Tonight's picture was taken on May 4, 2008. It was grandparent's day at Mattie's school. I am SO HAPPY that I had the wherewithal to volunteer that day. Literally that morning, I served coffee and breakfast to hundreds of grandparents under a tent on the school's field. It was a magical day, as Mattie's school really knew how to organize and execute events! The children performed in a concert and then got to show their grandparent's around campus. I snapped this photo of my parents and Mattie in his classroom. If I did not volunteer that day, I would never have captured this photo!
I also recall that Mattie's school counselor came up to me that day and commended me for the incredible care, service, and kindness I showed to each grandparent I served. I will never forget that moment, as I wasn't doing anything special other than being myself.
Quote of the day: Confidence is like wearing a superhero cape under your everyday clothes. It's the secret weapon that makes you feel unstoppable, even on days when you're just winging it. So, rock that messy hair and embrace your awkward moments like they're the latest fashion trend. After all, confidence isn't just about knowing you can handle anything; it's about laughing in the face of challenges and saying, "Watch out, world, here I come!” ~ Life is Positive
As tonight's quote points out, I put on my figurative superhero cape this morning. I had an 8am HVAC appointment (are you following along? I have had an HVAC appointment almost weekly for a month now!). To make this appointment happen, I had to get up at 5:45am. When 7:30am rolled around and I did not get a text message confirmation or update, I knew it wasn't a good sign! If it were just me at home, I would have sucked it up and dealt with the HVAC person whenever he showed up. But juggling both of my parents, I do not have the luxury for timing games.
So at 8am, I literally called the company and left a message with their answering service. I had no confidence in that process, so instead I text messaged the HVAC person directly who works with me. Paul is a kind soul and understands what I balancing at home and truly tries to help. This is the third time I have worked with Paul and the last time, he gave me his cell phone number. Truthfully I have contacted him while he was on vacation with his wife, and he answered my messages. He's a peach I tell you!
Any case, I told Paul through a text message that I was promised an 8am appointment. I also told him that I had to get up at 5:45am to make this appointment work. He is well aware of the fact that I care for my parents and that I am divorced. He also knows that my mom wants to get out of the house at 1pm most days, so he has some understanding for my three ring circus. He was disappointed that his company did not honor my 8am appointment and to make matters worse the company assigned him to another customer first before coming to me. By the time I finished with Paul, he called his manager, and the next thing I knew Paul was headed to me first! My point to all of this is juggling my parents, I have become even more assertive than I usually am, and in the process I have gathered many wonderful people around me to help me with the house.
The air conditioning units needed regular maintenance today from motors cleaned, outdoor condensers cleaned, and the installation of a new capacitor. The whole thing took about four hours. I am vigilant about the maintenance of these systems, because I want them to run for as long as possible. Before Paul and his assistant left today, they had to factory reset my Nest thermostats. Why? Because the Nest account wasn't associated with my email. So believe it or not, I was locked out of the system in my own house and I couldn't adjust or set the thermostat. I was constantly freezing or broiling. How would you like living in your home and not being able to control the heat or air? Well this is what I have been dealing with and since I couldn't access the account (as it wasn't associated with my email) the only option was we had to sit down and figure out how to factory reset it. I am very grateful to Paul and Manny today.... my HVAC angels. Paul's assistant was absolutely sweet (has three cats and told me all about them!), and said I was so kind, that he wished every customer was like me. Though these fellows were here helping me, I make it my business to get to know them personally and always give them drinks and snacks. Working with me isn't just a transaction, working with me, means building a relationship.
After we were back up and operational air conditioning wise, I took my mom out for tea. Keep in mind that we go to this Starbuck's weekly. I know every person working behind the counter and the manager. Today I was chatting with three of the staff members and one basically told me that he is typically shy and doesn't get into conversation with most customers, but I am different! He said.... I LIKE YOU! I don't mean a romantic like, I mean a like in the sense of kindness and respect. Which to me is the ultimate form of liking a person!
Though it was a day filled with multiple tasks, when I have the opportunity to positively connect with people, it makes my day brighter. These interactions do not change the reality of my day, but they definitely influence my mood and feelings about getting through the day.
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