Garage sale day tends to be one of my favorite days of the year. I always look forward to it! I love the social aspect. I love the thrift shopping. I love spending the day walking around town. I love the fresh air, the chats, and the treasures we find. I really really love garage sale day!
I want to be honest, though. Garage sale day has become a bit of a sore spot for me in some ways. I still LOVE it, and I anticipate it so much leading up to the day. But its become more challenging as time has gone on. Our kids haven’t always enjoyed it. Brady really didn’t care for it for a while. It became like pulling teeth, where we would get a block or two in, and everyone would melt down and we’d haul them home. If I was motivated enough, I would take the van out so mosey the sales on my own, but it wasn’t the same. I don’t know. Garage sale day got more difficult.
Brady works HARD for garage sale day to be good for me. The kids are informed and clearly pep talked leading into the day, so they are on their best behaviour. He really really tries for me, and his efforts show. I am incredibly grateful for how much he puts in to help me have a great day!
We got about halfway across town and moseyed back home, hitting some sales. It didn’t feel like there was as much out this year. I think this weekend snuck up on a lot of people, ourselves included. Plus the weather was more chilly and overcast, rather than the sunny weather I always hope. I used to count on garage sale day for a sunburn, lol! But it was a little chilly and not especially busy. We did hit up the donuts, which has become a tradition for many of us here in town! Always a highlight.
I promise we love Dekker, too! He just got his donut first and demolished it in seconds 😂
As we walked home, Brady and I quietly made the plan that we would get some lunchy stuff together that the kids could eat in the van, and we would go drive the rest of the streets to see the sales. So we super clearly told the kids to head into the house for bathroom breaks, but then to wait a couple of minutes for the next thing because we had more plans.
It was at that point where a kid or two suddenly showed up in pajamas, and kind of dismissed the plan altogether. I can’t explain it, but I was SO frustrated. The kids had already been whining first thing in the morning, wanting an at-home jammie day rather than a day out and about. And then our directions had been ignored. I was pretty over it at that point, but pushed forward to continue with the plan. Aforementioned kid went and changed back into clothing, and we loaded up snacks and headed to the van.
The second half wasn’t especially productive, but it was a nice drive. The kids ate happily and listened to music, and everyone was peaceful.
Unfortunately, the last stretch of driving revealed some sadness. A door we have been keeping our eyes on had been closed. Nothing was ever in stone or even close to it, but the hope was ours, and now its over. So that was a tough gut punch right at the end of an already kind of disappointing day.
I sound really ungrateful, this I know. The day was a stretch, but everyone tried. The last bit of hard news was just really hard to swallow and I’ll admit, I feel pretty knocked down. Thank goodness I have faith in Christ, or there would be a whole other level of hopelessness. Instead, I just feel sad. Not defeated.
This low will not last forever. This is temporary.
Tomorrow will be SO much better 💜 Mother’s Day will be a great day!