Can you say Stress?

This here is our big honkin' sign that Alex asked to have put in the yard. By the looks of it, it's set up camp and is going to be around for a while, although we had a showing today. Another will happen on Thursday, and there will be a lovely open house on Sunday from 2 to 4. Y’all come now, ya hear?

I'm going to vent about showing a house. I really just don't get it, if you want to know the truth. Why in the world do we clean like crazy to show someone we don't even know the inside of our homes? I have friends who haven't set foot in my house, and I for sure wouldn't clean like this for them. Do you think it might be that if we clean it up, the showees will like it better, think more of us and want to buy the house? Or does it just make us feel better? I just don't know if it's worth all the craziness that goes on. I cleaned the kitchen on Sunday, mainly because the dog hair was about to start tripping someone. I get the herd outside and sweep and mop and get it all pretty, just to have Gracie go out the next morning and bring in enough dirt to start a really good mud pie. 

On top of all this cleaning, we are waiting to hear where Alex will be appointed within the Methodist church. They told him around the first of February that he would hear something after Easter. Well, Easter was Sunday, so they can call now. Yesterday, while we were having dinner, the phone rang, and the Caller ID said “Yokem,” which is the name of the man we were waiting to hear from in Arkansas. I picked up the phone and looked at it (we usually don't answer the phone when we're eating), and with a mouth full of food I said, "Umm  mmmm bergd nxchiowe." Translated, that means, "Oh my gosh, it's for you, and it's them, and oh my gosh!" Reverend Yokem asked Alex some questions and wanted him to send him a picture of us along with a one-page bio that included what we had to offer, what Alex’s strengths were and some things about his calling. I heard, “Tell me your dreams.”

This morning, the dog had not one but four accidents on the rug under the table, the Internet was not connecting, I couldn't get some windows open to get a breeze running through the house, Alex had to study for a test and write this bio up and get to class, and we were serving communion at Chapel! So if you want to know anything about stress, I want you to give me a yell, cuz I can talk about stress right now. 

Alex had just left for class to take his test on John Wesley (who, by the way, was not Jesus Christ—long story), and the phone rang. The Caller ID said “Yokem,” and I said "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" "No, Reverend Yokem, Alex is in class right now. Can I help with anything?" You never know, right? "Just have him give me a call when he gets in. I have some things I need to talk to him about." Do you know how hard it was not to run to Alex’s class and make him call Yokem back? And I don't even know where his class is!