The Happy, the Sad, and the Really, Really BAD

Posted On July 9, 2008

Ever have one of those days where you think, “What is going ON today?” Like when you normally NEVER seem to find a close parking space and suddenly, one day, close parking spaces (that aren’t even Handicapped!) are opening up for you everywhere you go? Or your kids are actually GETTING ALONG, and then they pick up their rooms without being asked to AND announce then that they’re tired and head up to bed, no questions asked? (Not sure this has ever actually happened to me, but it sounds delightful.)

Oprah might say that it’s because you’re attracting what you’re giving out to the universe. (WARNING: Quit reading now and skip to the next paragraph if you can’t stand to hear anything negative about Oprah!) I say, “Oprah, you’re crazy for believing that self-centered BS!” I know that “The Secret” is that there’s no secret. It’s just God, working His Holy magic.

That’s the kind of day I had today. It was one thing after another. Mostly happy, but also sad… and a little bit bad (or at the very least—DISGUSTING.)

The Happy:
Every morning I pray on my way to work. It’s about the only quiet time I have with God, and it always puts me in the right frame of mind to start my day. I know in my heart God’s listening, but, you know, sometimes I wonder, because I’m human, “Is He REALLY listening? Does He REALLY care?” Today was one of those days when it seemed He was talking directly to me and answering my prayers–ALL DAY LONG. It completely rocked!

First, I get an email from An Iowa Mom, one of my very favorite bloggy friends, and she asks me if I’d like to be a regular contributor to her Web site, IowaMoms.com. WOULD I?!? I cannot tell you how excited I was because it just reaffirmed for me that this is what I am supposed to be doing now. God’s got a plan! I cannot wait to get started!!

Next, I get an email from Jody from IowaGeek and Have Kid Will Travel and Fab Food Friday (Whew! She’s a busy girl!) and she says, “I just left a l o n g post on your blog.” Of course, I hurried as fast as my little fingers would carry me over to my blog to check it out. Turns out I think I am making a *gulp* NEW FRIEND, which has also been something I’ve been praying about. AND she lives IN MY TOWN. Think we’ll ever get to actually meet IN PERSON? I’ll keep you posted!

Then, I get an email from the leader of the Web team at my church asking me if I’d like to join the team as a writer. Uh, YEAH! I’m totally pumped about this too. Writing about something I’m passionate about? HELLOOOOO??!? I’m all over that.

Then, I see that another one of my favorite bloggy friends The Fritz Facts has just posted who won her contest (If you’re wondering, yes, this is all while I’m at work, and yes, I did manage to actually get some WORK done while I was at work.) and I click on her link to see who it was and I see IT WAS ME!!! Do I EVER win contests? N-O. Was I beyond thrilled? Y-E-S. I cannot wait to spend my $15 gift certificate at amazon.com! The possibilities are endless…

AND today was birthday/anniversary day at work so we got Bruegger’s Bagels AND Krispy Kreme donuts (Yes, I had one of each. I’m not too ashamed to admit it.) AND it was also the day we took a co-worker out for her birthday lunch to Firkin & Fox, a fun British pub-like restaurant. Good food, good conversation…who could ask for more?

The Sad:
This was just too surreal for words…I was reading a blog that I frequent, when I was suddenly drawn to click on one of the other blogs she had listed in her sidebar. Literally, I’ve seen these for months and just haven’t clicked on them yet. And today was apparently the day. And of all of the blogs to choose, I chose this one. Glancing at the latest post, I saw old baby photos, high school shots, and some adult pictures, all of the same person. Reading back to the previous post I realized that the photos were of the author of the blog because she had JUST PASSED AWAY on July 5 from Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Then, reading back, I read the post that she had written before she died to have posted upon her death. As I read it, my eyes completely glued to the screen, I felt a deep sadness for this woman’s family (a husband, a teen, and a baby) whom I’ve never met or even knew existed before this morning, but I also felt a sense of gratitude that I was shown this blog today. Reading back a bit more, I came to understand that this woman, Andrea, had a faith and an outlook on life and death that I cannot even begin to emulate. I felt incredibly blessed to be able to read her beautiful postmortem words of wisdom and insights into what is truly important in this life.

The Really, Really BAD:
So after this crazy roller-coaster of emotions day, and then after work, after taking Boy #3 to Moms & Tots Tumbling (No, I did NOT have to do a backbend–Thank GOODNESS!); running through Wal-Mart with a cartful of storage tubs and baskets (I just like to BUY organizational supplies in the hope that they will magically MAKE me more organized) along with a staple, Starbucks Coffee; counting to 140 with Boy #3; lighting snakes and sparklers while trying not to start any of the BOYS on fire; nursing Boy #2’s burnt finger from the previously mentioned activity; scrubbing Boys 2 and 3 clean after the previously mentioned activity; and reading 3 different books to 3 different boys, Boy #1 said, “Mom—what’s THAT?” I looked to where he was pointing in his room. And I saw it. There, on the carpet. Feces. I can’t even call it a turd. It was a PILE. Of FECES. And, if you’re wondering, it WASN’T CANINE. Which leaves one, and only one, possibility. Human. Specifically, Boy. I’m suspecting Boy #3 although, shockingly, NO ONE would claim ownership. Where’s Gil Grissom when I need him?

And why does it seem that so much of my life is spent elbow-deep in feces?