Have you seen my 5000 lek?

I had a less than ideal day. 

Things that made it not so fun:
1. I had a headache - twice
2. I thought I had finished a project when I realized it was all crooked and had to be picked out.
3. This is the 11th day without my husband
4. I lost 5000 lek (about $50)

Things that made it not so bad:
1. Advil
2. Some kind missionaries
3. Sweet text messages of support from my absent husband
4. fabric
5. flowers
6. my cute kids
7. my kind mother-in-law

As I mentioned I woke up with a headache.  Fortunately, B.D. had already made pancakes again.  Bumbles was in a good mood and took a wonderful nap.  While Bumbles was napping I tried my hardest to finish making bags for my primary counselors. (Primary is the name of the Children's Program in the LDS church)  I wanted to make them bags to carry their manuals/programs and lessons supplies like scissors, colored paper, and markers.  I finished one!  The second was almost done when Bumbles woke up.  B.D. and Sweets took turns bouncing him while I tried to finish.  When Sweets and B.D. and Bumbles were all exhausted I took my finished product to the ironing board only to find that somehow I had sewn the handles completely crooked.

We had no time or patience to fix it.  We headed to the church to update the bulletin board.  I was struggling to write on the bulletin board while holding Bumbles.  Finally, some wonderful missionaries stopped by and offered to help.  They got really excited about it.  I was glad to be in a director role.

For some reason while we were at the church I reached in my pocket and looked to see what was in there.  I realized it was my 5000 lek bill.  I tucked it back in my pocket and that is the last I saw of it.  We rushed off to make our hair appointment.  Sweets got a trim and some braids, Super Jack got his first real haircut (not by me) and B.D. got spikes.  I was suppose to get my hair done too, but Bumbles was too fussy so we decided to wait.

We left and decided to get something to eat.  There was a little sandwich shop.  We ordered 4 sandwiches.  While they were warming them I looked for my money and it wasn't there.  I was embarrassed that I couldn't pay.  We ran to the car to look.  It wasn't there.  Whenever stuff like this happens B.D. goes into rescue mode and works really hard to help me.  We decided I might have left it at home.  We went home - not there.  We went back to the church.  It was locked and my key didn't work.  Maybe on a regular day it wouldn't be such a big deal, but I'm a little worn out from my husband being gone.  This was the last straw.  I tried to cover my face with Bumbles while I bawled on my way back to the car.

I cried a little more in the car.  Then I decided to be a good example of faith and pull myself together.  The kids had prayed that we would find it.  I told them I was sure that God would help us and if he didn't maybe someone who had been praying for money had found it.  We decided we would be willing to be an answer to someone's prayers.

We went back to the sandwich shop and bought our sandwiches.  Then we went to what Super Jack calls "Bumper Cars".  It is like a little amusement park.  They have several of them in Tirana.  I told the kids they could pick one ride.  They decided to jump on the trampolines.  When they were done, B.D. asked if we could go on one more ride.   He suggested that we all ride the carousel together.  I liked that idea.

Notice the hairdos and that they are eating their "dinner"

Bumbles first Carousel ride - he loved it!

On the way home we bought some Mimoza (an Albanian flower) from some boys on the street.  I put the kids to bed and fixed the primary bag.  I've decided that sugary treats can be like fabric or flowers - beautiful to look at and even smell, but not edible.

Don't they look delicious?

To sum up:  I have not had sugar for a week.  I must say I miss my husband way more than I miss sugar!