Sometimes Things Don't Work Out As Planned

I didn't feel good this morning and really didn't want to go to church, but since it was Christmas service, Steve drug me out of bed. I made him stop at Starbucks on the way since I didn't feel like being out. The gas light came on, and I told him to stop at the gas station by Starbucks, but he didn't want to be any later to church.

After church we asked Don and Patty (our small group leaders and pretty much adoptive parents) if we could treat them to lunch. Patty said she had put a roast in the crock pot, but going out sounded much better. We were going to meet them across town at Jim and Nick's Barbecue. Of course we went the wrong way and got lost, because that is what we always do! We went in the general direction, but ended up being too far west, when uh oh, we run out of gas! We had passed about five gas stations on the way, and every time I told Steve we should get gas. He kept saying he didn't want to get gas yet and make them wait for us any longer since they were probably already there and we were still lost.

Steve got out of the car and tried to push, but after about ten feet decided that probably wasn't going to get us anywhere. Then he decided to run up to the next intersection to see if there was a gas station, while I called Don's cell to tell him we were going to be very late. Unfortunately, I left my phone and purse at home, and Steve only had their home phone number in his phone. When he got back to the car and I told him we didn't have their number, he decided to run back the way we came to the last gas station we saw. I sat in the car watching him run away in the mirror, waiting on Don to call when he realized we weren't coming.

After fifteen minutes, Don finally called. He had to call the Pastor who had to call someone else to get our cell number, because he didn't have ours either! He asked if I wanted him to come, but since Steve had been gone so long, I figured he found a gas station. He did, two actually, but one was diesel only, and the other was closed even though there was a "We're Open" sign in the window! Don called back about ten minutes later, and said since Steve wasn't back, they were coming to find us. I had no idea where we really were, but they found us pretty easy. Steve got back to the car empty handed and frozen about 3 minutes before Don and Patty got there. Patty sat with me in the empty car while Don and Steve went to a VERY close gas station that we never would have found. They had called their son to get on the Internet and find the closest one!

By the time we put the two gallons of gas from the can ($22 for a gas can and two gallons!), then went the the station to fill the car up the rest of the way, Patty just invited us over to eat the roast. It was 2:00 when we finally had lunch! So much for eating lunch at 12:30! We had very good roast, watched the Bronco's game, and had cheery pie. We finally got home at 5:30!

So it didn't really work out for us to treat them for lunch. They ended up having to rescue us and feed us! We are very lucky to have friends like them!

Ashley

First Solo Night

Tonight (right now actually, I have 8 minutes left) was my first night volunteering by myself. The other two times I was shadowing someone. This time I was all on my own! I was really nervous before I arrived, shadowing two people didn't seem like nearly enough. On both times, no one even came to the playroom, so I did puzzles to waste time.

When I got in, the first thing I do is get a census sheet from the nurse station. It lists all the patients on my floor. Then I go around to each room and tell them the play room is open if they want to come play, or want me to bring them anything. After that, I went back to the playroom and cleaned up a little bit, then decided to color some Christmas Tree ornaments for a little girl I heard as her very own Christmas Tree in her bedroom :) While I was coloring a little boy and his dad came in. He colored some ornaments with me! My first time getting to play!! I had to hold the ornament while he colored with his wrong hand because it was all bandaged up. He got some on the ornament, some on the table, and a lot on my hand! I talked with his dad a lot, and he greatly appreciated me volunteering. He said I am not only beautiful outside, but inside too. When it was time for the boy to go to bed, his dad whispered for him to give me a hug and tell me Merry Christmas. That is exactly what makes this a wonderful experience, the exact reason I am doing this! :) Totally made my day!

After that I finished my ornaments, played cards by myself, then talked to a mother while her son used the computer. A few other kids came and went quickly, just checking out what the room had. A total of 6 patient visitors on my first night! And one of the best hugs ever :)

Ashley

BURR!!!!!

This will be a very short post, as it describes itself rather easily! It was -18 last night, -7 on the way to work this morning, and a high of +17 today. That is all the explaination you need!

I do feel really bad for the dogs though. They pee really fast and want to come back inside without pooping. When you stand there a few minutes to give them the idea they need to go, they start standing on 2 paws. Then they start crying! It is so sad! Lilliann wouldn't even come back up the stairs tonight because stairs required all 4 paws on the ground. I had to push her to get her to go up! They need some booties!

Ashley