These Hands

All of my life, I have watched my momma work like a dog. She is getting close to 70, and still mows her 3 acres all by herself. When I was a kid, my brother and I would watch her work on our car if it was busted, tend to the animals, fix the things that were broken around the house, bust her hump in my grandparents garden and still manage to get dressed and ready for church/work on time. I have never heard my momma say that she cannot do something. Now that I think about it, it must be a Lockhart woman gene because my granny and my aunts are the very same way. If there is work to be done, they make it happen.

This morning, I took Sam to the bus stop around 6:20am and I noticed that the car seemed funny. Then I took Ella to her bus stop at 7:15am and something still didn't seem right. Jena and Miles normally walk to school with our neighbors, but since it was raining, I decided I would drive them all this morning. We loaded into the car, and something was still not right. So I had Jena get out and check for me, and sure enough, I had a flat front tire. Now I know that you are wondering how in the world I didn't notice it before. It was dark. And raining. And I was in a big fat rush. So I called our super duper good friend Ruth and she came and drove the younger kids so I could figure out what to do.

I found the air pump and decided that I would try to put air in the tire and take it to get it fixed. Well, naturally, when I tried to attached the compressor hose, the stem fell off. (geez.)

So I got out the big jack and pumped up the car. I started to take off the lug nuts when I remembered that you have to untighten them when the car isn't jacked up. So I had to let the car back down. (grrr...)

While I am working on the car, Wyatt is busy in the garage getting all of the tools out of the toolbox for me. It was about time for him to go to school, so I called our good friend Angee (Happy Birthday Angee) and asked her if Wyatt could ride with her. I am so thankful that she was able to come and take him for me. (whew)

After about 45 minutes, some tears and a small fit, I was finally able to get all of the lug nuts loose and the car jacked back up. Thank God Ruth and Angee were here to lift me up and cheer me through it. And that they don't judge me for acting so darn childish. (are tear streaks through grease on the face sexy?)

I was having a very difficult time getting the spare tire on. It seems that our jack doesn't go high enough. I called my Jeff who is working in Colorado this week, and he was pretty worried. I think he wanted me to stop messing with it. Luckily, after being married 19 years and 8 mos., he knows better than to tell me to stop doing something once I've got my mind set on it. (i think he is pretty darn hot.)

After trying and trying and not knowing how in the world I was going to get that darn tire on, I called Franklin. He is like a brother to me. And he is smart about these kinds of things. He told me to put the old tire back on. Let the jack down. And get some wood to put under the jack. (so thankful for my brutha from another mutha.)

So I did. And sure enough, I was able to get the old tire off, and the spare tire on. (woo hoo)

Waa laa! The new tire is on. It only took me about 2 hours. No blood. Some tears. And lots and lots of grunting. (wow)

Then I had to air the spare up because I let all of the air out of it when I was trying to figure out how to get it on because the jack wasn't high enough. (silly me.)

I can't wait to call my momma and tell her what I did. She is going to be so proud of me. (i love her)

And I am really really proud of my very dirty hands. Maybe I'll keep the grease under my fingernails for the weekend so that I'll have a little reminder that I can accomplish anything. ANYTHING. (feeling strong)

And I am just posting this picture for Jeff. See, I was even being safe and I put blocks in front of the other tires to keep the car from rolling off the driveway. (YAYE ME!!)


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Oh, and how 'bout that I finally figured out how to work the timer on the camera too!! YIPPEE!!