I had signed up to take a dinner to a woman in the ward. I LOVE sign-ups in Relief Society! I always want to sign up for everything but realize that my "season of life" does not permit me to. *Sigh* So, needless to say I was actually really excited to make a dinner and take it to this sister.
I had everything planned out-- Hawaiian meatballs (homemade meatballs), a salad and chocolate cake from SCRATCH (with fresh strawberries).
To make a long story short, I worked ALL afternoon while the kids were up, while the kids were napping and after.
And then it started...
Ben didn't get the early bus like we had planned. Everything would be pushed back 45 minutes. So, I decide to save a little time and just pick him up at the bus stop and we would all go together. Doesn't it seem like just loading your kids in the car is the most strenuous thing?
There was tons of traffic.
Claire-face would not stop crying.
Benson was thirsty and of course I didn't bring a drink.
We could not find the address of this woman!!
Finally we did- she was very appreciative. Just as I was leaving she asked me another favor. Could I go to Rite Aid and pick up her prescriptions for her.
Ummmm.... my kids are screaming in the car, Ben is anxious to get home, I know I left a burner on on the stove...
"Sure, I can".
So, we pick up her prescriptions.
Endure a long car ride home of crying.
This is me:
Finally we are home to eat. Whew.
But wait a sec... this doesn't taste very good. At all. Ben takes out some sauces to try and help the situation and I realize that I had put FISH SAUCE in instead of soy sauce. Ben likes to go to the Asian Markets and get fancy stuff that I can't tell the difference of what is what.
I felt like I wanted to cry. I had given this dinner to someone!!! Embarrassing.
At least I had a fabulous cake to look forward to, right? Well, I was an idiot and put fresh-cut strawberries all over and made the top all soggy.
I cried.
At this point I just wanted my kids in bed so I could relax. Too bad I let Benson take a 3 1/2 hour nap so I could get work done and he wouldn't be ready for bed until 8:30 or 9:00 pm. And too bad Ben had to go back to campus for a meeting. So, he told me "good-bye" and I stared at the WRECK in my house and two dirty, cranky children.
Then, I couldn't even enjoy America's Next Top Model because the beast was with me and Tyra Banks annoys me more and more every season. I'm not at my sister, Linda's point yet...
me: "So are you going to watch America's Next Top Model tonight?"
Linda: "No way. I don't have time for that stuff. And besides, Tyra Banks makes me wanna slit my wrists."
She's great. I thought of that after my hard day and it made me laugh.
20 comments:
What a day! You had me laughing and crying :)
Are you kidding me?! You deserve a 2-hr massage after all that, Sarah. In Jan. I overdid "volunteering" and that's probably why I was so sick in Feb. I took a long break from anything service-related for other families and it did me some good. Finally I think I'm back to normal and have learned that moderation is necessary even for good-samaritan-wanna-bes. I loved going all out to meet people's needs when I was single and still crave that kind of service. But our own families merit being our #1 priority, and I have found some comfort in that realization. Mother Teresa didn't have a family of her own :)
But I firmly believe it's essential to teach your children to serve others. Guess I'm still searching for that seemingly ever-elusive balance!
Sorry, but I was laughing while I was reading your post. All in all-it is the thought that counts, right? You did your good deed and helped out. That is all we can do. We are all human, which means we make mistakes :)
Maybe a service miracle occured and to her everything tasted perfect!
That sounds like a horrible day. You'll definitely laugh about it later!
that woman probably thinks you were trying to poison her. wow saree, that's an awesome story. You're still a rock star!
I'm so sorry your dinner didn't go as planned. It might be funny to look back on, in a few weeks.
Oh Sarah! You poor thing. I don't let myself sign up for anything anymore after I forgot to take rolls to a funeral. I felt so bad. I am sure that it will all be ok. The thought of you poisoning someone did make me laugh though :). I think you are great and I MISS you!!
I saw your blog on the Batchelor's...WOW, that WAS quite a day! 2 comments: First, I completely hear ya on Tyra...she gets crazier every season. Second, I too signed up to take people a meal tonight, only I didn't even attempt to cook... I rounded up my coupons, found a bogof deal at Quiznos, and brought them that. Homemade? No. Stress free? Totally. = ) Tomorrow will be better!
Oh my gosh! I felt bad for you through this whole post. I was laughing when you had to pick up that lady's prescriptions! I was only laughing because I would totally be freaking out too. You are so good to always want to serve people. Take it easy this weekend!
That was the best laugh I've had in a long time. You pulling your hair out--been there. You ruining the dinner you take to someone--been there. It's humiliating and seriously, like you said, you would think fate would be on your side when you're trying to do a good deed! I signed up for funeral potatoes for a ward dinner once (how hard can that be?) and they were so disgusting there was one spoon taken out and then the rest put back in the kitchen. I think you should get EXTRA blessings for attempting any service with small children.
Oh, Sarah- so sorry to hear about your day. You will be blessed for all of your efforts. I hope that you can look back on it and laugh a little later. Bless your heart!
I've heard that somewhere before...I'm sure it's from my own life. Nice to know others go thru the same stuff.
i think its a rueckert thing... i always have such good intention and somehow it always ends up being the biggest mess in the world. and we must just have that rueckert look on our faces that makes people want to ask us extra favors at the most inopportune time. blame it on your heritage sister.
am i really the only single person on your panel of blogs?
I love it! Sarah, you should life close to me and we could feel bad for each other together! By 10:00 in the morning on thursday I was already crying, after I'd lost it on my children and fallin down the stairs while I was yelling! It did get much better from that point on! You are sweet for making the dinner though, I signed up to help someone and forgot completly and instead went to the mall!
Sarah, most of us have "been there and done similar things". Bless your heart for wanting to serve! Wait six month before you do it again! It is hard to do with two small children. They do NOT understand what you are trying to do! It gets SO frusterating. May you be blessed for your efforts!
That's too funny...just gotta laugh when things like that happen! I love how Benson wore Ben's tie..Hinckley's been wanting to do that lately too. It's so fun how they want to be just like dad:)
I know I didn't comment earlier. I started using google reader and I don't comment on people's blogs as much now. I loved this story so much. So did Dave. The fish sauce in the meatballs was the real kicker. I can just imagine your face all excited to eat that first bite and then your heartbreak as you chewed and realized what you had given away. MAN!
And I sooo hear you on the husband leaving right afterward --- that is very hard. I love you! I really like what Kathleen said about realizing that serving our families is a good priority -- and good point about Mother Teresa!
Oh, Sarah. Thanks for the laugh (sorry at your expense)! I think we all laugh because we can SO RELATE!
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