It Never Hurts to Ask...

I've always been afraid to ask things of people.

Fear of rejection is one of my BIG faults.

It holds me back in so many ways, I can't even begin to describe. 

When I was a kid, I'd ask my dad to go to sleepovers and I'd cry before

he even had the chance to answer me.

I used to beg my aunts to ask my parents questions for me. 

I hate that I've carried that fear through my childhood into my present.

I hate calling companies to ask questions. I always make Jaclyne do that for me.

I'd tell her to order sauces for me from waiters at the restaurant.

I hate that I'm this way. I feel childish!

And so this week, I unknowingly challenged myself.

It's rare that I have cash on me. I always use my card. One late night at Ralph's

I hastily shoved a fifty dollar bill in my jean pocket with my cell phone and went in to make my market. 

I got a few phone calls while I shopped.

When I came to check out, I searched frantically through my pockets. There was no $50 bill to be found.

My heart sank.

It must have fallen out when I took one of those phone calls earlier

I muttered something to the cashier and began retracing my steps. 

I felt desperate. I felt so bad for Eric that I  had been so

careless with our hard-earned money.

Defeated. I was leaving when I mustered up some courage and

thought, "What the hell do I have to lose?"

I asked the manager, "I know this is a long shot, but I was wondering

if anyone had turned in any money they found on the floor...?"

He looked at me and said, "How much?" with a smile.

My heart soared. There really are some good people out there in the world.

Yeah, it's peppered with those bad seeds too but that night, I literally sobbed

with happiness when he handed me my $50 back. They made an announcement for

me over the loudspeaker thanking the man who turned it in and thought I was

very strange to be crying like I was but they just smiled at me anyway.

If I didn't have to buy food and diapers for my kids, I would totally

have given the guy who turned in my money the fifty dollars.

It happened again at Joann's. I had 5 coupons on me. My total was $50.

I told myself that it wouldn't hurt to ask and asked if I could use another coupon.

She said, "Sure, how many do you have?" I told her 5 and she took them ALL.

I ended up paying only 22 dollars!

I am liking this new found courage I have acquired.
Definitely something to strive for...
__________________________

This morning, I was a morning person.
The kids slept over Jackie's house, yes, ALL 3 of them!
And so Mama got a full nights rest.

I woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 7:30 and didn't know what to do with myself!
So I dressed up, grabbed a book and made my way over to
Starbucks to read in the sunshine with a nice cup of coffee...

(Don't you love how they spelled my name all wrong?)

Why? Because that's what I always envision morning people do.
I must admit, it was nice.

It's going to be a great week... I can feel it.