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I Tried To Help.

A few weeks ago, Husby was outside mowing the lawn and remembered that we needed to get the oil changed before the place closed at 5. He looked at his watch and wouldn't you know, it was 4:30. He ran inside and asked if I would go get the oil changed while he finished up outside and I just kind of stood there staring at him like he was a three-eyed monster.

"Errr ... what do you mean? I don't know how to change the oil."

"All you have to do is drive to the place and they will do the rest."

"But ... I don't know how."

"What do you mean you don't know how? Do you know how to drive? Just drive there and they will do the rest, I promise."

"But ... I've never done it before."

"It's not hard, Whitney."

"I don't know where it is."

"It's at so-&-so and yada, you can't miss it."

"But ... I don't know what to do."

"WHITNEY. All you do is drive there and they do the rest."

"I don't know what to tell them or where to park. I like it better when you're with me."

"I'm mowing."

"Can we go tomorrow?"

"Forget it, I'll go!" .... as he jumps in the car and speeds to the oil shop.

I stood there for a minute trying to process what had just happened. If I remember correctly, Husby kept telling me I would be a blessing if I would go to the car shop. A blessing? Since when does he talk like that? Never in my life have I heard him call me a blessing for doing something out of the ordinary. Who was this guy and why was he saying blessing and making me change oil? My head was spinnin'.

I have a bad record with car shops and Husby knows this. Just a few years ago, I brought the car in for a quick fix on something and left with a laundry list of other things they told me "needed" to be done and I approved. Husby had to call and bail me out of that one. I think they took advantage of me because they seemed to be super smiley when I told them to do whatever needed to be done. Ever since then I have a car shop phobia and nearly break out in hives just thinking about entering one.

Husby may have thought that I was going in for a quick oil change, but don't kid yourself, I would have walked out of there with a bill to rival the National Debt. I'm nearly certain I have the word "sucker" tattooed somewhere on my forehead.

Since Husby made a mad dash to the car shop, I decided I would be a good little helper and finish mowing the lawn. It was the least I could do since I wasn't a "blessing" by bookin' it to the oil station. I would be a blessing by mowing. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Being a blessing for one thing cancels out not being a blessing for another ... right? Well, in my mind it does. Regardless, I was on a mission to BLESS.

I put Levi on the trampoline and told him to bounce while Mommy mowed. He stood there with a blank look on his face and said, "Mommy is going to mow?" HA! That should have been my first clue.

I marched on over to the side of the house and stood face to face with the beast. The Push Lawn Mower. First of all, whoever invented the push mower clearly wasn't thinking. The riding mower? Now that is just genius! I feel like the push mower should become extinct ... kind of like the horse and buggy when the automobile hit town. It only makes sense.

But, since we have the prehistoric push mower, then push I would do.

I stood there for a minute trying to figure out what to do, when I spotted the pull cord. "Oh, it's like some of Levi's toys", I thought to myself as I yanked it as hard as physically possible.

Nothing happened.

I er. I er. This was hard.

I yanked again.

Nothing.

I circled the mower, looking for a magic button.

There wasn't one.

I yanked again.

Nada.

I sighed.

I mumbled something about it being a thousand degrees.

I mustered up all the strength in my being and yanked with all my might.

Silence.

"THAT'S IT! Levi, come on! We're going inside!"

I swung myself around in a huff and wouldn't you know, the neighbors across the street were in their yard. Staring. And smiling. I was completely mortified, so I kind of kicked the lawn mower a bit as if to say, "you BROKEN piece of junk", smiled and waved and scurried back into the house.

Husby walked in a little later and I blurted out, "I tried to be a blessing and mow the yard, but your mower is broken!"

He gave me his little sideways grin and gently said, "did you hold down on the lever while you pulled?"

"Errr ... what lever?"

He laughed, quickly finished up the yard and I learned a valuable lesson that day ...

Having a husband who takes care of the "hard stuff" ... it's a BLESSING!

PS. Husby has not used the word "blessing" since this little incident. I am on to him. I think he thought if he whipped out the big guns that it would make me weak in the knees and hop to it. Clearly, it just left me dazed and confused.
I am a modern day homemaker with a passion for family, cooking, celebrating, decorating, travel, and memory making! The Lord has blessed me with the desires of my heart in my husband and our two sons. We recently built our dream home and cultivating a loving and happy haven for my family is where I find so much joy.

Comments

  1. Girlfriend, that's not even a push mower. Ours doesn't even have an engine! How's that for prehistoric?

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  2. That is funny Whitney! I thought you were a little crazy when you wouldn't go to the oil changing place but then the more I thought about it you are SO RIGHT they would of totally told you that you needed every new air filter in the book & a new battery, things flushed, it could of got REALLY ugly and super EXPENSIVE! What you did was really more of a blessing in disguise! If you ever buckle and decide to take the car in for an oil change just say NO to everything and ask them to make a list of everything they think it needs and take that to your husband. "Just the oil today, thank you."

    Oh and I have absolutely no clue how to start a lawn mower, you are braver then me, I don't think I would of even circled the beast :)

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  3. I love this post!! I laughed so much envisioning this scenario. I would know my boyfriend was up to no good if started using words like "blessing"! Haha!

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  4. I think if you tried Auto Oasis you might like it. It is an oil change place around 101st and Memorial or so that caters towards women. They have a little shopping and coffee shop area inside. I always get the coupon out of the yellow pages so I get the oil changed, car washed, and vacummed out for 32 dollars. I also got so precious home decor there too. :) I love it.

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  5. Oh, so that's just like my mower!!
    This story is soooo funny!!!

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  6. When I had been married only a week I had asked my husband to clean the bathroom while I did the rest of the house. He just stared at me. Then I handed him the stuff and he just stared at it. Then I told him what he needed to do, and he just stared at me with a blank face. So then I just took all the stuff from him and did it myself.

    He knew exactly what he was doing...because he hasn't cleaned a dang this since!

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  7. Ha! That's funny! And I don't do car shops (or mowing) either.

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  8. That is hilarious! I wouldn't have known how to use the mower either... :)

    http://modernchristianbride.blogspot.com

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  9. My husband and I are the *same* way. I haven't been to a mechanic in about 10 years, I don't mow, I don't even do the gardening...he does! you are so right about *some* mechanics taking advantage of a woman bringing her car in by herself & sending my husband is just so much more cost-effective!

    you're so sweet for even trying to pull the mower cord -- I don't think I'd ever even try. Oh and the weed wacker??! Forget about it!

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  10. Ha! I hate getting my oil changed too! Even if it's just one of those small shops. I never know if I'm supposed to park somewhere, or just drive right into the garage since the doors are open, or just roll down my window and make them come to me...It give me total anxiety!

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  11. Haha. Yeah I wouldn't know how to start a mower either. Fortunately we live in a townhouse right now :)

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  12. Girl! You need to be able to get an oil change hahahaha... I had to learn how to actually put oil INTO my engine once and I'll never look back!

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  13. hahaha I love it Whitney!

    I'm so hardheaded, I always offer to help and when J acts like it would be too much for me, I would rather kill myself trying to prove him wrong and that I AM tough than just nod and say yeah you're right haha =)

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  14. I can relate. I'm not even allowed to touch the lawnmower anymore! I like to think that I'm being a blessing by leaving it alone! haha

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  15. Okay, the lawnmower I totally get (they can be tricky to start, even when you're holding down the right buttons or whatever) but come on, girl, an oil change? Whitney!! ;) But, I actually do understand where you're coming from, since so many places do, sadly, take advantage of nice smiley young women. Does Husby have a place he goes to regularly? We found a place here that we love, and it helps to go to the same people over and over again, when you know they won't cheat you. :) I've had to drag the kids in with me and having a place you feel comfortable is priceless, for sure. Just like having a place you DON'T feel comfortable is just plain scary! I hope you find a good place soon so you don't have to kick the mower again!! (That made me laugh.)

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  16. It's not just you who gets suckered in to additional car repairs. It's actually all women. There has been at least 1 study that actually shows that car places, will 1)charge more to a female than a male for the same service and 2)tack on more "necessary" repairs to women than men. So it's actually better for a guy to handle all car related repairs and things.

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  17. You are funny! This would totally happen at our house, too!

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  18. I'm quite sure those places prey on women like us who don't know one metal hoodad from another. Case in point - took my car to the dealership today to get an airbag recall situation fixed (you know, for FREE) and walked out with a laundry list of 8 things they said needed to be done, totaling more than $2,000. I waited until I drove away to cry. My husband definitely needs to handle those things from now on.

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  19. Mowing the lawn is such good exercise! I love the smell of freshly cut grass.

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  20. Too funny. I always tease my husband the outside and car are his chores and inside is mine until I need him! I don't feel comfortable at maintenance places. But I love how he threw blessed in there! And you are not the only one who can not start a mower I have never been able to and I am frankly ok with it LOL

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  21. This cracks me up! I actually know how to take the car to get the oil changed, but typically put up a fight because it's one of my least favorite things to do. But I definitely don't know anything about mowing the yard! We have a push mower too and I have no idea how to start it or use it... or do anything with it! I can relate so much to this post! Glad I'm not alone!! =)
    selphpartyof3.blogspot.com

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  22. Cracks me up. I love when you make posts like this- hilarious!!

    Last summer Ryan was out of town and I decided I would "bless" him by mowing the lawn as well. Once I finally got the lawn mower started, it died almost immediately. I grabbed the next door neighbor and asked him if he knew anything about it. He never mows his lawn, but he did realize it was out of gas. I searched for the gas tank in the garage and finally found it, but the mower still wouldn't work. When Ryan came home, I realized I had filled it with oil and gas for the weed eater! Not only had I not mowed the lawn, he had to figure out how he could now drain the lawn mower! What a blessing I was!!

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  23. You had me laughing out loud at this one. I'm terrified of taking my car anywhere to get anything done. I have the same thoughts.. where do I park it? What do I do?
    And the mower? I would've been just as lost.

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  24. I always get suckered into getting extra things at the car shop. An oil change is only supposed to cost me $30 and I come home having paid $300 because they make me feel like my car will fall apart if I don't purchase everything they suggest! Glad I'm not the only one they do this to!

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  25. I can totally relate! I will take the car to get the oil changed or for other maintenance/repairs, but ONLY when I can get the hubby over the cell phone to approve all additional items. I've definitely handed my cell phone over to sales reps/mechanics to duke it out verbally with my guy. And if it makes you feel better, I've never mowed a lawn in my life! I guess my dad spoiled me!

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  26. Haha. I hate going to get my car fixed because I am totally that super sucker girl who doesn't know anything and goes along with everything. Honestly, the best way to get the oil changed is find someone who knows how to do it for free. It's sooo expensive even to take it to the Jiffy Lube. And the push mower, yeah, I wouldn't even try... I've never even heard of pulling a lever. Must be one of those new-fangled things!

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  27. Question - What types of MAC makeup do you use? Do you use brow makeup? I'm a redhead too and have pale skin/blonde eyebrows.

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  28. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! This post is hilarious!!!!!! I hate lawn mowers AND car places! =) You're absolutely right, it's a huge blessing to have a guy who does those things...

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  29. I was cracking up through this whole thing!! I am totally the same way when it comes to doing either of those things!

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