THE YARD SALE CAPERS!

Ok, first let me say this is the 3rd time I will have typed this. I tried two times last night and both times my wireless connection dropped, and I lost it all!!!! I was mad because it really was funny the first time I did it! Well they say the third times a charm, we will see. Today I am at the public library where I know I won't loose the connection, AND I will copy before I send this time!!

Alright, now as you all know we picked this past weekend to do our yard sale as a fundraiser for Jonas. And I thought I would tell you about it and hopefully show you the great lengths we adoptive parents go thru to get our children home.

We started by putting the word out that if anybody had stuff to get rid of to consider donating it to the sale instead of Goodwill. Several of you did just that. We ended up with a good amount of really nice stuff. In fact, one example, my long time friend and piano teacher from childhood was helping her friend move. She told her about me and she donated some clothes. Now when I say some, I mean a HUGE sum! 25 bags to be exact. Yes, you heard me, 25 bags!!! And not just any old clothes but really nice name brand clothes ranging from sz 10-3x.

Because of the shear volume of stuff we had to sale we decided to put everything out on Thursday and price it all. Well wouldn't you know, humidity decided to come out and play on Thursday as well! We got up at 6 and got the girls ready for school and took them. Then my mom came over for a bit to help hang the pole for hanging clothes and set up tables. She left to go to work and Todd had to leave to go to the library to get some work done, so that left me, myself, and I to put all the stuff out.

Well, "I" got tired very quickly, "myself" got crabby, and that left poor little "me" to do the rest! Needless to say, "me" was not a happy camper working in the heat all day! I really had no idea how much stuff we had been given for the sale till we started putting it all out! I didn't finish till @5pm. I took a shower and went to bed early. I was so sore that I looked like a 90 year old women trying to crawl into bed!

Friday dawned with the alarm clock going off at 6am. I really wanted to throw it out the window! But God reminded me that this was for Jonas, ok, ok, I'm up! Todd and I headed out to uncover everything and put up signs. Good thing we had put everything out the day before, because here came the yard sale gypsies! You know, the people who come early to get the best deals! Gotta love those yard sale gypsies!!

The first day was a HUGE success! Even if heat and humidity showed their ugly heads again! We sold a lot, but still had a lot for the next day. We ended it @1pm. Now we decided to cover everything up again because the weather forecast called for scattered showers that afternoon and possibly evening. Of course it depends on what TV channel you watch as to what the weather will be. We decided to err on the side of caution and carefully covered things for the night. Thankfully it didn't end up raining at all! We were tired and I had enough mosiqto bites on my legs to play connect the dots! But all in all a good day.

Saturday dawned. Again I felt the urge to throw my alarm clock, but I didn't. I told Todd I was tired and didn't want to sit out in the heat, bug infested yard again! Then God reminded me that Jonas lives in these conditions 24/7. Surely I could suffer thru for three days! Ouch!

We headed outside to uncover everything and get ready for the day. While we were doing that a lady came (early mind you) and started looking thru the hanging clothes. Now what happened next I swear could have won us the grand prize on America's Funniest Home videos- if we had had a camera!

I sat down in my lawn chair, minding my own business making small talk with Todd who was standing by, when all of a sudden I felt something crawl on the back of my next! Yep you guessed it... a BUG! And not just any bug but a HUGE water roach bug! I jumped up screaming to get it off, trying to swipe at it. The lady looked up from browsing thru the clothes, and Todd just stood there trying to figure out what was happening (mind you I was squealing in high pitched tones). The bug then decided, in a panic to match my own, that it would run around the front of my neck and ....yep....Straight down my shirt. My panic level flew off the charts as this bug ran back and forth across my boobs, bobbing in and out of my bra! Now the lady's mouth dropped open and Todd still didn't know what to do. The bug headed down toward my pants as I was shaking my shirt frantically to knock it off. It FINALLY fell off my shirt onto the ground. Now mind you had it made it to the inside of my pants, I would have dropped trou right then and there to get it off. Ugly thought I know. But a women's got to do what a women's got to do!!!! Thankfully for all present, I didn't have too.

And then.... The "BUG DANCE" ensued! Otherwise known as the heebeejeebee dance. It's where every muscle in my body twitches due to bug exposure! It happens when a bug gets to close, one actually crawls on me, or I have to sqwaush one! It is a pretty unique sight to behold. At least that is what I'm told. I wouldn't know my body is to busy twitching!!!!

Then, I dissolved into tears. Todd was relieved to FINALLY recognize something he could do. He held me while I cried. And boy did I cry! I was tired, hot, and had just been felt up by a bug! I was DONE. But with a lot of reassuring words and love from Todd I calmed down and decided to face the rest of the day. Todd shook off the chair just in case any other bugs were lingering around ready to pounce! I settled back in my chair.

Now that poor lady had no idea what had happened. Mind you all I described happened in about 15 seconds. No telling what she thought. She just quietly finished looking and left. Can you imagine the story she must have to tell? Again to bad we didn't have a camera!

Well the sky started look pretty bad so around 10:30am I was ready to call it quits! I didn't want it to pour down rain while I was trying to pack up stuff. So we packed for two different things. 1.- a load to go to Goodwill, 2.- stuff to take to the resale shop. That way I could still earn money for Jonas. We got done fairly quickly. Really Todd and my mom finished it all. I was really crabby and was biting off anyone's head who came near me. I had sweat pouring down my face to the point that I couldn't see without wiping AND my mind was still on the bug incident. My mother in her gentlest voice said, "honey you go inside and cool off and count the money up while Todd and I finish." I didn't argue.

All in all the sale was a success! Between sales and donations ( I had listed the sale as an adoption fundraiser) We made @$400!!!! Go GOD!

Well that is my yard sale caper. Any donations for bug therapy would be appreciated! HA!!!!!!! Seriously, thank you to all who donated stuff, came and bought stuff, and those who prayed! We could not have done it without you!

Until another caper, WITHOUT bugs please!
hugs ,Kristina