My Latest Obsession

As my friends have been noticing from my status updates I've recently been doing some shopping at garage sales and Craig's List.

Ok, let's be honest here. It's becoming an obsession.

Let's go back about a month. Jamin drags me into the thrift store to go clothes shopping for summer clothes for the kids. I'm a bit leery of the whole thrift store thing, but I am aware sometimes you can find a gem or two there. This time was a whole different story. We find TONS of practically new clothes for the kids, for just a few dollars each. Not only that, they have this color coded tag system that you get half off items with certain color tags. We got shorts, shirts and ton's of stuff for like .50 each, and they are some REALLY cute stuff.

We head to Goodwill next, and find brand new snow pants for $2 each, with the Target tags still on them! I mean this is AWESOME.

So, for the last month I've been itching to go back and see what else we could find, but we just didn't have the money budgeted for me to go and spend it on miscellaneous stuff.

Fast forward to last week, it is Evie's birthday. I go to Target and Wal-Mart and I buy her several items. One happened to be a see n say($10) another this little push car like her cousin Ethan had ($17). I had about $15 left to spend on her so I went to the thrift store. I found the EXACT same two items there in perfect condition. I got them for $2.99 each. I was amazed. I also found this cute fisher price vacuum cleaner for $1.99. I couldn't believe it! Now I was hooked.

While I was in there I spotted a Love seat, clean, ugly fabric but we can fix that with a slip cover, but in great condition. It was $79.99, more than I wanted to pay at the moment. Friday I went back to look again (for Myah's birthday). This time the lady recognized me and the kids from two days ago. This time I picked up a purse, brand new necklace and earrings, cleats for Brett's t-ball for $10 total. I told her I liked the couch, today it was 50% off because it had one of the color coded tags. I wondered if I should snag it for $40, but I still wasn't convinced. She told me "come back on Sunday, it will be one dollar". I couldn't believe it. This color coded system switches every week, then on Sunday everything that is a certain color goes to $1. She told me she would try and hold it for me and mark it as sold, and to come back Sunday and get there early because there will be a line. This was Friday.

We go garage sale looking at on Saturday, find a brand new sleeper sofa for $100. The mattress still has plastic on it. It is a horrible floral print, but I'm going to get a slip cover. The guy was asking $350 for it, Jamin offered them $100 and they took the offer! I was amazed.

Sunday rolls around and we get up at 6am and go out and start hunting garage sales again. I still have money for my birthday that is burning a hole in my pocket and I'm dying to find another deal. Anyhow, no garage sales that day, but we head to the thrift store. Jamin was so irritated with me because I wanted to get there early and stand outside. He swore nobody would be there early, that no idiot would stand in line at a thrift store.

He was wrong. Everyone had my same idea and had something picked they wanted. There was a line at the door when we got there at 9:45 (they opened at 10). We were about 8th or so in line. Five minutes later, the line extends to about 30 people. Jamin was laughing. He just couldn't believe this. The doors open and people start running, yes RUNNING at a thrift store. It was like Disneyland was opening or something. I didn't run, but I did do a pretty brisk walk to the back. When I got there, the couch was there, but someone told me a lady at the front was buying it? What she didn't come back and touch it so no fair! Well, come to find out it was the guys wife TRYING to buy it (sneaky people). Anyhow, it was sold the day before for the half price.

Now I'm looking online trying to find another sofa. I went back to the thrift stores today to see if anything new had popped up, but alas, nothing. I found one on Craigs List last night for $15, but the lady left it out in the rain, and it got ruined, so I'm on the hunt again.

Obviously I'm crazy and obsessed now. I know I'm driving my husband nuts.

Maybe I need an intervention or some kind of support group.

Yes, I'm THAT mom.

I'm quickly becoming known as the totally disheveled mom at my kids school.

Here is one reason why.

Sunday night 11:00pm, I realize it is my week to send snacks for Bretts class. It's 11:00 though and I'm in my P.J.'s and not about to get out of the house.

Fast forward to the next morning. Everyone is trying to get their breakfast, and in line at the toaster. Kids need things signed, need backpacks...have to let the dog out, baby is crying and sitting in high chair without food in front of her. Total chaos, you get it.

I realize oh crap, I have snack. I glance in the pantry and realize I have a box of unopened graham crackers in my pantry that I can send to get them through Monday, then I can go out that afternoon and purchase snacks for the remainder of the week. I look on the fridge and see the note that requests that a box of baby wipes also be sent with the snack for the week.

Since I don't have a box to spare (you think we would, but we only have one tub, then the refills), I realize I have a sample pack I can send. You know how when you are pregnant they send you Huggies, Pampers, etc...samples of EVERYTHING. So feeling like such a genius I throw the sample pack into the bag with the graham crackers, and quickly scribble a note (using a dry erase marker - the only thing I could find) explaining that I forgot snack, I'm sending what I can and will send more the next day. I throw all this in a plastic grocery sack and stick it in Brett's backpack, give the kids kisses and hugs and send them on their way to the bus stop. Whew.

Fast forward again now to picking Brett up from school. His teacher puts him in the car and looks at me and says "don't stress so much over snack. Oh, and we sent the diaper back." and she gives me a weird look.

I still don't get it. I ramble on for a minute at how I needed wipes, and she looks more confused, but people are behind us so I pull away.

Diaper? What did she mean by diaper?

Oh my God.

That wasn't a sample pack of wipes. It was a sample of a Huggies diaper. I didn't bother to read the label. I hear my son from the back seat about the time of my realization "MOM! Why did you send a diaper to school with me? The teacher gave me a funny look and the class laughed at me". I explained to him my intention and he saw my embarrassment and he realized my faux pa.

Both of us laughed uncontrollably for about ten minutes. I can just imagine the teacher opening a diaper in the middle of class.

Yes, I'm THAT mom.

God is Funny

I don’t think funny is the right word...maybe ironic?

I kind of publicly blasted him the other day. Yes, I was angry at my father God and felt he was not providing for me the way that he should, however I had come to accept that though he may not be providing for me in the best way possible, that as long as he was there to hold me through all my fears I would be ok.

Not even twenty four hours later I received a phone call from a former supervisor at my old job asking me to come back to work for them part time.

Now isn’t that a predicament? Here we are not struggling for money, but tight, and this opportunity arises. It really made me think. Ok God, is this you providing for me, or is this some sort of test?

Last summer after giving birth to Evie, I realized I wanted to stay at home with my kids and invest in their lives. I also came to a realization that things will come and go, but the legacy that I have is in my family and my kids. God was very clear to me in what he taught me. Was I scared to death to go to one income? Yes. Did God always make a way? Yes he did.

I realized what God was saying. He was saying that if money is what is truly important, then sure, go back to work. Then we can get a new roof, get ten root canals if necessary and have enough money left over to furnish our house from Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel. We can go out every other night to Red Lobster and Olive Garden if we like.

Or...

We could struggle for a while, but look back and see all the wonderful home cooked meals we had at home around our kitchen table. I can be taking a nice evening walk with my kids and see a dresser on the side of the road, in perfect condition. I can take it home, sand it, paint it and make it new all for little or no money and have something artistic that I’m proud of in my home, that has a nice story behind it.

I honestly feel that if I would go back to work I’d be in disobedience to what God wanted me to do last summer. My husband (the wise loving man that he is) immediately saw this. He reminded me of not just the reasons for me to quit sitting here at home, but all the reasons at that job why I wanted to quit. What an awesome great man he is.

Thanks Lord for the swift kick in the pants, I needed it to get motivated once again. You always know how to do that to me and I thank you for it.