**a disclaimer: this isn't meant to be a "sob story". Just the facts, jack, and we're dealing.**
Its funny how this life works. Its no secret that money is much more than tight at our house. Its almost strangling us that the current moment. But we're getting by thanks to several tiny miracles.
The latest goes like this:
I waited for Kolt to come home from work so I could go hit up Walmart for some groceries. When he finally arrived he decided he wanted to go running (and I want to support this new endeavor as much as possible) so I said I'd take the wee-one with me.
Everything was going swimmingly until I hit the check-out. I had already purchased Des' items thanks to an amazing program called WIC (to which I tried for SEVERAL months to get on, and finally did!!). You only need the vouchers and I always have those in my purse. Then came the regular groceries, chatting with the super-sweet clerk-lady, and piling everything back into the cart. I reached into my bag, swished the hand around a bit, and then proceded to plunge my head into the vacant cavity. I forgot my wallet. Yeaaah.
Reeewind to Sunday morning:
It was fast sunday, on daylight savings no less, and things were more than tense. We were...discussing...finances and tithing and what-not. Somewhere during the debate I said, "I'd rather starve than not pay tithing." It was one of those conversations. I placed my wallet in my church bag and we proceeded with the day.
Back to Monday evening:
My mind was racing as the "worst case scenario, grocery store edition" played out. The nice clerk was very kind and said I could call my hubby and just have him read the debit card number or they could suspend the transaction and I could go and get my wallet and come back. So I called Kolt. We tried the debit card numbers over, and over, and over again. For some reason they weren't going through (we DID have money, just for the record. I'm not sure why they weren't working). And all that money in the checking account is actually all going to bills so we couldn't really afford to pay for groceries anyway. I had some cash I was going to use stashed in my forgotten wallet.
At this point, I've completely turned beet red and trying not to cry said I would go back and pick up my wallet and return to pay for the cart-load of food. (you might ask, why didn't kolt just drive there and bring your wallet? Well, friends, that's because the jeep isn't working and isn't registered nor will it be in the next two weeks for lack of funds).
This is when the little miracle occured. A completely humbling experience. The lady in line behind me pipes up, "Oh, I'll just pay for these, no problem!" And I turned around, wide eyed and red-faced, to reply, "No, it's ok, I'll just go home and get my wallet." To which she replied, "No, really, I'll pay for it." And swiped her card.
Angels have debit cards.
I cried all the way home, after thanking her and letting her hug me. She said "she was glad that she was rich that night". I still can't believe it. Its not like it was twenty bucks. It was a whole week of food. I patted myself on the back for letting someone with only a few items cut in front of me last week.
This has turned into a really long post, but the moral of the story is: sometimes God makes life easier. Even if it doesn't solve the problem in any shape or form, he makes things easier. I still have a list of things we "need" that keeps getting pushed back. Des keeps going to church in socks because he doesn't really need shoes. The bills get paid, although some not exactly on time, but no one gets mad and we're ok with that. The jeep working and legal would be peachy but we're saving money on gas, and where do I need to go anyway?
And because I paid tithing, quite literally, I forgot my wallet and got myself a little miracle.
He got to preview a Christmas present from grandma since his hands were so cold...
...all because he got to go on his FIRST FOUR-WHEELER RIDE! and he loved it! LOVED it. He had this same serious look on his face the whole time but as soon as we took him off he started yelling, or when auntie Jessi turned off the ignition. He didn't like that either. It was pretty funny.
So Thanksgiving was fun. Kolt's aunt Cindi and her family came over and it was super fun to see all them. They like to play crazy card games with Renee so they were all laughing pretty hard for most of the time. The food was good, company was great, and Des got his first taste of motorized action.
