Kate's In A Chatty Mood

According to Jen M I've been a blog slacker, so here I am.

Yesterday was our final Coffee Hour until the new year. Boo. I didn't know that because apparently I didn't pay attention to the agenda that was handed out a couple of months ago.

What the heck is my life coming to? No Girls Club until the new year, no Coffee Hour until the new year... no Dancing With The Stars until the new year...!

!!!

Yesterday morning I was scraping together all the change I could find so I could stop for my beloved steeped tea (with double milk, no sugar, just in case anyone wants to surprise me). I'm talking about lifting sofa cushions...checking old purses...the ashtray in my van. I was able to scrape together 53 cents. Not going to cut it. While I was driving I shook my coat pocket and actually squealed when I heard jingling...now I had 67 cents. Obviously I didn't make it to Tim's.

I was the first one to arrive at the church yesterday morning and there was a dude walking around the door. He looked a little down on his luck so to speak, and came over to talk to me when I parked.

Being the ever-so-savvy (suspicious? paranoid?) person that I am, I kept my van in reverse in case he tried to kill me through the window.

Watch much tv, Katie?

Anyway, he had walked some insane distance to meet with our Associate Pastor. It was really cold and I don't have a key to the church so I thought about asking if he'd like to sit in the van with me to warm up a little until someone arrived, or if he'd like my 67 cents for a coffee around the corner. Sadly, I realized that I knew nothing about this man, and being as the world is today... I couldn't risk it. I made some excuse about running an errand and would be back shortly. Lame.

When I came back he was getting ready to leave. He started talking about what he had to do that day and he just looked so... beaten down. I asked if he had to leave right away, could he come in for a cup of coffee before he headed out? But he politely declined and headed off. I keep thinking about him.

Being that it was our last Coffee Hour of the year we had a pot luck. Yep...that bit of info must have been on the aforementioned agenda that I didn't pay enough attention to. Embarrassing.

We discussed the Psalms at great length, with several ladies sharing their favourites. Oh the number of times I have gone there to seek comfort or strength...

Jen had to leave early for her midwife appointment, so we gathered around her to pray for her. She doesn't know if/when she will be back as her little baby is due this Saturday (!!!) and her hands will be full. We laid hands on her while we prayed and I so hoped she wasn't freaking out. I do love touching people.

Ok.. that sounds a little creepy.

Afterwards, Jordan and I headed off to do some grocery shopping. She was very busy licking, tossing or squishing whatever she could reach in the cart. Once we got to the cash register I realized that I had forgotten a few things on my list, so I paid, parked the cart, picked her up and went to get what I missed. After I got her and all the bags into the van I realized I still forgot something. The very thing that took me to the store in the first place. UGH! I left it until Ian came home, then he ended up going out to get it for me.

Yesterday was the first time I did the grocery shopping start to finish on my own and it sucked. Usually I go alone, unless I bring Jules who basically does all the work for me, and when I get home Ian and Sam bring the bags up for me and Jules puts everything away. But no... I had to do it all by myself.

First of all, was I supposed to leave Jordan in the van while I brought the bags inside, or bring her in first and then go back and forth...?

I won't tell you what I did because it was probably the wrong thing to do. HOWEVER... I did lock the front door each time I went back out to get another load. I am nothing if not oh-so-savvy (paranoid?).

After putting everything away (by myself!), I spoke with a couple of friends on the phone, then it was time to pick up the children from school. Julie had a rough day. Jacob knows she likes him. The world as she knows it is over apparently.

This morning Ian was home sick, so I drove the children to school and dropped in on my mom. She was practically pain-free yesterday (yay!) but not so lucky today. After visiting with her I drove to Newmarket to pick up something from Ian's agent. I even drove on the 400.

Oh yes. Let's just take a moment for some awed silence and admiration.

Thanks!

I dropped in on Mom again so I could hide a couple of Ian's Christmas gifts (don't bother looking Ian... you won't find them) and visited with her and my sister until the children arrived from school, then we headed home. Tonight was Julie's Christmas Concert and so she had to look just perfect apparently. So.. she had a warm bath, I styled her hair and Ian presented her with a lovely new dress for the occasion. She looked beautiful.

"A is for all that He is!" was her line and she delivered it impeccably. She is amazing.

There is this girl that Julie goes to school with and for the purposes of this blog, I shall refer to her as *E*, because "brat" is not a nice thing to call a little girl however fitting that name might be. (Also because God reads my blog too and I wouldn't want Him seeing that!) *E* tells Julie she is ugly, has ugly hair, is a dork, follows her around, encourages the other kids to ignore her, has better clothes than Julie, and so on. This has been going on since Junior Kindergarten. Jules was in tears this week because she can't stand it anymore and wanted me to do something to end it.

Ahh... a teachable moment. And I jumped on it, friends.

We talked about how some people who feel poorly about themselves have to bring others down to make themselves feel better. She was shocked that people would do this.

I told her that yes, I could go into the school the following day and could put an end to it immediately but that wouldn't solve the problem. I told her that there just be another *E* around the corner, be it at this school or another one, high school, where she will choose to work. The key was to learn how to deal with the *E*s of the world and yes, to even love them. I said that even I had *E*s in my life too, and its a challenge to love them but I keep trying. She said she gets so angry with her, and she knows that anger separates her from God and she doesn't ever want anything to separate her from Him.

Oh preach it, my beautiful one!

So tonight, when I dropped her off at her classroom before the concert, *E* arrived. Julie smoothed down the front of her new dress and looked up at me and whispered "She looks prettier than me". I held her close and whispered back "No, she doesn't. Not even close."

Now I know I shouldn't encourage that sort of thing, but unbiased mother-love or not, my daughter is beautiful. Perfect hair, gorgeous face and features, but more importantly she has a beautiful heart. And she showed that heart tonight as she asked *E* if they could talk privately. I moved away slowly and eventually stopped because I was curious as to what she would say. She took *E*s hands in hers and asked her if they could start over and be friends again. And *E* said yes! I was so proud of Jules for putting herself out there.

When I tucked Sam in tonight I said hello to "The Guys", Shadow and Sonic the guinea pigs. Sam then said "Oh look, it's Grandma!" To which I replied, "I am far too young to be anyone's grandmother!" And then HE said "Maybe so, but you LOOK old enough to be."

!!!

Anyone want a 9 yr old? He's really rather smart and cute.

Before I sign off, I will update you on my new medical issues. In addition to my menopause, I think I am getting meningitis. My neck has been killing me since mid-morning yesterday and it gets stiff. I don't have a fever but I'm not ruling it out. And in addition to that lovely new issue, my hands are falling asleep all the time, mostly when I'm using them, so you know what's coming.... ALS. This is not the first time I have been concerned about my limbs falling asleep. I have also become rather forgetful so perhaps its the onset of Alzheimer's. I'm going to have to make an appointment to have these issues confirmed or denied, whichever the case may be.

See you next time.

~ Kate