Waiting for the doorbell to ring

This morning began so splendidly: first writing a letter to Judy R. BEFORE writing the posting for today; going to Bible study and then lunch; and arriving home to find a little note from the Clay County Sheriff's Dept. Yuk! My day was going down hill rapidly. I knew I wasn't going to be arrested for anything, much to my dismay, because I imagine I do know what he was here for...........family court documents! Here I'd been hoping to have dodged this bullet, having to go back to Court over the financial "adjustment" my former spouse called me about, but it seems, not so. The nice deputy left a number for me to call and reschedule his visit, which is set for mid-afternoon. I wait with bated breath for him to come. His words to me were, "Sometimes these things take a while to get settled" and I said, "I thought we were settled four years ago!", saying this with a bit of chuckle, of course. Of course.....

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On a more cheerful note, the Ladies' Advent by Candlelight Service went off without a hitch last night, unless having fewer people than last year is a hitch. I am trying to retain proper perspective about this, as one lady (sorry, can't remember for sure who it was) commented that those who were there needed to be, knew this was where they should be, and the ones who missed out, missed out!

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On the other hand, I rejoice for those who did come, who decorated tables, who brought luscious desserts, who played the keyboard and flute, who sang with their hearts and voices, and those who helped to clean up the mess afterward. I rejoice! One lady even came after the service was over and we were sitting around enjoying our refreshments! Most of the year she lives in WV, so I was absolutely blown away that she did come. Garnett can't make it tonight for the Ladies' Group party because her dogs race on Mondays, but we'll take her whenever we can!

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Justin is going to stop by on his way through after work to carry up my wash basket full of decorations and such from last night because I was simply too exhausted to lug it up in the pouring rain. He'll be sad to see/hear that I am getting "served" because we just talked about it this a.m., him thinking that nothing was going to happen because the company just got a few contracts. I knew he was wishful thinking, but we both were wishfully thinking and praying it wouldn't happen. This has a true trickle down effect, that is for sure.

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His carpets in the condo are being professionally cleaned today and I, of course, am responsible to settle up the debt on that, too. Shouldn't really be that way, one of the other guys on the lease could pay for it, but in order for it to be handled properly, it has to go through me. I'll simply have to collect from the other two moms for their share of the shampooing. As Justin likes to remind me, never again. It won't be like that in his new place, no more me being in between on anything.

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He was a bit upset about his two roomies not devoting themselves to getting stuff moved out, not recognizing the urgency of the situation apparently. One went to the movies and was hanging out with some girl, another one was going out to eat with his mom and brother........."Hey, it's the last day of our lease and the Realtor is coming in the morning----excuse me?" As I reminded Justin, if "we" don't get all our deposit back, hey, it's no sweat off their backs because the parents paid the deposit, not the kids. Justin seems to think the condo lessors will have it professionally cleaned but I don't want to take that chance, or if they do have it cleaned, the cost will come off the deposit, again, which the moms paid, not the kids themselves. Justin tried to tell me that the guys wouldn't deliberately leave it messy, but I have seen no evidence to the contrary. But, as Justin says, never again!

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Some of my loved ones in Manitowoc have heavy hearts because they got sad news yesterday after church. Pastor Hahm has accepted a Call to serve a congregation in Baton Rouge. Mom was quite upset, not being able to believe that he's leaving "her"! Her intellect, and the rest up there, too, realizes there is much that goes into a pastor's considering the two Calls they are under, the one from the existing congregation and the one making the Call, and that the Holy Spirit leads the man toward the decision. Knowing this, however, does not take away the sting of the loss and separation from this man and his family, their family. I know EXACTLY how they feel today, as I had to say good-bye to my dear friends who moved to Morton Grove (Tarren, excuse me for talking about this.....). The attachment was great, is great, to not only the pastor but his wife and infant son. I was especially fond of Pete because he'd seen me through so much in his ministry, as well as being at our home the night Timmy died, a closeness not many folks had with him, fortunately for them. But, Pete asked me one day, as I wept about his leaving, "Well, do you go and visit your family? Do they visit you?", to which I replied, "Yes", and he said, "Then what makes you think we wouldn't visit you?", with the unspoken sentence, me visiting them! Does that mean Pastor Hahm will make trips to Manty? Maybe, I hope so anyway for Mom's sake. Linda and Lynn can travel yet at their age to go see this family, but probably not so for my mom. Yes, I do know how you feel, guys, I really do!