Day 11 - Dive Sticks (Sell)

At the end of each pool season over the last few years that we've been in this house I've looked for some clearance-priced water toy to set back for the next summer.  So a couple of months ago I picked up some fish-shaped dive sticks.  They are still in the original package.  I brought them in tonight from the garage because Melissa is trying to get some toys and books together to sell at a big community garage sale this weekend and I'm hoping we'll have no need for dive sticks when next June rolls around since our pool will - God willing - belong to someone else!

Melissa and I encouraged the kids to each scour their rooms tonight to find toys to put in the sale or to place in the shoeboxes our small group will be sending to Operation Christmas Child.  We said this would be a good time to start downsizing since we won't be able to take much with us when we move.  As far as our kids were concerned, this idea went over like Fred Phelps at a funeral. 



Squeeze Me!

 Eventually, Dats (age 9) and Ida (age 7) reluctantly sorted through a crate of toy cars they hadn't touched but maybe once in the last year and there they found about five of the 150 or so cars to be suitable for donation.  The Drama Queen (age 8) caught me sneaking a small, pink gorilla from its forgotten shelf in the laundry room (where it had perched for nearly five months) to the give-away pile and burst forth into tears:  "That's mine!"  (I can understand the attraction - it has the words "Squeeze Me" on its chest and when you do, it gives a little catcall whistle.  Very classy. Plus, it's wearing sunglasses.)  Of all the kids, only the Princess (age 3) seemed willing to throw multiple toys on the pile  ...  commendable, except for the fact that most of the toys she threw didn't actually belong to her.

I've already said that the kids are excited about the prospect of moving to Haiti, and they are.  But I'm smart enough to know that the hard reality of sacrifices, both big and small, is going to hit every member of this family ... repeatedly... in the coming months and years.  I would very much appreciate your prayers for wisdom and strength for Melissa and me in preparation for that hard reality's arrival.