For the readers of my last entry... "Flexibility"... you'll be happy to know I'm fed a little bit of own medicine from time to time. At times maybe I'm tested to see if I really stand by my own little blog blurbs. This week was a good week to test me! And boy can I tell you - the surprises have been abundant!
It's the Christmas season so of course things are truckin' right along. It's the busiest time of year for my work at the investment firm - as everyone is counting their losses and dumping them so they don't have to pay so much in taxes. Requests into our office have increased substantially for about a month now and we're doing the best we can with all these trade requests - but when you're constantly explaining to the people on the phone that their request is just 1 of the 1,000 other requests sitting on the back of the desk - a little bit of frustration tends to settle in. But, we make it through ... somehow. Every year we've made it through.
Then at home - let's also think about taking down the Fall decorations and dusting off the Christmas decor, finishing up the Christmas shopping (which also involves wrapping and sending since 90% of the family lives out of state), ... oh - and don't forget, we make our own Christmas cards around here! And don't forget about that baking that you want to do so much! Or those poinsettias you bought to share with other families for a little bit of extra cheer!
Throw into the mix a little bit of a medical scare that happened at 1:45 am Wednesday... when I was awoken to THE most excruciating pain I've ever experienced! I clearly remember my first thought being - "If I pass out I want to have on clean undies... but there's no way I'm going to be able to shave my legs with this pain!!!" Somehow I got dressed. And we debated whether or not we should call 911 or if Lee should drive me to the emergency room. While I've not gone through child birth (as the MOTHER figure in the ordeal) I can only imagine this pain ranked right up there with labor. Thankfully, the pain subsided about an hour later. My Doctor has since ordered a gallbladder ultrasound for Dec 22nd... no big deal - I'm not doing anything else that week! (Say that back to yourself - but make sure you say it with just a tad sarcasm!)
THEN - while I'm taking a nap on Wednesday, my husband wakes me to say "Babe - there's a special delivery for you." I understandably snap back "Can you SIGN for it?!" (Thoughts to myself: "Are you KIDDING me?!") And he looks down the hallway and motions this "special delivery" back to the bedroom and I mutter "What the heck?!" Into the bedroom walk my parents!!!
This is just a BIT of surprise as I had just talked to my mom earlier. She SAID they were just flying back into Portland and were on the road home. She filled me in on their week in Dallas (visiting my lil' bro and sis-in-law for an early Christmas along w/ the grandparents). Well, apparently my mother also likes to plan surprises!!!
So it's now Dec 10th... and last night was my company's annual holiday staff party - which turned out to be quite the shin-dig. So Lee and I left Mom and Dad for an evening on their own and enjoyed a Roarin' '20s party - we even got a bit dressed for the part. And had a great time! Today the Christmas tree goes up and Mom & Dad will help w/ the festivities. The holiday tunes are playing in the background. This surprise visit has been just what the doctor ordered - especially since we didn't get to see Mom & Dad for Christmas last year. Thank God for surprises ... and for flexibility!
