Craziness at the pump

Last night, after we left Open House at K's school (which went very well, as expected), we stopped at the gas station and there were cars lined up four cars deep at each pump. Apparently everyone got the message that gas prices were expected to soar at midnight. So we got in line. We were the third vehicle in line going one direction and there was another car going the opposite direction. The car filling up finishes and the two cars in front of us waiting pull forward at the same time. They meet in the middle and neither can make the pump reach their respective tanks. So the car with the teenagers (the one going the wrong direction in the first place) backs up and makes room for the oversized truck, but the girl from the car gets out and waits by the pump, as to stake her place in line. We are still waiting. Approximately 10 minutes have passed since we first arrived and the truck is finished filling up and I need to pull forward to make room for another oversized farm truck to get out without hitting my car. As I begin to pull forward the teenage girl jumps in front of my BIG SUV and throws her arms out. Can you believe this? I'm not even close to pulling up to the pump, nor did I have any intentions of doing so...I'm fair when it comes to waiting in lines and believe everyone should receive service on a first-come-first-serve basis. I proceed to roll my window down to tell the girl to move because I'm about to get hit and she lets me know that she has been waiting for over an hour. I would have liked to have said more, but I bit my tongue and got out of the way of the huge truck. I thought gas station drama like this only happened in big cities, but I was wrong...it also happens right here in rural, small town Tennessee. I think next time I'll just pay the extra $$ per gallon and go the next day. Ridiculous.

The pictures are from the gas station where we waited. Most of the cars are going the opposite direction and are lined up on the highway shoulder. A couple of stations in town ran out of gas and one raised prices to $4.79/gallon ($1.10 more per gallon than all other stations). I wish I had taken a picture of the girl with her arms out (and her boyfriend who was about to blow the place up as he smoked his cigarette near the pump), but you can see her sitting by the pump waiting her turn.

We're counting down...

Only 2 hours and 40 minutes until kick-off...

By the way, K. wanted to know if we were going to the game tonight and has been very disappointed ever since I told her no. She has asked everyone we have seen today, "how far is California?"

Go Vols!

The ankle bracelet

This summer while attending Bible School at our church, K. made an ankle bracelet. She wore it for a couple of days, but it broke after a full day of swimming. To say the least, she was upset. I tried to re-string it to no avail. She talked about wanting another one, but I wasn't sure about what beads went where and we lost a few to the pool.

So, a couple of weeks ago her Sunday School teacher (who was also the VBS art teacher) had the supplies and made her another one. She was so excited; she'd have her bracelet for the first day of school. K. has worn it every day and has refused to take it off, even when dressing for ballet and having to wear tights, which can be difficult with a chunky bracelet on your ankle.

The other night I suggested we take it off and she looked at me very seriously and said, "please no." I asked her why that bracelet meant so much to her and she proceeded to tell me that when she wears it she is reminded that Jesus loves her and that He helped others and He wants her to help others, too. I sat there with tears in my eyes and my mouth open. I had no idea that she had made any sort of connection with her bracelet, I thought it was a fashion statement. Do I even have to tell you how this made me feel? K. is so special and to know that she wants to live for God and show others his love at age 5...well, what more could a mother ask for?

By the way, she'll be wearing that bracelet for as long as she likes. I'll even add length to it as needed. :-)