thoughts on having enough

All the leaves have fallen and there is snow on the ground.
Thanksgiving is only a few days away. 
And there are Christmas trees being stacked up in the parking lot.

I started my gift list yesterday.
It is hard to make a list of gift ideas for everyone we love.  

Finding them something they will like.
Well, not just like, really love.
The gift that they will wonder how they ever got by without it before.

That perfect gift, on super sale
 and found at the little store around the corner or with free overnight delivery.

I know I have big dreams and grand illusions for my gift giving.

While out there hunting - I am getting bombarded.
Shopping for others is making my want list grow and grow.

I really don't want to want anything.
Does anybody really?

Coupons and deals are trying to trick me into buying more...
can't let that super cash go to waste.
Genius custom ads are popping up...
 and I am clicking over - making them smarter.
E-mails giving me the heads-up on the greatest sale on boots...
but I don't need that sale or the boots.
Pretty blogs with huge lists of links to the cutest things...
that I didn't know I needed (or existed) until they told me..

So I am making an effort.

Getting rid of all those sale emails
Unsubscribing from the deals.
Skipping blogs that have all the must-have lists and links
Deleting the apps for all the deals-of-the-day.

Shopping with intention for only those people on my list.
Focusing on the people I want to make happy.
Finding a gift that shows my love... perfect or not.

Doing my best to ignore the voice that is saying I might miss out on something...
and all of the voices in the world telling me that I most definitely am.

 the newest must-have
 the greatest outfit in stores
the most amazing deal in history
the largest sale ever
the lowest price on record
best and brightest thingamabob that will certainly change my life for the better.

It is all a trick.
Get it on sale now or pay more later.
That things make us happy, and more of them make us even happier.
That we aren't good enough.

It is exhausting.
And both my children rarely ever sleep through the night.

Because I am really, truly not missing out on anything...
except for maybe the all the really good things that can't be put on sale.

I have more than I need.
 And as Goodwill donations center will tell you...
 even more than I want.

And it is really about time that I stop letting other people tell me different.

Whirlpool - Broken Washer

After living in our apartment for six months with a newborn/infant Eva-monster...

an apartment that did not have it's own washer and dryer...

where I had to go down to the basement to the coin operated laundry...

It was interesting.

Wearing Eva and carrying laundry down the crooked stairs...

or waiting until she was asleep, locking the apartment and running to the basement with the baby monitor.

When we moved, the first thing I did was set up the delivery of our new washer and dryer.

I hugged them when they arrived.

They made me smile... I loved them.

Then, last week, the washer started sounding like an airplane.

A huge 747 taking off in our basement would have been quieter.

So we called the repair man.

He came this morning.

By the faces he was making I knew it was bad.

Then he asked how long ago I bought the washer... 

if I knew when the warranty expired.

Oh-no.

He was getting ready to break the bad news, when he stopped and said he was going to call Whirlpool.

He chatted on the phone a few minutes and then started smiling.

Whirlpool was covering the parts... even though the warranty expired.

Parts that would have cost way more than the washer was brand new.

He was shocked and so was I.

While I am super relieved and glad it is getting fixed...

A two year-old washer shouldn't break.

I remember my mom hoping, wishing her old avocado-green washer would die.

A hand-me-down from her mom...

just so she could get a shiny new one that had automatic fabric softener dispenser.

I am going to do some posting today.

The same message boards I searched to see what was causing the airplane-like noises...

I am going to be posting about the free parts.

I guess it never hurts to call the company - thanks Repair Guy Randy.