A Not So Wordless Wednesday....

OK, I was planning to share a little of this on my blog closer to my next birthday in August. But tonight HAS to be the night...

Some of you who know me in real life---and especially those of you who know my Father-in-law know about my "WONDERFUL" coupon! Others don't.

A little background:

About 6 years ago, I had a shift in job responsibilities at school that included test coordination and more work with student data. My FIL retired from our school district as the head of Research and Assessment. In addition to this job, he worked at the collegiate level teaching Research and Statistics.

This new job description was NO WHERE near my area of expertise! In fact, I pretty much used to run from numbers.

On my birthday that year, my sweet Mother-in-law gave me a card that included the coupon (shown above). The only thing that I didn't know until later was that my FIL did not know it until after it was sent.

Notice that the coupon has no expiration date. It also says "infinite". I may not be a numbers girl, but I KNOW the meaning of those two things.

Here we are six years later and I HAVE, in fact, used my coupon for many, many "consultations" in both work and home. Everytime my FIL asks for the "coupon back"...I tell him, "OK when Mom says." (She hasn't "said" yet--thank goodness.)

This coupon has "covered" many things over the years from babysitting, venting, handywork, data consulting, transportation for kids, among other things.

Tonight, we took the coupon to a whole new level. DS 4 found a tree frog the other day and decided that he needed to make it a "habitat". DH said he was totally serious about this frog. He took it over to Grandma and Grandpa's since he stayed there while DH and I were out of town this week.

Tonight I picked DS and the frog up to come home. Immediately upon entering our house, DS took the frog into the bathroom to replace the water. He lifted the basket off the "habitat" and the frog made a leap up the bathroom mirror. I heard DS scream and holler for help.

I need to interject here...I HATE FROGS!!! I am deathly afraid of them and will go to great lengths to go no where near one...especially this kind with the suction cup toes. As you can imagine, I was NO HELP at all although I did bring DS a broom and a big bowl to try and trap his little "friend". This effort, though, was to no avail.

Yes, I am a wimp. I know it. All the older boys are gone for the week. DH is down at church. I am thinking that sitting sentry in our bathroom tonight until his Dad gets home to catch it is probably not what DS 4 wants to do.

SO....I called in that coupon ONE MORE TIME!!! I called my FIL and admitted that I am, in fact, a wimp and told him the frog was loose in the house. He came right over (about a ten minute trip) and contained it for us. He told me what a "good frog" it is and how it just sits right on his arm. (OK, that almost made ME turn green!)

I know that I should have been able to contain this little "critter". I have critter issues and this man, who gives without ceasing, didn't mind giving one more time. I know that coupon or not, he would have done it. I am thankful for that.

But, it IS nice to know that the coupon is tucked away for "safe keeping" just in case. If I haven't stated it clearly before, I'll say it now: Thanks, Mom, for the coupon!!! And thanks to both of you for being you!!