Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Humble Pie -- lengthy entry alert!!

So, this past weekend, the day AFTER Valentine's day, to be exact, Jorge came home for the weekend. A friend of his, and her daughters, was coming to Phoenix for an ACN convention, so he drove down with them.
My understanding, before they arrived, was that he was coming down with them, but wasn't planning on attending the convention, and would have LOTS of time to spend with me. Well, that proved to be a MISunderstanding, on my part! (And, originally, we had planned to go to CAlifornia for the 3 days, but didn't have the spending capital to do so!)
So, Friday, when they arrived, Jorge and all 3 ladies went to the convention. It was free on Friday, so he went to enjoy it without paying anything. And, in my mind, he was going to show her how to get to the coliseum.
Then, Saturday morning, he drove her --AGAIN--to the coliseum. This was difficult for me to understand, as the coliseum is RIGHT off of the 10, and it is basically a straight shot on the freeway! But, then to make things more interesting, we had to later take her daughters over there, to meet her, after they got up, showered, ate breakfast, etc. (In case you haven't been keeping up, that's 2 trips to Phoenix, so far!)
I wondered, out loud, why we didn't drive 2 cars, at that point, to leave hers with her, so that she could return, at her leisure, when the convention was done for the day. Nobody else seemed to think that was a good idea . . . still baffling to me, as to why! So, when the convention was finished, at 6 pm, Jorge made trip #3 to Phoenix . . . and then proceeded to get lost, after he picked them up! (a nice way to drive home his point that she didn't want to get lost!!)
By the time they arrived back at my house, I was BEYOND annoyed, because we had plans to go to my co-worker's daughter's birthday party, and we were going to arrive very late! Add getting lost in Chandler to the mix, and we arrived, at the party at 8:45 pm!!!
Overall, not a good day for spending quality alone time with the husband! So, I thought, we would spend some time together on Sunday, while they were at the convention! (I need to add, here, that nobody seemed to be communicating OUT LOUD the plans for any of these days -- I don't know, maybe they aren't planners, they just fly by the seat of their pants! But, if you are going to impose on others, I think that one should be a little more considerate of their plans, time, etc. That could be just me, though!!)
So Sunday morning rolls around and first and foremost, I am awakened by Jorge at 7 am -- He's the only one up, even though the convention starts and 9 am, and they are planning to leave for Vegas, in the afternoon. I kiss him good morning, then go back to bed, for what was supposed to be an hour! My alarm doesn't go off, however, and I wake up again, at 8:57 am! (My ward starts at 9 am!!!!)
So, I slap on some clothes (thank goodness I had showered the night before!!) and stumble out the door, half asleep. Jorge was a little put out that I didn't say "good Morning" to our guest, as I was hurrying to put my shoes on -- I didn't realize she was talking to me! Then, I vaguely remember her saying, to him, as I am walking out the door ". . . I will save the $7 is parking . . ."
An hour and a half later, I return to the house, after attending only Sacrament Meeting, to find that Jorge has driven her to Phoenix AGAIN! Give me a break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, when he got back to the house, I asked him what the travel plans were. He said that he would be picking her up from the coliseum and they would be leaving directly from there. This woman is BRILLIANT!! She gets to spend the morning doing what she came here to do, and my husband gets to spend the morning/day doing what SHE wants him to -- Chauffering, AND packing up the car! Wow, what a lucky guy!
At that point, all my impatience BOILED over!!!!!!!!! I wanted to know when we were supposed to spend time together and do the things that WE wanted to do! And, I wanted to know how one woman could be so dependent on someone else -- to be her age (50+) and not be more independent -- Aggravation, I tell ya!!
Needless to say, a "discussion" ensued! Lots of crying on my part, and lots of "don't cry!"s on his! (It didn't help matters, AT ALL, that this past weekend was apparently my emotional day times 3!!!) Anyway, we arrived at this: Jorge will be back soon, for good and he will not be leaving, for any extended period of time, again! YAY!!
So, we said good-bye at our front door, and I watched him drive away. I then got busy working on Sadie's birthday gift, as we had planned for dinner at my parents' house at 5:30pm. I was almost done with it, when I got a phone call from Jorge. They had made it to Wickenburg, when she had realized that she left her purse at the coliseum, on a bench somewhere.
So, he wanted to know if I would drive over there and look for it! I was aggravated all over again -- but then, as I was driving over to Phoenix, felt very badly for feeling aggravation at this latest development. Regardless of how she had monopolized Jorge's time over the weekend, or my perception, of that, at least, I was almost positive that she had NOT planned to leave her purse, much less to aggravate me!
So I put my selfish thoughts aside and drove over to the coliseum, hoping, for her, that it would be where she left it, and that she would NOT have to go through all the hassle of cancelling her cards, getting a new drivers' license, and all of the headaches that come with losing one's purse or wallet! (I had to go through all of that myself, a year and a half ago! I really would NOT wish that on anyone!!)
After taking a hike around the entire coliseum (I was receiving instructions from Jorge, who was receiving instructions from her -- there's that "telephone" game again!! LOL) and hearing from security that "No, a purse had not been turned in!", I was walking away with bad news! Then, almost as an after thought, I looked over at a bench that I had not seen before -- it was kind of hidden behind a pillar, and a tree. And VOILA! There were her purse and her sweater, just where she left them!
The "humble pie" part comes from the thoughts that ensued after the fact -- to be able to give service to one of my Heavenly Father's children, a service that cost me nothing and helped me to realize how much this small act really did help her -- that was very humbling! And to know that even though the weekend didn't go the way that I wanted, AT ALL, I did contribute to her enjoying her weekend, and that should count for something!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kaelene I am so sorry about your weekend. That is not fun in any way. You are a big person for your positive attitude! It is not fun when you get shafted and neglectetd by your own husband!!! Check your email
Love,
Brooke

Maddy said...

YUCK! what a stinky weekend. I don't know if I could be as positive as you are. But that's why we love you -- because you're so dang nice!

Michelle said...

You are about a million times more patient than I....but like Maddy said, that's why we love you!