Chicago Trip

Though it is only 3-4 hours away, going to Chicago is not a frequent trip for us.  We just don't often take the time, and of course, we don't often have the money.  However, when we heard that Iron Maiden was going to be performing at the United Center, the hubs and I were in.  We bought our tickets and starting planning a quick (24 hour) trip to the city.

The hubs used a well-known travel site to book are hotel (boo to you hotels.com) at least a month in advance.  I rearranged work schedules with my staff and took Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning off so that we could stay overnight and not have to drive into the late night to get home.  We were set.

I got home about 12:30pm, and we hit the road about 1:15pm.  About 30 miles into the trip, it started raining.  It rained almost the entire way into the city, and the cloud/fog cover was so low that the normally fantastic Chicago skyline was almost completed obscured.  Because we gain an hour going from Indiana to Chicago, we arrived at out hotel with plenty of time to check in and find a nice place nearby to eat.  The hubs had chosen this particular Marriott because it was close enough to the United Center that we could walk wherever we needed to go.  Not there is anything wrong with CTA, but we were hoping to avoid having to deal with it.

On arrival, we were greeted warmly and chose to pay to have the car valet parked.  Why not, right?  At the front desk we were informed that the Marriott had been contacted by Expedia and that some of their bookings were going to be relocated to another hotel.  Lucky us!  We were one of the bookings to be relocated!  Hadn't they contacted us yet?  Ummm... NO!  The hubs received a generic text from hotels.com as we were literally standing at the front desk getting this awesome news.  To put it mildly, I was not impressed.  Hubs called the 800 number and started the process of figuring out where we were going to stay.  There are very few hotels close to the United Center, and most of them were full with out of town concert goers like us.

The non-native English speaking person was finally able to make and communicate a new reservation for us.  As the hubs and non-native sort of communicated, I googled the address of our new home for the night.  While it was a lovely hotel well out of our price range, it was also 2 miles from the venue.  Great!  After wasting 45 minutes waiting for hotels.com to book another hotel, we had to make our way to the new location that would require figuring out the CTA system after all, or forcing us to fork out the cost of a cab.  Either way, this was an expense and time we had not planned for.

Hotels.com, of course, paid for the upgrade of the hotel, but the hubs was too done in to demand any other compensation.  We arrived at our lovely new hotel, checked in, and got ready to leave again.  At that point, we checked the time and decided to head directly to the the United Center, after a stop at a CTA station to sort out the El and bus situation.  By the time we managed that, it was clear that we were not going to have time for the nice sit-down dinner we were hoping for.  *Sigh*  

We found the El station, bought our transit tickets, and boarded the train.  Yay!  We were finally on our way.  We purchased two tickets each: one for the trip out and one for the trip back.  After we got off the El and were waiting for our bus, the hubs discovered that he had lost his 2nd transit ticket. Really?!  Another set-back?  *Shrug* Why not?  Eventually we arrived at the United Center, frustrated, damp (it drizzled rain every step of this journey), hungry, and ready for something good to happen.

We entered the massive arena, found our seats, and then decided to use the restroom and get something to eat.  Thanks to our relocation, we ended up with chicken fingers and fries for dinner.  Definitely not what we planned.  But hey, we made it, and though the cost of those chicken fingers was OUTRAGEOUS, it was at least a savings over what we would have spent...  which ended up paying for our CTA cards, but whatever.  We each bought a Trooper beer (yes, named after the Maiden song of the same name) and settled in to enjoy the show.  (By the way, the beer was really good.)

What a show!  We have been wanting to see this band for almost 30 years, and they did not disappoint!  It made all of the earlier trouble worth it, sort of.  For that 3 hour time period I could forget about hotel screw ups, CTA cards, and crappy chicken fingers.  Of course the guy behind me dropping his cup and constantly hitting me with his coat and giving a running commentary was a pain, but I was going to deal with it.  I was finally watching a live Iron Maiden concert!

Show over and back out on the street, we boarded the bus.  I figured I could use my 2nd CTA card for both the hubs and I.  Nope.  I scanned it for me with no trouble, but as could have been predicted, it won't work for the hubs.  Apparently CTA doesn't let you buy someone else's bus ride.  Because there were so many people and we were clearly frustrated, the driver let the hubs ride without paying.  (THANKS!)  We rode the bus to its last stop and then walked several blocks to the hotel.  Weary, damp, and ready to sleep we head to our room.  By the time we settled for the night and adjusted for the loss of the hour during our drive home, we ended up getting about 5 hours of sleep.  *Another sigh*  I had been up since 5:15am, and I really want (need) sleep.

Our check out was uneventful, and thanks to google, we were able to map ourselves to 80/94 and head out of Chicago with ease.  But, as was the norm for this trip, it started to rain again.  By the time we stopped for breakfast, it was full on slushing.  Almost the whole way home.

We got home in time to pick up a rental car for our son.  (Another story for another time)  We took the car home, and I was able to say hi to my son before having to leave again to get to work for the afternoon.

Whew!  It's over.  Thanks Chicago and hotels.com, it was definitely a trip.

It's been over a year since I have posted anything.  I haven't lost the urge to write, and there is certainly no lack of topics.  I simply lack the time.  With the daycare/preschool taking over my life, I spend so much time thinking, planning, playing, and administrating that by the end of the day there is no energy to write and few enough minutes.  And, because most of what I write would be about other people's children (and, though I love them, it would not not always complimentary), I choose to remain silent.  On the outside.  Inside, I have experiences enough to delight, appall, frustrate, and amuse for years of storytelling.

Instead of telling these tales, and perhaps hurting or offending, I read.  Books have once again become quite an obsession in my life.  I have always loved to read and desired to write fiction when I was younger.  Now, I still love to read, but I find my "talent" at writing is not in fiction, unless it's a short story.  (I'm too easily bored or distracted for more.)  I typically write what I would call essays.  My take on some topic, incident, person, or place.  However, I almost exclusively read works of fiction, and if it's reasonably good fiction, I often find myself lost in that world.  What a delight to be able to leave behind snotty noses, running errands, cooking, cleaning, and all that goes with being a mid-40's wife, mom, and full time employee to spend 30 minutes in another place or time, or as a 16 year old, or as a vampire, or some/all of the above.  Yes, I am currently into "that kind" of fiction.  It's total fantasy and I love it.

Over the last number of years (about 4), I have read a fair number of books, approximately 50.  (Let's face it, it's probably more.)  I read about a book a month, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending upon what is going on in my real life.  But, a book (or two) a month is probably the average.  Maybe that's not a lot?  I can't say.  Anyway, because I like the printed word, and I do not like to borrow books, I am amassing quite a collection.  Last night I uttered the phrase "I need more books" and saw the hubs visibly cringe.  The little space I have for books is already packed 2 rows deep and stacked on top.  I think it's time to invest in some built-ins to create the home library I have always dreamed of (think Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast).  As if.

Anyway, I guess there is no real reason behind this post.  Though I have a lot to say, the topics are too varied and my mind is too preoccupied to actually put something coherent together on a single thought.  So, until another time when my thoughts are gathered.  I'm off to finish our preschool/daycare day and then returning to my comfort zone where there are no tired preschoolers, no messy hands, no dinners to cook, no laundry to fold:  BOOKS!

Lemme sum up

Wow.  My last post was in February 2013.  That was 18 months ago...  If I were to detail everything that has happened in the last year and a half, I would probably bore even myself.  So, in the immortal words of Inigo Montoya, "Lemme esplain.  No, there is too much.  Lemme sum up."

I resigned from my job of 14 years to become Director of Children's Ministry at my church.  We had only just hired a full time paid pastor, so adding a second staff person was a huge commitment for our small congregation.  Also, I had been hired to start a drop-in daycare center at the church, so that's what I did.  The daycare opened on May 1, 2013, and I have been serving as director and lead teacher since that day.

Because the daycare didn't immediately take hold and break even, I ended up "volunteering" at my previous job for a number of months in exchange for a financial contribution to the daycare's operating expenses.  I probably don't have to explain how hard it was to work long hours with kids and then also work at my old job, but with the Lord's help, I made it.

We struggled for a year, and then this summer the daycare suddenly GREW!  There were enough school age and preschool kids that I was able to hire a part time person so that I didn't have to work the early morning hours. I was still helping at the old workplace, and with the increased income and the donation, we actually did more than break even.  Without my paid staff person and the volunteers I already had, I don't think I would have made it through the summer.  Now school has started and things have slowed down again, so finances will again be a concern.  But I have put it in God's hands and am looking forward to beginning preschool again on September 3.

So much for the job summary...  On the personal side of life, my son graduated from high school in June of this year, and my daughter is now in 8th grade.  My husband and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.  In true children of the 80's style, we celebrated by seeing Motley Crue on their last concert tour.  It was a great show, though a bit toned down from Crue shows in the past.

As I sit here, I realize that these few short paragraphs can hardly begin to describe everything that has happened in the last year and half, but I guess that's the point of a summary.  There are two little people here as I write.  Life in ministry, especially with kids, can be challenging, but as I listen to them play, I know I am exactly where the Lord wants me to be, and that makes all the stress of the last 18 months well worth it.

Like a Pebble in my Shoe

Last week I was asked to do a small task for my boss that, like a pebble in my shoe, just won't stop irritating me.  The initial request was simple and straight-forward: open my wireless headset and email me the type of battery it takes so I may purchase a new one for the headset in my winter home.

Now, to back up a little, I was alone in the office due to an emergency in my co-worker's family and the boss' being at his winter home.  In addition to running the office by myself, we were in the middle of some sticky issues with inventory.  When this request came in, I didn't mind complying, but to say I was busy with more pressing concerns is not overstating the situation.

So, I got the headset from his office and spent 10 minutes locating a screwdriver small enough to remove the battery (thank goodness I wear glasses and carrry a repair kit in my purse or I would never had anything remotely small enough for the job).  I pulled the battery out and found that it was defintely NOT a traditional battery.  It wasn't even a watch-type battery.  It was white and square and relatively flat.  I wrote down and then sent the details to my boss by email, as he had requested.  I put the headset back together and got ready to head to lunch with my mom and sister for mom's birthday, a fact I had indicated in my email to him.

All was well to this point.  Just as I was grabbing my coat to leave for lunch, the office line rang.  Caller ID indicated it was my boss.  To be completely honest, my first instinct was to ignore it and head happily off to lunch.  In hindsight, this may have been the best choice, but I digress.  I answered and received a request to send photos of the battery to him so that he could purchase a new one while he was out.  Instead of reading the email, which he requested I send, he now wanted photos of the battery that I had, of course, already put away.  I asked if the request coudl wait since I was just running out for my lunch date, but it couldn't.  The words "take it with you and text the photos" came out of his mouth and ran right down that nerve in my spine.  You know the one right?  The one that causes you to flinch and wondered why some people are wired so differently.

With much irritation, I retrieved the headset from his office and ran out to lunch, late.  On arrival a few minutes later, I plunked my purse on the table and pulled out the headset to remove the battery (again) and then take some photos.  When my sister asked me what I was doing, I hate to admit that I was more than happy to give her the full, annoying story in relatively colorful detail.  Her response was quite logical, "Why couldn't he just take the one he has there with him and have the battery store open it and put in the new one for him?"  Great question!  I had some not so nice reasons why that was the case, but detailing those might make me look worse than I possibly already do.  However, my co-worker asked the same question when she returned and I related the story to her.  The simple answer is that he was already out and did not want to delay this errand to another time or day.  Somewhat understandable, but having this headset battery was not an urgent matter, and he was definitely going to be out of the house again soon, if not later than same day.  Why this had to be done on my personal time and during a birthday lunch with family is still beyond me.  Would an hour delay of these photos really have made that much difference?  I doubt it.  It was a matter of his own convenience and desires without any respect for the other person.

I was hoping that venting a little more of the steam here might be the metaphorical dumping of this particular pebble from my shoe, but no, it's still there, grinding it's rough edges into my skin until the next one arrives to either increase my discomfort or take its place.  Let's hope it's the latter.

Joyful Heart

Where has the time gone?  It seems like school started (with it youth group, driver's ed, volleyball, etc.) and time to write went out the window.  But today, thankfully, there is time again.  What is plaguing me today?  As may be obvious by the title, NOTHING!  For the past several days, I have been walking around with happiness and joy in my heart.  If you knew me, you would know that this is not the normal state of my being.  I'm not a negative person, but I am a realistic and practical one.  True joy is not usually a continual feeling for me.

But, for the past few days, I have felt nothing but the fullness of joy in my heart.  I'm happy.  Work is going well, almost too well for someone who hopes (at some point) to do something else for a living.  Relationships at home are stable, warm, loving, and have their share of laughter--this is true for mine with the hubs as well as for mine with my kids.

I had been having daily devotions in the morning and have recently been unable to do so.  The guilt of this and the loss of that contact God's word weighed on me.  I had been learning, growing, praying, and it was gone.  In response to those negative, self-centered feelings, what did God give me?  A heart full of gratitude for all of the blessings He's given me.  I have moments where I am nearly overwhelmed with thanksgiving for these blessings as my heart swells with joy.

I can only give credit to God for this.  I haven't gotten a new job; I haven't gotten a raise.  The hubs makes less money than he did a year ago.  The expenses associated with raising a 16 and a 12 year old increase by the day.  A window in our house was broken and needs to be replaced.  Bills mount, and it sometimes feels like we'll never be out of debt.  But, with all that sounds negative, I still have joy.

I love my hubs and my kids.  I have wonderful parents and the best sister anyone could have.  My in-laws are great people, and my sis-in-law is really just my sis.  I have food, heat, a home, a job, a family, love, a church, and my God.  What else could I need?

Celebrating Thanksgiving later this month is certain to be a blessed time for me, and I look forward to it more this year than ever before.  Count your blessings this holiday season and have a joyful heart!

Another confession

Okay, so I am finally writing again, and it's to confess to another addiction.  This time, luckily for my waistline, it's not some new type of candy addiction.  I am addicted to my local Target store.  That's right, Target.

Two years ago the youth group at my church as so small that they met in the Starbucks at a local Target store.  Because their meetings were only about an hour long, I saw no reason to drop off my eldest child and then leave only to have to return in 60 short minutes.  And that's how it began.  For over a year I spent an hour every Wednesday wandering around Target.  Sometimes I shopped, sometimes, well, let's face it:  I shopped every time.

After the format and size of youth group changed a little and we started meeting at the church again, my weekly visits ended.  Or did they?  I still found myself walking through those welcoming automatic doors on a regular basis, though probably not every week.  I have to say I love the little $1 to $2.50 section at the front of the store.  I always peruse that section, and more often than not, I find some $1 item I can't live without.  Crazy, but true.  It's like shopping at a garage sale where everything is new!  The best of both worlds to someone who isn't in love with garage sales but loves a "good deal."

How bad can this addiction possibly be when I no longer have a weekly excuse?  Bad enough.  If we need something in my house, my solution is usually "they have that at Target!"  Unless I've miscounted, I visited Target at least 4 times in August.  Once, to my own credit, was at lunch, and I didn't buy anything.  I just priced a few things and left.  But I went back and spent $90 the next day.  The bulk of this was for my daughter who made her middle school's volleyball team and needed some supplies.  I did walk out with a small purchase for myself, but when the clearance rack has a reasonably cute dress marked $5.98, who can resist???  Not me!

The real downside?  Obviously my Target bill not fun to pay each month.  I came so close to paying it off after having almost completely cut myself off from the store for the month of July.  And then I walked through the doors again.  It's not like it's out of control, but it's never going to get completely paid off if every time I get within $50 of a zero balance I go and buy $100 (or more) worth of stuff again!

I can certainly avoid the store, and that seems the best way to overcome this addiction.  Just like the M&M's, cold turkey is probably best.  But, even having confessed my addiction, I'm not sure this one will be so easy to get over.  As a family of four, there is always something we need.  And, until that ends, my motto will remain "they have that at Target!"

Cruel Summer

Wow, it seems unbelievable that it has been nearly two months since I've written anything here.  Is that because nothing has bothered me or because I have had nothing to say?  Of course not.  It has been mostly due to the fact that my summer schedule is cruel mistress.  She keeps me so busy and leaves me so tired that I barely have time to handle the basic necessities: I haven't done my weekly house cleaning in three weeks.

However, in defense of my sweet summer (I really do love her), I have to say that, this week at least, the exhaustion is mostly my own fault.  Who but the truest of idiots schedules VBS for their church, plans to leave for vacation, and has their sister-in-law visiting from South Korea all in the same week?  Me.  I would be that truest of idiot.  I know the reasons why all of these events have intersected, and some of it couldn't be helped.  Really.

The good news is that it's after noon on Wednesday, making the longest week of my summer officially half over!  By midnight on Friday night I will be on my way, with the hubs and without the kids, to spend a week on the beach in North Carolina.  I will probably spend the first two days catching up on all my missed sleep.  Well, not really, but right now nothing sounds closer to heaven than sleeping when I want to and not having to drive all over town every day.  I love my kids, I love my sis-in-law, I like my job, and I love my church, but getting away from it all for six days after this crazy week will be BLISS!

So, as of Friday, farewell cruel mistress.  I'll be back on July 21st!  You can beat me back into submission then.