MOTHER'S DAY PART 1

Last night after dinner I had to make a run to Lowes to look at light fixtures. Our wiring should be finished today and I had to have at least some idea what we wanted to put up. I also had a couple of things I needed to get - which, of course, I forgot in the midst of trying to choose lights for 3 different rooms. I ended up settling on one light only and I managed to find a new track to replace the broken one on the landing. The decidion on the lighting for the kitchen is not going to come so easy though. It's a long room...24 feet, and I need drop fixtures because of the sloped ceiling. Needing two fixtures completely knocked me out of the chance to have the one I really, really wanted because we can't afford $600.00 in lights for the kitchen. Oh well...

Emily made the run to Lowes with me while Jacob stayed home with his dad. Right outside the store a couple was loading the bed of their truck with their purchases and Emily noticed an adorable little dog sitting in the truck's cab. Of course she had to go pet him when the lady told her she could, so she climbs up into the driver's seat while I talked to the couple. They were very nice and I was having a great time chatting away when the man said "What's your name? You look familiar." So I told him and we found out we had gone to school together. They live not far from where I live now and knew exactly where our house is when I described the location. Small world.

We stood there outside the door to Lowes as the employees staggered out the doors ready to go home, and obviously glad to be finished with work for the day. For half an hour we stood there talking and laughing as if we talked every day. Turns out they have a house full of rescue animals too and have 6 dogs of their own. Huckleberry travels with them everywhere they go because he loves them and misses them, so he will climb their 7 foot fence if he's left at home. It's hard to imagine not taking that little dog everywhere though, he was the most well mannered, well behaved dog I've ever seen. I could have certainly brought him home with us and made room for him in our own bed - what a sweet thing he is! The people were really great to talk to also. We had a lot of fun standing out there talking.

Emily and I finally loaded our things into the car and headed home. It was 11:00 when we pulled up in front of our house. Through the livingroom window I saw little Jacob standing in front of the window waiting and felt a pang of guilt. We were an hour later coming home than expected...how long had he stood there, I wondered. When we walked through the front door, Jacob threw a handfull of rose petals at me and yelled "HAHAHA I got you!" and ran screaming from the room to tell his dad how he had surprised me. I sat the boxes down on the couch in our room and was quickly banished to the livingroom because they had a surprise waiting for me. Another pang of guilt for being an hour late...

I was allowed to pour a glass of coke and made to wait...

A short while later I was called for and they led me, eyes closed, into our bedroom. Jake was apparently hidden in the bathroom where earlier I had heard water running. My husband gave his instructions to wait and when everyone was in position, I was led into the bathroom - or heaven, whichever you want to call it. The birdcage candle that hangs from the ceiling above the tub was lit and fresh honeysuckle vine cascaded from the shower head and almost into the tub. It filled the room with it's lovely fragrance. Around the room more lit candles glowed in the semi-darkness and fresh picked twigs of rosemary floated in the tub. What luxury! Yet another pang of guilt for being an hour late...

I thanked them all profusely for the bath, squealed with delight over the smell of the honeysuckle once again as I settled into the tub and leaned back to relax and enjoy this very special gift. My husband asked if I was comfortable and I could do little more than mumble. Within seconds, they all appeared in the bathroom again because they had one more surprise for me. Each one came by the bath and sprinkled freshly gathered rose petals into the water! I was in heaven! I oooh'd and ahhh'd like a smurf over the greatness of it all and felt yet another pang of guilt over being an hour late as my husband described trying to time that just right for me. They had held that bath for 45 minutes. Even Emily had been part of the plan - she was my distraction, and had my cell phone battery not been dead, she was also to be their early warning system. I was so proud that they had gone through all that trouble for me. The bath was pure bliss. What a special gift.

We settled in for bed shortly after midnight. Everyone was exhausted and went out just as quick as the lights had been turned off. I was dreaming of music playing when I woke up at 3:30 and realized the music was our doorbell, and my dog was barking frantically in the livingroom, bouncing off the door (all three pounds of her bodyweight put to the best use she could find for it). I stumbled through the house in my gown - I couldn't find my robe. I opened the door a crack and heard a man say "It's the police ma'am." I gathered ferocious Luna from the floor and opened the door wider. A young policeman was standing on the porch apologizing for waking me then asked "Is the white van parked on the street yours?" I said yes and followed his flashlight as he turned to shine it on the van - the driver's side door wide open.

Inside the police car an obviously large dog barked menacingly. Not an out of control bark, but the kind that lets you know it's there and you better not try anything funny because it sounds as if it just might have a way out of the car. We laughed at my little dog acting as if she could go out there and give him a run for his money, and I tossed her back in bed with the kids and went out to inspect the car. It had obviously been gone through but nothing appeared to be missing. In my sleepy haze I failed to check for damage on the door where someone would have had to pick the lock to get inside. Since the car was broken into a couple of months ago, we are always sure to keep the doors locked now. The nice policeman told me if I noticed anything wrong come morning, just give them a call. He apologized once again for waking me up, then said goodnight.

I think I was asleep immediately upon climbing back into bed. The only clear memory I have is of cool sheets and the scent of honeysuckle, roses and rosemary. I don't remember another thing until 7:00 this morning when Jacob hugged me sweetly and whispered "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy." Gosh I'm lucky.