Baby-sitting for Who?

This post is a little past due, but that's okay.

A week ago, I should've been getting back from camp. Instead, I was working the good ol' front desk. For the first time in 14 years, I didn't go to Camp Discovery. Which, if you read these two blogs (here and here), you realize quickly how much it means to me. Just weeks before camp, I had to change my plans and not go to camp - which was pretty upsetting if we're being honest. Thankfully, the Lord kept my mind off of camp (for the most part).

When I was officially no longer going to camp and had a peace about it, I thought to myself, God must have a reason for keeping me here. I just hoped it was a good reason, rather than someone dying or... something. I thought, maybe God has some really important, life-changing message I need to hear.

It didn't happen.

Oddly though, I have a comfort about missing camp. I just feel like I wasn't supposed to be there. I read something the other day about God working in small ways, not always using drastic, life-changing measures. Such small ways that we don't even realize it.

So, although there was not a 'spiritual epiphany' ... something mega cool did happen.


Long story short, Jenny Simmons of Addison Road asked my friend Joley and I to baby-sit. Yes, I baby-sat for someone famous. Her daughter, Annie, is adorable. Yeah, Jenny and I talked, we called each other, even texted. Did we hang out? Not really. I didn't get a picture with her, I somewhat got an autograph... but I already had one so that didn't matter either. Sure, I earned some extra cash... not a huge deal.

I think the coolest part was seeing and realizing she is normal. That sounds so stupid, and I realize that famous people are still... people, but it doesn't hit you until you're in the hotel room. Or, when she talked about hanging out with her girlfriends. In her thank you note, she wrote how much of a blessing it was to have a break, just to hang out with friends.

Knowing that my sitting in her hotel room while her precious daughter slept, just so she could get a break and have some fun, made it all worth it. It sounds cheesy, but an act of service like that is more rewarding than money. Maybe the baby-sitting job was the reason God kept me here, and if it was, that little bit of excitement and the sweet reward was worth it.

Moolala.

So, a friend showed me this website.

Moolala.

Basically, you get coupons/discounts sent to your e-mail.
For every friend you refer, that buy something... you EARN money.

I just signed up so I haven't gotten the daily coupon sent to me yet, but hey... worth a shot, right?

Cheap-o.

I am a thrifty shopper.

Off-brand, coupons, discounts ... I try and save every penny.

I have a kind of large living room, that has a large space in the middle. I decided that coffee table was needed - to fill space, and for a place to set stuff instead of covering my couches in books and papers.

Looked at tables online - way too much for this college kid.

Next stop, Craigslist.

A college girl in town was selling a nice one for $25. Cheap for a table, expensive for me. I ended up posting a "wanted" ad on Craigslist next to the other random, probably not G-rated wanted ads - thinking I won't be getting a coffee table til the next garage sale season.

One hour later. "I'll sell it to you for $10."

After some awkward texting, lots of complicated changing of plans, it was set that I would drive to the OTHER side of Amarillo last night.

Danae and I ate some hamburger helper, cleaned up the Route 44 DDP that I spilt, plugged in the GPS and set off on our adventure.

Mind you, when the lady told me she lived "out by the airport" she didn't say in a secluded, miniature town that has it's own school district. And, is kind of sketch. I was relieved that the original plan was for her to leave the table on her porch, me to slip $10 under the potted plant and us never have to interact.

Well, when we pulled up to the duplex and there was no table in sight, I had to shoot her a text.

"Oh my gosh, my husband forgot!!!!! We'll be there in a few minutes!! I'm so very embarrassed and sorry!"

While we waited, I turned to Danae and said, "This may be one of the most awkward situations I will ever have to be in..." A few minutes of awkward driveway talk, loading the not-at-all-heavy table in the back and handing over some cash - the table is MINE.

I somehow always find myself in awkward situations. But, a $10 (or free, thanks to the 'rents) coffee table is worth it. Oh, the things I go through to save money.