Another Week (Finally) Sept12-18

I'm done procrastinating this post.  I wouldn't want to have 2 weeks piling up like all the dirty laundry.  Then I'd really run from it all. 

Darin spent his week in Florida, sitting at a posh resort, drinking fancy drinks that contained umbrellas.  Maybe it didn't really go like that,  but from this end, that is how it felt.  He was in Orlando for the Goverment Ethics Conference, sounds like a vacation to me.

While he was away I was spending my Monday reliving 7th grade, but with 5 bored and hungry kids in tow.  It was the Middle School open house, and they wanted us to go follow our child's schedule and sit in each class...for 2 hours!  As if that wasn't torture enough, when I got out of the (hazing) meeting I found that the van battery was dead.  So dead that I couldn't open or close the sliding doors or lock it using the remote.  Dead.  I instantly felt helpless.  Darin was gone, everyone was tired and hungry, I don't know any phone numbers from church or work, and who was going to help me figure out this mess?  To make matters worse, it was 15:20 and the auto shop on base (only one I could have thought to call) closed at 1500.  The van needed to be jumped, but the parking stalls are so tight in Germany that I had to have one of the neighbor cars jump it.  I sat for an hour waiting for the owner to return.  During that time I wondered around thinking of possible solutions, none of which ended with us getting home at a decent hour.  I wondered, I prayed, I cried, I cursed Darin and the TDY.  Had he been home, he'd have been 30 seconds away from me!   Finally a police man came and asked me a bunch of questions that were irrevelant, but at least felt like "doing something."  During the time, the owner showed up and we got the van running.  Someone tried to give me directions to a nearby village that may have an auto shop that may have a guy working late that may be able to order me a battery tonight.  Thanks, I smiled, and then drove straight home.  Backing in so that I could beg someone else to jump it in the morning after sleep and food gave me a clearer head.

My birthday happened to fall while Darin was gone again.  If he has anywhere to go during September, it is going to be over my birthday.  It just is.  In the past I'd had Davis make me a cake/cheesecake.  This year it all kind of got forgotten.  [On a note, Darin's birthday is usually lousy as well.  We are usually in transition somewhere.]  I quickly started making phone calls only to have the auto shop tell me that the first opening they had was on the 21st.  A really nice Chris, said that he'd work me in if I could get a battery and get to the shop.  I had to email a ward friend that lives over the mountain from me (no phone numbers) and hope that she would see the email AND be able to come over and jump the van.  She did and as soon as I got the van running, we too had to be running.  I drove to several shoppets (gas stations on base) leaving the van running and trying to find a battery.  The BX  had  1.  Only 1 in the store that would fit the van.  I had to beg another person to jump the van in order to get to the shop.  Why don't they sell the parts at the auto shop?

My plan B for the birthday was going to be get the kids from school and then eat dinner and ice cream before spending the night sitting at the church waiting for scouts and mutual to be over.

The school ruined plan B.  They didn't ever tell Christian (even though I called at 10 AM) not to ride the bus home.  It didn't matter that I called 3 times!  I was waiting for him, Davis was waiting for him.  Christian was on the bus and they wouldn't let him off (he knew something was wrong).  I had to chase the bus home to get Christian.  A 30 mile mistake.  Christian was very upset, but I got home 10 min after him.  *We don't even have a phone and he doesn't have a cell, he had no idea what had happened or what was going to happen.

Scrap the eating out idea and throw together sandwiches before heading back out to scouts.  Thanks for coming to my pity party.  The van was fixed and I was grateful for the auto shop for taking pity on this poor old lady.  I didn't want to have a birthday anyway. 

I watched some extra kids, had a primary meeting and invited a friend over to visit/play.  I got Davis ready for his awesome campout in the Frankstein castle, then Darin came home.  He came carrying shoes, so things are going better.  We went to a huge Christmas bazaar and I found tons of things that I want to purchase over the next 3 years.  The sun came out and the rain stopped, so the end of the week was much better than the beginning.

The kids finally gave me gifts on Saturday night, as Darin and I were preparing our talks for Sunday (see how awesome this week was).  They gave me lots of candy and chocolate.  Some of their favorites in fact.  Christian bought me a Polish bowl at the bazaar.   We still have boxes around and even though I had high hopes of getting it all done while Darin was lounging, I didn't do a thing.  I dumped a bunch out looking for a scout handbook, but only made a bigger mess.  I really need to get things put away so that I can feel more settled.  I also need to make a job list, so that the boys realize that we are really home.