White & Orange and Proud of it!

What a funny day. You know sometimes you wake up and the day goes different than you thought? That was today. In a good way. :)

I’m so enjoying the Sunday School class (in week 2 now) at church. “An Ordinary Day with Jesus” is the name of the book we are studying. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know people and learning so much along the way. The class is at 9:30, and since we typically go to the 11a service, I get up and go and Erk comes later with the kiddos. I waited around for them today in the narthex and they didn’t come and didn’t come… so I went on into church. Mom and Dad were already there, as were Em, Molly and Brandon. So nice to see you guys! Anywho, it felt good to sit in the pew and know the people on either side better than just “hello.” The one side of me was a lady in my class and the other side were really cool people that we are getting to know better through a group we went to on Saturday night, Connextions. Very, very cool.

Moving on – after church, we went out for some grub with everybody. Always fun – and the kids are entertaining. :) From there we came on home and everybody but Erk went down for a nap. I didn’t think I would sleep when I lay down, but soon enough I was conked. When I woke up, I just laid there staring at the ceiling, wondering if I really had to get up. The kids were all still asleep… but I did. Got up and headed downstairs. Erk was sitting here and the thought popped in my head – “how far is it to church from here?” “Two miles,” Erk replied. “I think I’ll ride my bike into town to get the car.” (We had forgotten to pick it up after lunch out –since I had driven separate to church). Sure enough, I went upstairs and put some shorts on, white legs hanging out. Went out in the garage and retrieved my hand-me-down blue helmet from the kids play bucket of toys. Grabbed the leather handlebars on my bike and started down the driveway. I hear a whistle from somewhere and laugh out loud, looking up at the windows but none were open. It was Erk in the backyard. :) He called Bean so she wouldn’t follow me and off I headed. In the 7 years we have lived here, I have NEVER ridden a bike on our road!
Off I go, the hill just beyond our driveway being the biggest, dupe de do, smiling all the way – the wind blowing, traffic scooting around me, taking a 2 mile bike ride all alone. I came to the stoplight and felt funny but acted like a car in the left turn lane. I debated doing the funny looking’ arm thing Dad taught me a few weeks back when our truck blinkers weren’t working, but I didn’t. There I sat, white legs, blue helmet, orange bike waiting for the light to turn green.

Off I head for the busiest road yet, just to the right of the long white line there I rode. La de dah. Loving every second of the wind and beauty around. Pull around the corner into town and hop on the now side walked streets. Weave in and around uneven squares of cement wondering what the people driving by have thought of me. Laughing at the thought of them thinking I’m NUTS.

I pull up behind the car and hop off my bike. Kickstand out. Pop the trunk. Tried a few times to finagle it but the bike just wouldn’t fit. So I open the back doors of the car, fold down the seat, try again. Nope. So I try from the open door, shoving it rear end first, taking it out, front end first. It didn’t fit. I swear it took just as long to try to fit the bike in the car as it did the bike ride. Decision time. Hmmm… I’ll leave the bike here at church and drive home. Off I drove with the sunroof open, windows down and my helmet hair flying around. Pull in to home only to swap out keys and vehicles and head back into town to get my bike. Erk telling me “you’d better hurry before someone steals it!” Nobody did though, there she sat, pretty and orange in the church’s empty parking lot. I end up chatting with dad on the phone for a few minutes so I take a seat. Usually I can multi-task, but picking up my bike and talking on the phone are not two things I can do at once!
We hang up and back to finagling the bike. Have you gathered that my cool girl bike isn’t SMALL!? Finally get it in the back of the Yukon with seats folded over, bike all dorked up and the back door hardly closing. Off to the store I head to find something for dinner. Up and down the aisles… what to make – something easy. Nothing looked easy or good. To the Chinese place next door I head. Order on a whim (still helmet hair and white legs hanging out) and wait, food is done, I leave. Get home only to find they forgot our egg rolls and fried rice. Back out the door I head, stop by, they apologize for messing up our order and back home I head. Wouldn’t you know, none of the kids like Chinese?? They’d never had it before tonight and it’s safe to say I don’t think they’ll be trying it again anytime soon. Erk and I sure enjoyed it! Mikie said the eggroll was gonna make him throw up.

Now as I sit here recalling my day – thinking back on the wind in my hair and the passersby thinking I belonged in a group home with my orange old woman bike and white legs (no, I don’t wear TIGHTS), I smile and am thankful for the gift of sight and sound and a sense of humor…