Yard Sale Debrief

About three months ago we sent out letters to our friends asking for their junk so we could sell it at a spring yard sale.  Easy money, right? All going into our adoption fund. I was open to the idea of taking people's junk early and storing it so we could really obtain the maximum amount of stuff. Honestly, I didn't realize the time, energy and patience that was needed to pull off a fundraising yard sale.  We became hoarders and I am sure the neighbors were delighted to see our stuff piling up. Our basement was filled, the kids were banned from it. The screened back porch had stuff piled high and you could hardly walk through the garage. The husband was cranky about it, the kids couldn't find their bikes and the house seemed really really small. I am a borderline minimalist in that if an item doesn't have a function, it isn't in our house. But contrastly, we took in every abandoned item in a 10 mile radius to sell.
The yard sale EVENT took place on May 20th and we were all geared up the night before. We were ready, waking at 4:30am in efforts to get everything out. We had a bake sale that the kids manned, posters explaining our fundraising efforts and smiles on our faces ready to greet our first customer.

The sale was a huge success. I can attest to the fact that people got a DEAL. We didn't charge much on items and that largely attributed to lack of confidence in the selling arena. (by me). We made just over $1,000!
We had loads of stuff left over so we held another sale the week after and sold another $500.
So here we are after the fact, still purging the excess goods hoping for a good home and thankful for all the generous people who donated items.

Troy and I were given the opportunity to talk with a LOT of people the past two Saturday's about adoption, and how we were guided down that path. Obviously, there were people who didn't care a hoot about the fundraising aspect, but there were also a handful of people who really were curious or felt the urge to donate a little bit more. The people who looked me in the eye and gave just a dollar more really hit me. That glimmer of generosity in people is what kept me smiling, kept me going through the day, and gave me the confidence to be an advocate of orphans in my community.
I am so humbled to see how this future child of mine is more of a blessing to me than I can ever be to him.

Rush No More

This is the last year I got to have my side-kick, Clare, home with me for most of the day, every day, to bake and read and dance and pretend and laugh. 

Everyone, and I mean everyone, says children grow up too fast.

“In a blink, they’ll be grown!” says my mom, my mother-in-law and the woman with the silver hair who smiles as my energetic, not-so-tiny bundles bound down the grocery aisle. I’ve even said it myself.

Those words have burned into my soul. They are like nails on a chalkboard to me. I hate those words.

And I’ve realized that it’s because as time passes, as they grow, I’ve missed it with all my blinking.

With all my living my life so full that it feels empty.
No more.
I hold the power to make each moment count.
I can slow time down.

I can stop worrying about every last detail and start paying attention to every important detail.
…crab apple tree dressed with white blooms and my favorite peony plant just starting to open
…empty lines of crisp paper
…just popped popcorn hot and salted just right
…light breaking through fingerprinted windows at the perfect moment
…flip flops smacking with each step
…heads thrown back in fits of giggles
…the smell of warm, vanilla cake magically rising in my oven

Loudly acknowledging in thought, in prayers that this moment is sweet.

Not rushing through my appreciation.
But letting it burn into my soul.

Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:

He bustles about, but only in vain;

he heaps up wealth not knowing who will get it.
Psalm 39:6

You might be a mom...

If you’ve ever caught vomit with your hands.

If you’ve ever considered a trip to Target alone a mini-vacation.

If you’ve ever told a group of adults you need to go potty.

If you’ve ever hidden in the bathroom to talk on the phone.

If you’ve ever had a funeral for a cricket or pulled a soggy lizard from the washing machine.

If you’ve ever used your own spit to clean a face or adjust a wild cowlick.

If you’ve ever thanked God for Magic Erasers.

If you’ve ever hidden chocolate in the house.

If you’ve ever lied to children.

If you’ve ever shaken a pile of crumbs from your purse.

If you wouldn’t trade your unpaid job for all the money in the world.

If you’re not a mom, you certainly had one.

Happy Mother's Day!