Painting, Tires & Strangers

This is what my kitchen looked like when I moved in 2 years ago and few (if any) changes have been made, until yesterday... But before the painting could be completed, the story of the tire should probably be shared.

I had failed to tape the entire kitchen. I was originally going to just paint one wall, but my mom and sister convinced me to paint the whole thing. It's not too large of a space, so the biggest problem was that I didn't have anymore painter's tape. So my sister started to paint the wall while I went to WalMart. Of course my sister's car was parked behind my car, so I took her car and on the way, I decided to go to a little local hardware store, thinking that it would be faster.

I am one light away from the store and the car started pulling like crazy to the left. Thump, thump, thump. That's right, you guessed it - a flat tire. The first one in my life in my sister's tan mini-van... I pulled into the parking lot and realized I didn't have my cell phone. So I asked the store worker (a 16 year old that seemed to have just started work) if I could borrow their phone. I also asked where the blue tape was. As I try to call my sister, my cell phone, my brother-in-law, and then my sister again with no answer, I bought the tape. At this point I am getting ready to walk home and leave the car there.

(Of course when telling this story to my mother, she asks what I would have done in my car and I respond with - "call AAA". She then asked me why I didn't do that with my sister's car and that would be because I was already in PANIC mode. It wasn't my car, I didn't know anything about where/how to change the spare, AND I didn't have my cell phone which equals: not being able to think correctly...)

And now - the story of the stranger.

A scruffy man approached me as I was getting ready to walk home (I was locking the car) and asked if I have a flat tire. Of course I showed him and he volunteered to put the spare on for me. At this point, I couldn't find the spare, and since I am not thinking clearly, the man suggested I look in the car's owners manual. Good thinking Mister! So we got the book out and found out that the spare was in the middle of the car and required both middle seats to be removed in order to retrieve it. And of course I couldn't get the chairs locked back in since I was so flustered, so they just sat awkwardly in the car.

He changed the tire for the spare lickety split, then informed me that the spare only had 20 when it should have 60 (whatever they measure the air in tires with). He whipped out a fix-a-flat can and that helped it a little but it still wasn't fully inflated. I keep referring to him as Mister or The Man because I don't actually even know his name. As he was getting closer to finishing and I was getting closer to tears, I asked if he worked at the store or if I could get his name to send him some money.

He merely responded, "Don't worry about it. Just do something nice for someone else." I said "Thank You" about 3 more times and he got back in his truck and left. He must have overheard me in the store leaving my sister a message and he just decided to help me. Who knows if his work day was ending or just getting started, but I appreciated it. I decided it was a good thing I tried to go to the local store since I don't believe someone would have volunteered to help me in a WalMart parking lot...

I refrained from totally bursting into tears until I got home and asked my sister why she didn't answer her phone when I called twice in a row from the same number. She looked at her phone and realized her ringer was off. So of course I had a melt-down while re-telling the events of my shopping trip...

And the taping and painting continued, with an additional incident. I was putting a little piece of tape on an outlet and - can you guess - I got shocked!
It wasn't this bad, and I am still not sure how it happened, but it shot from my hand to my elbow so my whole arm was tingling in pain. I had to keep massaging my hand to try and get it back to normal. And then the painting and taping continued. Again...

With the end result:

I thought I would put up this second picture to show how it goes with the curtains that my mom made me for my birthday a couple of years ago.
It looks pretty good and was only slightly startling when I came downstairs this morning :)

The moral of my story is:

1. I am thankful for my sister for helping me paint.

2. I am thankful for the stranger at the hardware store for changing the tire.

3. I am thankful for the full feeling I have regained in my arm.

The Downer:

1. My shoulders/armpits hurt from painting...

Happy Father's Day

I love my dad. He has always worked hard for our family, supported my mom and fulfilled his church callings as best as he could. My dad continues to be an example to me as he dedicates his time to serving in the church.
My dad has supported me through schooling and life and continues to do so. I always think of him when someone mentions P.E.F. (Perpetual Education Fund) or swimming (and yes - he still has all his trophies and is willing to share them with anyone who will listen!). He has given the "buck up" speech to the point of exhaustion and tells pretty lame jokes that he thinks are hilarious. He even waits for others to laugh at his joke and acknowledge it before moving on... But I love him anyway!

I love my grandpa too. He is the only grandpa that I remember (my paternal grandfather passed away when I was young). And visiting California is never complete without a visit to see him. Hot chocolate, crosswords, gardening and baseball are just a few words that always remind me of him :)

I am very appreciative for the fathers and grandfathers in my life! Even those I don't remember or know have helped shaped the men that I do know and for that I am eternally grateful.

Sunny (and Humid) California

For the last week and a half, I was in Southern California with my sister and her children. It was mostly fun, but I have never quite enjoyed living by myself quite so much as the couple of days after we returned home...
We did a little park-hopping while we were in LA with my parents. I think I went to 3 different parks and my sister went to even more! I opted out one afternoon to take a nap... shocking, isn't it?!? Who wouldn't want to spend time with these cute kids? I think that I look like my mom, but everyone says that I also look my sister (who looks like my dad). How is that possible? Oh well... This stranger came by at one park and asked if all three of us wanted our picture taken because we looked so much alike! As you can see, my sister declined...

On Thursday my dad was finally able to spend some time with us to go to the LA Zoo (He is serving as mission president for the Los Angeles Mission). It was all I could do to force the boys to take this picture. They only agreed because they could climb on top of the "art".For those of you who know me, you should be impressed that I am even in the petting zoo. I petted one animal and left, but the rest of the day, all I could feel was the dirt on my shoes from this encounter. Maybe next time I will remember...

We spent some time walking around the Los Angeles Temple wasting time while my dad was in another meeting. I try and guilt the children into taking pictures with me - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. At least one child couldn't complain :)

Before we left LA we went miniature golfing. The kids surely enjoyed it, but I spent most of the time trying to not have an anxiety attack or yell at the boys to get off the green! Not exactly relaxing, but at least we went to IHOP afterwards :)
After LA we went down to San Diego to visit my grandpa. While there my sister went to Sea World for two days. Since I thought I would kill the children at this point, I opted to stay home and help my grandpa one day and go with them the second day.

It's a good thing! My sister took her oldest boy on some rides while my younger nephew and niece came with me and he didn't listen very well... To paint a picture for you - I am holding my niece, watching my nephew play, he moves over to another activity and I see him, but I keep my eye on him. All of a sudden he's not there! I stand up with my niece and start yelling his name - no response. At this point the people sitting next to me say "Do you need help? Do you want me to hold your little girl?" I'm thinking - "Heck no! I've already lost one kid, I'm not going to lose two!" So I run around frantic until I find him at another area. He doesn't seem phased by the event, but I was traumatized...

In the end it all worked out, the boys had a great time, I got to eat some funnel cake and see Shamu. Of course the drive home seemed eternally long. Did I mention that boys are SOOOO loud?!?