Jellybeans

I saw this neat video about jellybeans on one of my friends walls last week. It illustrates our time here on earth pretty succinctly, and helps to show -hopefully-how to treasure the days, things, and people in each day you are given. I'll link it at the end so you can tell me what you think. Anyway, it got me thinking I'd like to spend some of my jellybeans with my family so,  I spent the last five days with Greg and my siblings  in New York. We took advantage of the Labor Day weekend to grab our freshly opened school books and use them on the beach. At least Fred did. I stayed with Greg while he played teacher for a few days. I might as well have asked him to walk across broken glass, as Freddy finds school so hateful. But he loves me, so he did.

And- our washing machine broke right before we left. As it turns out, its not one of those things that heals itself. I knew when I got home I would be facing the same mountain I left behind, only dog tired. We left anyway. I wasn't going to waste any jellybeans.

The time with Greg and the others popping in and out was rewarding. I wont say easy, as tears spilled across too many faces, on too many days, to make it that. But it was rewarding in so many ways. Fred too, seemed to do well with the kiddos on the beach.

And so we came home this afternoon to that dreadful situation with the washing machine. And no sooner did we get through the door than we both sighed at each other, and headed back out to the appliance sales at all the major department stores in hopes we'd find a good deal. And a thousand dollars later-even with the sales- we found what we needed, and put it in our van, and drove back home. We spent more time bringing it into the house, maneuvering it through doors,and hallways, and landing it in the laundry room to replace the old one. Tired  wonderful Fred pulled old faithful out of the wall, only to hear a giant GLURP, and turned giving me a weird contorted face.I wasn't sure what it meant. He had already replaced the motor before we left and it didn't repair the problem, but apparently he loosed something from the drainage hose that might after all that trouble, solve the problem!

We said a quick prayer, held our breath, and clicked our heels together three times before we started the watery,whirling machine. Lo and behold, it worked! Yahoo, and praise God. I cannot tell you how happy Fred was to not need a new washing machine. He would've been happy all night if the kids hadn't done what they did next. When Fred went to pack  back up the new washing machine, he found them using the packing and all the bits and pieces inside the box as an obstacle course in the backyard- (Hey,who could possibly resist a new giant box and all that Styrofoam?)  He kinda  lost it, but just a little.

He'll return the new washer in the morning. It really is true that sometimes losing something is what it takes to make us grateful for it. Remember, that doesn't just count for washing machines.