Challenges

It's been one of those weeks. I tried to quickly make a copy of a permission form just before leaving for school, and ended up with a major paper jam. The printer sucked in about 50 sheets of paper. I gave up on the copy and ran out the door. Well, I ran back in for something, nearly collided with a daughter, grabbed what I needed, and knocked a berry wreath off the door. Berries and sparkles everywhere! I tripped over the wreath, and my slip on shoe nearly slipped off, but I caught myself on the door frame, so I avoided breaking all my bones! 

Did I mention that I awakened to a flash of light? Oh yes. Serena tried to tighten a loose bulb in her ceiling fan. It broke in the socket, and shorted out the circuit in her room, and apparently the bathroom where I was trying to put in my contacts! On the way to school, I remembered that there was still a CD stuck in the player and all the dashboard lights are still on. 

All of them. As a friend put it, that's just a mean "Elf on the shelf" prank! Should probably get that fixed. Along with all the other broken things around here, like the burner on the stove that won't shut off, and the faucet that makes a waterfall, which soaks your socks. 

So when I came home and circled that indignant paper-sucking printer, my phone rang. It was my dearest friend, whom I speak to weekly. "My  tire is flat and I can't get the lug nuts off. My daughter's filling is zinging and the dentist isn't helping us, and we broke a light bulb in the socket and can't get it out." I smiled, and one by one... 

I helped her sort it out. Then I told her about an issue I had and she helped me with that. Then we laughed. And all the crazy just went away. Thank God for distractions in life. But thank God more for the friends who get us through the hair-pulling times. 

Are you wondering how I got all that paper out? Well, I started pulling and it was stuck. Really stuck. So I ripped each sheet out one at a time. Paper was flying everywhere, and I began to laugh at myself. I finally gathered up the huge pile of paper and disposed of it. I pointed it out to Serena, who couldn't believe the mess I made. So I took her in the office, where I noticed there were bits of paper still all over the floor. I said, believe it. Just follow the paper trail! 

Proud of what I had finally accomplished, I plugged it back in and turned it on. And it said the most indignant thing to me. 

"Clear paper jam". I can't see any paper in there. This could be a challenge. 

Here we go again. ;)