The garage sale was a success!  We earned a modest amount and had perfect weather.  My son, Chad, helped so much - I couldn't have done it without him.  I secretly planned to give him 10% of our earnings but he worked so hard, I gave him more than that.  We started on Friday and the first of our customers was a huge homeschool family from back east.  The kids were great but there was a rather confusing moment when the dog from down the street tried to enter our driveway.  I called my usual, "Go home, Abby!"  Then I saw one of the little girls in the homeschool family looking very sad - and someone said, "She wasn't talking to you Abby, she was talking to the dog!"  How was I to know the little girl's name was also Abby?!"  Later that day, I went down the street to another garage sale and ended up buying a 3-1/2 foot tall illuminated snowman.  I didn't want to put it in our new car so I walked back up the hill carrying it.  It didn't dawn on me how stupid I must have looked until I saw the kids from the high school driving up the street on their lunch break.  Fortunately, I've reached that age where I can carry off such eccentric behavior.  Right.  Todd drove the Camry home, bless him.  We later determined our snowman was lonely and went back for 3 more snowmen!  This time, we made them fit in the car.  By the time our sale was over for that day, I was utterly exhausted.  We closed shop and I fell into an easy chair in the living room for a good nap.  It was hard to make dinner that night.  Day 1 over.

Day 2.  On this day, our neighborhood had at least 10 garage sales going, we all had pitched in for a newspaper ad and prayed for good weather.  God is good.  We had lots of traffic and since I was at the top of the hill, I sent people down to the other sales and they did likewise for me.  What nice neighbors!  Our day went well and Chad went back and forth from our sale to the sales down the hill, sometimes taking his sibs.  The kids NEVER walk this hill alone and I think they were pretty proud of themselves.  We sold a lot of things and now there is enough room in the garage to store our 4 snowmen!  Let me say that these snowmen are part of a display that this lady has put up at Christmas every year and it has always been a joy to round the curve and see her yard, all lit up for the season.  She is getting on in years and decided it was too much work for her.  She was pleased to see so many snowmen going to our family and I told her I'd think of her every year when we put them out.  I wish I could have her as a grandma! 

When we closed up and put everything away, once again I was completely exhausted.  I collapsed in the chair again but still had to get up and make dinner for the kids.  Then I had to make dinner again a few hours later for my dh (he had been napping before work).  I could hardly move.  Then Todd got docked due to not enough patients!  A blessing so he could have another night to rest and recover but, like, we kind of needed him to work, know what I mean?  I am trusting God to help with finances as Todd hasn't worked in awhile.  But he is working tonight and seems to be doing well.  I was sooo tired last night and was pretty stiff this morning.  I guess I did a lot of lifting as we had to move the dining room table in and out of the house twice and it's a heavy table with drop leaves and built-in extension.  Tonight, I'm feeling more myself though I spent my Sun. playing catch-up on housework - doing laundry and running the dishwasher 3 times.  I even dusted and ran the vacuum twice - I don't know where the energy came from, but I'm glad I did it.  I always think of how Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man because God knew we needed a rest.  God always knows what's best.

Today, I started something new with my kids.  I bought them each a notebook and we sat down to write a scripture that they are to try to memorize.  We prayed together and read John 3:16.  Then I had them write it in their new notebooks and we discussed the meaning and ways to memorize scripture.  It was fun and I hope to stick with this on a weekly basis.  They can't rely on the Lord very well if they don't have His word in their minds and hearts.  I pray I will be consistent with this and I also pray for guidance of which scripture I should choose for them to memorize. 

Thanks once again for praying for Todd.  The heart test was pushed to this coming Wed. but he says his pneumonia is gone and the pericarditis is resolving.  Your prayers and support certainly kept me going.  I am grateful.