brought back

We teach a one room Sunday School (so, all ages are included) at our church on Sunday mornings after the service. There are usually only 6 or 7 kids, so it's not a big group and when an extra one shows up it is kind of a big deal. Sunday, I think it was an even bigger deal - at least for me.

Sunday, one of our regular students brought in a friend, (let's call her) Jane. I vaguely recognized Jane from sight, but when I heard her name I instantly also remembered her.

Student: Mrs. Leo, this is Jane
Me: Oh, (pause) I remember you! I used to babysit for you!
Jane: Oh, really?
Me: Yeah, your mom used to go to this church right?
Jane: Yes.
Me: Um, cool, yeah, I know you.

It was pretty awkward. Mostly though, because I was babysitting her when I found out my grandma died. And I never really saw them again.

I remember that I had already put the kids (she has a little brother) to bed. I was sitting in their open, light-filled ground level room and the light was just starting to disappear. The phone rang. I didn't have a cell phone then, so it must have been their home phone. It was my dad, barely holding back tears. He just came out with it: grandma had died, I needed to find my way home.

The thing is, my grandma was perfectly healthy. We were to have visited her the night before, but we had 'more important' plans. The news was shocking, and I couldn't get my mind around it. I'm not sure if I gave my dad the parents' cell phone number to call or I did it myself, but they came home as soon as they could. I got in my car and began to cry, or sob actually.

The drive from Rockford to Grand Haven, usually about 45 minutes, was the longest I have ever taken. When I got to my grandma's house I found most of my local relatives and the pastor sitting in the living room - more silent than that house had ever been.

All of those memories came back to me in that slight pause when I saw Jane again. I didn't even know how to deal with them. I must have come off to her like a complete weirdo. But she did offer me, completely unintentionally, the opportunity to remember an important event that helped shape my life.

friends

You know, I have some great internet friends. For example, I went into my email this morning and found that my friends were really looking out for me. For instance, this one from Angie & Horace. They want to know "Did Jeffrey buy from this site?" I sure hope not, he hasn't been allowed on the computer since the 'amazon incident.' Now I can check my records to make sure he hasn't done any harm.

Or take a look at this one from Milo Johnathon Bryant. He writes in the subject line "Lucinda wants you to check out this store." Thanks for passing on the message Milo! Lucinda ALWAYS knows where the best buys are!

Cobb Keri (love her!) wrote too! She asks 'Did Keven get this info?' I wonder if she means the info that his name is spelled totally stupidly. Because yes, I told him that yesterday.

Fred and Sherryl are my hook-up. They are also my coolest, most hip friends. They wrote 'Here is the site where I bought the pillz. I have been looking for this site EVERYWHERE! They are so cool.

My good friend Dale Horn wants to give me the hook-up too. 'I guess Randy likes this shop?' Well, Randy is a tool. So, I don't really care. But thanks for the tip!

Seriously, why would my Google filter place all these good friends in my spam box?

But all in all, it's great to know that when the world lets me down, I can always depend on my internet friends looking out for me.

little lies i like to tell myself

Computer card games keep my mind sharp, so it's not wasting time to play these games PLENTY often. In fact, it is GOOD FOR ME.