New to blogging

Well, I have decided to try this out...I always have lots of thoughts and think I ought to write them down and every friend I have seems to have a blog so I thought why not?! :) So here goes...

I am assuming you all know that I am going to Africa this summer. This weekend was the garage sale to raise some extra cash for the trip! Let me tell you, I have shopped garage sales before and contributed to them as well, but I have never put one on. And ladies and gents let me tell you, it is hard work! My front bedroom was filled with stuff from myself and family and then once Kelli (my friend that is going to Africa too) and I emailed and told people what we were doing, the stuff just kept on coming! Poor, sweet Kelli spent a good $200 on gas to and from Keller to bring stuff and my dad graciously drove me around last Saturday with his truck and trailor to collect all my treasures from my peeps at work! No words to describe it all!

So Friday, Kelli and I began to separate and make piles. Now Kelli is quite the organizer and she got us on track with how to set it all up. We started about 10 am and did not finish until about midnight...it was actually quite humerous. We got overwhelmed with the amount of work and stuff that we had, and began to affectionately call ourselves "Sanford and Son" and sang the Beverly Hillbilly's song as we drove down the highway with stuff in every available spot in our cars! HeHe! We had reinforcements come and help Friday evening which was such a huge blessing! Shelley came and helped us work through the clothing and then stayed for the party the next morning. Judy, my step mom, let's just say she is and was a pricing machine!! We had nothing priced and when we told her, she quietly smiled and just took on the role of "lead pricer" and saved us from a nite of masking tape and sharpees! Dawn showed up with some more treasures and I am pretty sure all the neighbors knew because she had her little car packed out, complete with Christmas tree hanging out the window and all! She also picked up our pizza! FOOD! And last not but certainly not least, there was Stacy and Krista...our first customers and our clothes hanger uppers! I am telling you it was a team effort!!! And truthfully, Kelli and I were so fried, we even forgot to go get cash and change until like 8p.m....HELLO! Who forgets that? It is a garage sale for cryin! I would like to give a shout out to the sweet customer service peeps at my neighborhood Wal-Mart...you made the change happen, and you did it without making a sound about the 2 tards that forgot such a big part of the day ahead...we will not forget you!

So we went from piles of clothes in my living room floor, to a nicely rigged pole/rope combo hanging in the garage, compliments of my dad...well sort of, if you ask him he says we were like aggies trying to manuever his idea, but you know what...Judy and I got it done thank you very much!! Tables crammed packed with trash, ahem, I mean treasures for our shoppers. Boxes and boxes for digging and multiple large ticket items strewn about. And all this in just a few short hours and hours of work!

5 a.m came so early Saturday morning, but up we jumped, well crawled and went about the business of getting it all ready and down the drive for the day to begin...Now let me explain something to those new to garage sales...you place an ad saying it begins at 7a.m and people show at 6a.m. rarin' to go. I was not a believer until 6 o'clock on the dot, our first customer rolled in....all for 2 pairs of jeans! It was amazing! People bought so many random and crazy things, but they did shop now! Shelley managed the money and then Judy came and enjoyed the day with us as well. Dawn came by to harrass us a little, make fun of our pig tails and then laughed with us as we all basked in the bitter cold temps! Yes, we were all in layers and had two space heaters...it was FREEZING! I think the highlight of the day was Chiva coming and shopping and then selling our stuff with her charm! Thanks girl! HeHe!

All in all it was an amazing day. I am exhausted but so blessed! We made $250 a piece for out trip! Thank you Lord! People donated cash and some even said they would pray for us!

So there is the breakdown of the Garage Sale '08...who am I kidding, it is the ONLY garage sale I will speak of:) Thanks to all those that donated, served, laughed, and fellowshipped with us! We are so glad to get to share this experience with you! Africa is happening because of the wonderful people we have in our lives that want to make it happen too! We serve a mighty God and He makes even the garage sales fun!:) Some kids will be blessed this summer all because of our weekend garage sale of fun! Love ya'll!