Day 274 All Sparkly and Shiny

Dear friends,

Well, my car is clean. The good folks at Cole Collision gave me a gift certificate for detailing way back in December, and I finally got around to using it. They even shined my hubcaps! I didn’t expect that. I would have been completely delighted if all they had done was remove the dried food and soda stickies from the vinyl. It smells really, really good in there too. (Multiple trips to the dump can do a number on the aroma in a vehicle…) I’ve been informed by a few people (Smitty included) that it might have been smarter to wait until we returned from the beach to have the car cleaned and vacuumed, what with sand and all, but I’ll suck up the sand next week. It will be a pleasure to drive to the ocean without something sticking to my clothes. Remember when my car was completely trashed? I don’t think I’ll ever forget the coffee cups, parking validations, food wrappers and other miscellaneous trash from the days I lived in that van. When it’s time for a new car I will cry. That vehicle and I bonded in the strange way men typically relate to their cars.

Speaking of clean, my bathrooms are sparkling. I was drenched in sweat after disinfecting both those bad boys. I always get this way before vacation. It’s almost like that nesting instinct momma’s get before their children are born. (Before Joe was born, I cleaned the huge windows on our front porch in Albany. I took them out first! Then I carried a dresser upstairs from the basement. Steve was not amused…) I have added incentive this year since I have someone staying at my house while I’m gone. Hopefully Cosette and Domino will be civil to one another in our absence…

I got a little prayer answered unexpectedly, and it made my day. Joseph is working full time this summer, and we didn’t think he would be able to come to the beach with us. But he was able to get Monday and Tuesday off, so we’ll bring him with us and send him home on a bus from Hyannis. That little prayer between me and the Great One was a special request, and I was ready to be ok with it if the answer was no. It wasn’t looking too likely for a while, but my baby called me from work today with the thumbs up, and the complete blessing of his boss. Can you see me smiling across the cyber miles? After all we have experienced over the past 9 months, the good, the bad and the ugly, I only wanted my whole family together for a little while to celebrate life together at the Cape. So there it is. Another application of grace that I certainly didn’t earn. But that’s the way it is with God. It’s not about “You deserve it”. It’s about “I love you.” And He loves us even when the answer is no. (Still feels great though when the answer is yes!)

When we return from my favorite place on earth, I’ll be concentrating on the Smith Family Thanks You dessert night coming up October 23. Put it on your calendar, friends! You deserve a whole lot more than a slice of cake, but won’t it be great to celebrate together? I can’t wait!

Clean car, clean bathrooms, and thanks to Jesus, a clean heart. The first two of course matter little. The last one, well, that’s an indescribable, unearned, and priceless gift.

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann