Busy Times and The People that Pull Us Through

It has been a very busy week at Casa Blanca.

We've been playing.We've been dancing.We've been baking cookies.We've been dyeing eggs.Lots of eggs.And more eggs.And more eggs.We've been busy going to "Hoppy" Birthday Parties for Charlotte.

And some of us have been napping.

But the real "busy-ness" came on Tuesday, the day I launched my new business.

I got up at 6am, nursed Reece and got dressed. As I sat across the kitchen table sipping coffee with Caleb, he reminded me that Satan was going to try to create havoc that day...

and he was right.

I rushed off to Sam's to get some things for the business meeting that night, I had Caleb's corporate membership, so I could be there at 8. Flying through the aisles of Sam's with that impossible to turn cart, I gathered all I needed- pens, paper tablets, bottled water, flowers, plastic plates, napkins- and proceeded to check-out. This is when the chaos began, as the 17 year old high school drop-out informed me that I had to pay with a company check. Really? Are you kidding? You won't take my credit card, debit card or cash? She called over her superior who was probably all of 18 with her GED and they told me I could open a personal account. No thanks, I will take my business somewhere else. Like WalMart- sheesh, I should have at least taken it to a small, local business. WalMart, just as dirty, less bulk, double the price. Then I head to Office Depot to buy a printer. An hour later, I head back to the house to nurse Reece again and get our house ready to show.

That's right, show. Because our realtor was showing the house at 2. Which meant, it had to be cleaned, staged, kids out by 1:45 and the Sears repair man, who was coming in the blessed window of "somewhere between 8 am and 5 pm," would be able to rip me off a mere $225 to fix my dryer before the potential buyers arrived.

When I get home from Office Depot, my AMAZING friend, Adrianne (who had flown in to help with my business launch), had staged and cleaned my house for me! So we hook up the printer, print off some last minute materials for the evening, nurse the babe and wait for the repair man, who finally called and said he would be there at 11:30.

12:30. Still no repair man. My associates are landing in their private jet at the airport thirty minutes from my house at about 2. Realtor coming at 2. Catering needs to be picked up at 4. Venue needs to be set up by 5.

1:00. Still no repair man.

1:15. Repair man arrives. I throw on some makeup in between tending to his electrical inquiry. "Did you try the fuse box?" "Um, yes. I wouldn't have paid you to come out here and check my fuse box." 30 minutes later he brings me a diagnostic and work invoice. Broken door switch- $17. Labor- $208. Wow. What a rip-off. I phone my father-in-law for a consult and pass on the $225 repair. I asked him if I could buy the switch and he said, "no." Then he left his drill and I ran down the street to give it back. Should've traded the $150 drill for the $17 switch.

1:45. My associates call to say they won't land until 3. Throw on some other clothes and head to the venue to set-up.

2:00. Realtor arrives.

2:45. Return to house from venue. Realtor is still there. Nurse the babe in the car in the back alley of my house.

3:00. Call my associates and tell them I will be 15 minutes late. Realtor finally leaves. Head to the airport, which isn't the airport I know how to get to, because they flew a private jet. LOST. Totally Lost.

3:45. Still Lost. Somewhere in between the commercial airport and the private airport. Emergency call to FIL and ask him to pick up the catering (from a location he doesn't know) and take it to the venue (another location he doesn't know).

4:00. Finally find the air strip where my associates landed. REALLY low on gas. Super embarassing. Stop for gas and because of a lack of time, take them to my house, so Adrianne can change and pack her bag, and they are inundated with my ginormous family.

5:00. Head to the venue. Act calm and collected as I greet my thirty some guests, and introduce my guest speakers.

7:00. Exhaustion. Thank my hubby for packing up the catering. Jump in the car and take Adrianne and my two associates back to the airport.

8:00. Peace as I drive home. I give thanks to the Lord for carrying me through this day on His grace. I turn on the Christian radio station. Dr. Laura. Her radio program tonight with Dr. Dobson, In praise of Stay-at-home Moms. Ironic, don't ya think?

Really, how could you endure such a week without Oma? Who would care for your kids, and love them, cook for your family, do 9 loads of laundry and play?How could you maintain your sanity without Opa? Who would fix your dryer for free and fix your toilet and fix the dent in your car and broken tail light that has been that way since a year ago last Easter? Who would take your 3 month expired car to get inspected? Who would snuggle with your newborn because she cries everytime you lay her sweet head down?How could you act like a professional without Adrianne? Who would stage and clean your house? Who would download materials and staple business cards and rearrange tables and pray for you that the Lord would be glorified in all that the day brings?
Couldn't have made it through this week without y'all. We love you and are so grateful that God chose you to love us.