Scientific Method?

Do you remember having a science fair at school? You had to come up with a question, research it, form a hypothesis, test it, look at the results, and draw a conclusion. Oh, those were the days and it seems like so long ago, but wait, it was just this morning for Mark.

This morning, Mark finally completed a science project that he has been working for at least as long as we have been married (7 years, 11 months, and 2 weeks to be exact). I like to call Mark’s little experiment “No excuses for oversleeping”. For as long as we have been married, Mark has NEVER overslept. I am not exaggerating when I use the word NEVER.

I on the other hand am not so “perfect”. I do not subscribe to the modern day alarm system. I was one of those people who use to live 3 minutes from the office, but I was always 30 minutes late. Why? I over slept. This phenomenon is something that Mark just doesn’t understand. No wonder he does not understand, he gets up at 4:00am. I am more along the lines of a 7:30am gal (this was of course BEFORE I had children). Needless to say “oversleeping” is the topic that remains a thorn in our side, at least until today.

I was dreaming about the stress of cooking a turkey when I heard Mark’s voice, “6:30”, “no”, “is it?”, “Stef, is it 6:30?” (How should I know? I don’t even have a clock on my side of the bed. I work on God’s time…I let the sunrise wake me up.) Mark carried his search for the “real” time into the kitchen to check the clock there. Then I here, “NOOOO! It IS 6:30!” Then I heard the words I have waited to hear for years…wait for it… “I’ve OVERSLEPT!”

You are probably wondering what the big deal was, right? After all it was only 6:30am and he had plenty of time to get to work. Well, not exactly. Mark had a prayer breakfast to attend this morning at 6:45am with our Pastor and several other businessmen from church. As you probably figured out by now, Mark missed his prayer breakfast and his morning coffee.

All of this reminds me of the saying “don‘t throw stones if you live in a glass house.”

Mark, welcome to the glass house.

Tis The Season

Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la la la la. Yippee! I walked into Wal-Mart a few days ago and behold it has begun. The sound of dogs barking “Jingle Bells” was blasting through the store speakers, a giant tree stood front and center at the store entrance and the smell of cinnamon filled the air. I looked to my left and there were toys lining the wall. I looked to my right and there were bows, bags, and balls, oh my! It’s Christmas time again!

In case I have not made myself clear, I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I always have and always will. I believe that the Christmas spirit is contagious. You can just feel it in the air. Usually, I start making my Christmas list in September all in anticipation of the season. Not a list of what I want, but a list of gifts and things I can do for others. I love the challenge of trying to find just the right gift for someone. I think people know when you have put thought into a gift for them. A lot of people complain that retailers start the holiday too soon. NO WAY! The longer we can celebrate the better!

Speaking of shopping, I even love the mobs of people everywhere. Personally, that’s were I get my “fix”. LOL! It is a family “tradition” of sorts to go shopping on Christmas Eve, whether we have anything to buy or not. Every year my mom and I head out on Christmas Eve, just to get “in the mess”. Yes it is a mad house, yes people are rude and pushy, but I just smile at them and say “Merry Christmas to ya!”.

Bottom line is this; Christmas is not about presents, bows and angry shoppers. Christmas is about celebrating the gift of Christ’s birth. When you are out shopping or at your family dinners, ask yourself “what would Jesus want me to do and say”. I try to remember he wants me to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, and gentle and have some self-control. Please remember to smile a little more, help those in need, pray for one another and truly celebrate the greatest gift we have EVER been given.

Yes, I have started my shopping and yes, I am thinking about putting out my decorations two weeks before Thanksgiving. All because I believe that the “Christmas Spirit” that fills the air is placed there by God for all of us to catch.

Try to enjoy the madness, and remember why you are celebrating.

Maybe I’ll see you at the mall on Christmas Eve!

My Job Description

There was a time in my life when I had a “real” job as some might call it, but I confess to people all the time that I work a lot harder now than I ever did at that “real” job. I love it when I have to fill out paper work for school or the pediatrician and they have a space for my “occupation”. When I look at the forms I realize that the entire thing could not hold my job description. I am a Chef, Personal Shopper, Maid, Psychologist, Nurse, Pharmacist, Communications Director, Stylist, Financial Analyst, and Event Planner to name a few. The one thing that I have never really thought myself as was a Travel Agent, well this weekend Mark proved me wrong.

Mark began his journey to Australia last Friday and I emphasize the term “journey”. He flew to San Francisco Saturday morning and like a good little wife I tracked his flight over the internet like a seasoned Air Traffic Controller (I should add that to the list). When I knew his plane had landed safely, I anxiously anticipated his phone call. It was about 15 minutes after his landing that my phone rang and I answered it with joy and eagerness. What I heard on the other line was not so joyful. It went a little something like this:

Me: Hello!

Mark: Hey, listen, I need your help.

Me: What’s wrong?

Mark: The airline people told me that I have to go get my luggage at baggage claim now, and check it back in at the terminal. They will not just send it through the normal transfer system.

Me: O.K…….Then go get your bag…

Mark: I’ll have to call you back…I’m going to ask one of these people over here.

(Click) He hung up

Me: Nice talking to you too!

15 Minutes later (the phone rings again)

Me: Hello….

Mark: Listen, I need your help.

Me: With what?

Mark: They have told me that I have to go get my luggage now, and I can not check it in until 8 hours before my flight tonight.

(Did I mention he had a 13 hour layover in San Francisco?)

Me: O.K. Well, just take your suitcase to the main terminal and get you something to eat.

Mark: This is crazy! I can’t believe this is happening to me! I’ll talk to you later. Love you…

Click (He hung up, again)

10 Minutes later (the phone rings again)

Me: Helloooo!

Mark: Hey, I have a problem; I can’t find anywhere to eat in this place.

Me: You’re joking me right? It’s the San Francisco International Airport, there has got to be somewhere to eat.

Mark: Can you find me somewhere?

Me: Huh?

Now, I traveled a lot of places back when I had a “real” job, but San Francisco was not one of them. I am good, but not that good. So you would think that I would have just rolled my eyes at Mark’s request and marked his craziness up to just being tired, but NOOOO. What did I do? I get out my trusty computer, found a map of the airport, and found him a place to eat. Did he take my directions and find the Subway Shop? NO, he did not. He sat in the main terminal with his luggage and ate his peanut butter crackers (that I packed in his suitcase) until time to check his bag.

Am I angry that he did not take my instructions…no, not really. Because even though he did not take my advice and find the Subway, I can now at least add Travel Agent extraordinaire to my occupation list.

And for those of you who are wondering…Mark arrived in the land down under safely and a little hungry. (I Love You, Mark!)