13 minutes... and I totally blew it.
I hopped into the shower and the more I thought about it... the worse I felt. I felt horrible! I started thinking about my quick temper. This isn't the first time I've blown up like that. It's wrong. Yes, I am human... but I am also a Christian and Christ would NEVER have treated anyone the way I treated my boss's son and even my coworker (my attitude and flinging the papers on the desk). I breathed a prayer of forgiveness... and after getting out of the shower, called my boss's son back. I apologized and he accepted and we briefly talked about the situation (and the not driving a forklift issue). He kind of chuckled when I tried to apologize again... and told me that it was OK... and we wished each other a Merry Christmas... and wow. What a weight lifted off of my shoulders! Not just because I felt better that I had made amends... but because I also hoped that my apology made him feel better (I'm sure he didn't appreciate me blasting him earlier)... and I believe that God was proud of me for taking the step to make it right. So many times we are so quick to judge or get angry and irate. Even about little things (people who annoy us in the store--I'm totally guilty of commenting under my breath when someone cuts me off or is rude). We don't realize that there are bigger issues. Maybe someone is hurting and was absent minded because their thoughts were on a loved one they'd just lost. Maybe someone was having a bad day. Maybe that person who cut you off in the parking lot didn't actually SEE you! There are so many factors and we are so quick to respond in anger and rage. At least, I know I am. It is like a bad habit and habits are hard to break... but I know having Christ in my life will help me to overcome anything I put my mind to. I believe today was a baby step in the process for me. I hope that you will step back and take a look before reacting the next time you find yourself in the same type of predicament. Maybe offer a smile or if need be, just turn the other way. You'll be glad you did--trust me.

Merry Christmas to you all!!

M.I.A.

I really haven't been on the blog scene much lately... I have been so busy. Last week I rushed to the hospital with my aunt because my uncle had to have emergency surgery. He is OK and home now, although still recovering. Friday I took the day off from work and hung out with my cousin to do a lil last minute Christmas shopping... and then volunteered at the teen center for the evening. Saturday plans got foiled by the hospital visit my uncle had to take (his wife was supposed to do my practice wedding hair)... so I helped my mom wrap presents, went to a jewelry party for another cousin, and then was luckily able to relax at home with Cory and watch a movie later on that evening. Sunday was church... then home for lunch... a lil time with Cory--finished the movie... then back in town for a Christmas Open House at the parsonage... and I spent the rest of the evening there.

That about sums it up. And in between, when I can, I have been reading.

Oh. And work. Lots of working overtime... tomorrow I have to get up at 3AM to be in to work at 4. Not sure if I will be able to drag myself out of bed... so I will be hitting the hay soon!!

please pray NOW!

i am just about to leave for a hospital in pittsburgh where my uncle is in VERY serious condition following complications with a back surgery. he had to be moved to priority--(emergency surpgery)--on a list of scheduled surgeries. PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM... his name is Jim!! they believe he has had some strokes and such (i don't know specifics) please also pray for safe travels--we are supposed to get blasted with a storm!

thank you!!!!

10 days till Christmas!!!

This month is FLYING. This whole YEAR has flown! WOW.

Anyway... I wanted to share some good news! Cory is officially now a HOMEOWNER! We are excited! He signed the papers on Friday and will eventually start moving in (depending on weather)!! WOO HOO!!!

This weekend, we went to a Christmas Dinner at the Teen Center we volunteer for. I wanted to share some pics.


We had a good crowd and lots of good food!!


Cory playing cards with some of the kids.


My nephew and Cory.


My nephew and me!

Me and Mr. & Mrs. Claus (grandma & grandpa)

I hope you are all gearing up for the holidays!! It will be here before you know it!

My Afternoon Snowball Disaster!

*sigh*

I was able to get out of work a little after 3 today. I've been getting a lot of over time now that they laid off my coworker in receiving. (Makes sense to pay 2 people time and 1/2 to cover for the job of one person. Yeah. Oh well.) So I decided to cut out 20 mins ealier than normal. Anyway... I came home, dropped my stuff inside and took Boo out to the back yard to play a little. She ran around a couple of minutes... then she kept sniffing (or what looked like sniffing) at the grass. Now, the snow has melted considerably. We have more grass showing than snow at the moment. Well, I started throwing small snowballs at her to get her attention. I am not a very good shot, I must say! But she just kept "sniffing" all over the place. Come to find out.. she discovered yummy rabbit turds all over the yard. Everywhere she went... she'd scarf up a little pile. (OI!!) So, I started chasing after her... which was more like... taking a few steps toward her which made her scurry all over the place. It was funny. Finally she gave up on that game and started sniffing for the rabbit presents again... and so I figured I'd throw one last snowball at her and take her inside. One.last.snowball. I leaned down to scoop up a little handful of snow... only to realize that in a split second, my fingernails had grazed upon quite the chunk of dog pooh hidden beneath the white, slushie mess. Great. Like I said, one last snowball. For sure. I couldn't have been more disgusted! EW! I immediately called Boo to come inside with me and scrubbed and scrubbed! UUUUUGH! I then had to clean up (shower, etc). Well that entailed... washing my face and washing my hair, etc. All the while feeling like little particles of dog doo-doo were still haunting me. You know, the microscopic particles that you can't see... but that make you sick or.. ughh! Gross! So... I have no word to the wise... because I honestly had no idea that there was a little surprise under that pile of snow. I guess all I can say is... never eat yellow snow... and hope to God that next time you go to make a snowball... you don't stick your hands in anything brown!!! *gag*

Vacation Day?? HA!

I have been running around like crazy trying to do things. What a busy time of year!! I have a horrible cold and have not been feeling well... so I took the day off to rest. I haven't done much resting... but I have felt a little better as the day goes on. Unfortuntately, I found out earlier this AM that my work is laying off 35 people today! My coworker and friend, Cathy, got laid off. That makes me really sad and disappointed that I didn't go to work. I will have to take over "Shipping & Receiving" duties again as I did before we split it into two functions. I feel horrible for all of those people who got laid off, especially around the holidays (conveniently before bonus checks get handed out). Please keep all of those who are struggling in your prayers.

Last night was our Ladie's Christmas Party for work. You may have read in a previous post that we get a profile of a family in need... and instead of buying gifts for each other, we buy for the family. It is then taken to the police station and they take it to the family on Christmas Eve as an anonymous gift. My mom did mostly EVERYTHING as far as cooking and such. I helped set up and get the table ready... and coordinated games, etc. Here is a pic of the table.
This is the bundle of presents that were brought and wrapped at the party! It might not look like much--but there are presents stuffed down into all of those bags and boxes! We had a good time. Lots of fun and laughter... and good food!! We hope that these presents will bless this young family more than we could ever imagine!!!

Last, but certainly not least, today is my nephew's 3rd birthday!!! He is obsessed with my volkswagen bug and bus... so we are having a small (immediate family) party for him tonight with a "volkswagen buggy" theme! I think he will love it! Cory and I got him a tshirt with 3 bugs on it that says Slug Bugs and on the sleeve it says "slug here". I also got this little iron-on transfer off of Etsy. I ironed it on a zip-up hoodie that hopefully will get worn a lot! I also offered to make a "buggy" cake. I tried to make a big one--but I had all kinds of trouble with the icing! So I opted to make a mini-cake just for Jax! I hope he likes it! (I did some touching up on the wheels after I took the pic. I didn't realize they looked so sloppy!) I hope I feel better by tonight so that I can enjoy it all as much as possible! Here is the birthday boy!
Check out my sis's post about Jaxson's Bday!