Life's been like that lately. Friday night Mr. Lipstick and I went to The Cheesecake Factory with some dear friends. We all took our kids which meant that children outnumbered adults. Another way of saying this is that there were more people at the table who wanted to lay down in the booths than did not. Sigh...despite all the sentences interrupted with, "sweetie, stop that!" I love having the kids along. I miss them if they're not there.
Whatever parental stress we might have experienced from corralling our children paled in comparison to that of our waiter. I think ours was his inaugural table. Party of nine...freaked out server of one. After getting five (oh, yes-five) take-out boxes for the staggeringly massive portions, I was so frazzled that my friend with three kids walked my two kids and me to our car. Oh my, so much wrong with that.
Of course, I offered to drive them to their car so all seven of us piled into the Lipstick little-sedan. Oh my, so much wrong with that too, but it was sure was funny. Kind of like something you do in college. The men escaped this madness since they had guys night at the movies. I am thinking that my friend and I need girl's night. I can't decide...margs or cosmos...what do y'all think? I recently had a wedding cake martini and y'all-it was to die for. My friend reads Lipstick-land...so you just let me know, ok? *wink*
The same dear friends offered to keep JBB and Pretty Girl while Mr. Lipstick and I traveled to a flood-ravaged area. He brought his jackhammer and I brought some gloves. Uh huh, he owns a jackhammer. Handy he his. We helped with the de-construction of a condo which was completely destroyed.
Two things:
1. I sort of felt like it was 1890. There was (lots of) heavy work for the menfolk and (lots of) lighter work for the women folk. After stuff was sledge-hammered, I swept away debris. Back to 1890...in my world of pharmacy, men and women do the exact same work. Tasks are not based on physical strength. Doing different work from the men was odd to me. So odd to me that I became obsessed with why I thought it was odd.
2. I swept up debris of what used to be someone's house. I was humbled to offer some help. While I was there I saw countless volunteers. People doing work like us, people with tents cooking for the volunteers, and people walking around to see if other people needed anything. Amazing. Finally, when you sweep up the dirt that is the ruins of someone's house, it is no longer a burden to come home and sweep up dirt in your own intact, undamaged home.
You know, I've never intended for Lipstick-land to be a once a week blog. I don't want it to be, but seeing fellow Southerners suffering has weighed heavy on my heart. I am grateful to you for reading and most grateful for your prayers.
Mask painting from here
9 comments:
Great that you all volunteer to help out there. The clean-up work to be done must be overwhelming.
How kind of you guys to go help! And the Cheesecake factory story... oh, brought back memories of taking our sons out with me and my friends. good memories.
Well, I will take whatever you write... be it once a week or once a month! Continuing to keep those families affected by the floods in my thoughts and prayers. Such a tragic thing... it's amazing in this day and age that natural disaster can still wreak so much havoc; it goes to show you that our control over things only goes so far. Interesting about the men's work vs. women's work as well. Things that make you go hmmmmm....
That is great that you are helping!
It must be heart breaking to be down there right now seeing all the destruction. You must feel good knowing that your contribution is helping your neighbors.
It is so cool of you to take time out of your busy lives to help those others. But I would have paid two baby sitters to be able to enjoy a dinner at the Cheesecake Factory!
WOW, Lipstick, I AM IMPRESSED! I think it is truly wonderful that you would choose to jump into action and help others who need you. What great role model(s) for your kids!! Hmmm...betcha could've used a wedding cake martini afterward! May the South be better after being painted by Lipstick!
Oh Miss Lipstick, you put it perfectly. Good for you, and big hugs, the work to be done must be immense, how cool you and Mr. Lipstick were able to help out. You are the best.
Sending you a smile,
tp
Good for you...it's important that your kids do this and that they see you do it too. My little one said long ago, "It feels good in my insides to do nice things for other people mommy."
Next month he is coming down to Nashville with his youth group to assist for 3 days in the clean-up.
We pray that things are getting easier. xo lisa oh and i think blogging once a week should be mandatory in the summertime:)
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