Wacky Wednesday

Today I am going to entertain you with a story about how I met a certain "Goonie" buddy. . .

Rewind . . . let me think how far . . . about 6 years ago for me and about 3 kids ago for her . . . lol.

I was Managing the local aquatic park (PGAP), and this beautiful red-headed pregnant woman was having trouble with her young son because he was upset that they were leaving. I stepped in and knelt down in front of him saying "Did you have fun today?" He nodded yes as he wiped his nose. I replied "I can't let you come back if you throw a fit for your mom when you leave ... it is a rule here, you have to be nice to your mom if you want to come back." He looked at me wide eyed, and I smiled at him saying "We would love to have you back soon, so put a smile on!". I looked up at his mom (not sure how she was taking this) only to have her smile down at me over her belly and mouth the words "thank you" to me. . .

Now, fast forward about 4 hours . . .I had been at the pool all day and I was exhausted. Dealing with teenagers for employees as well as patrons is enough to suck the life out of anyone! (p.s. I loved my job and the kids that worked for me.) There was a man that was swimming laps, so a lifeguard and I had to stay until he was done. . . As he finished up and walked out the gate, I locked it behind us and then I noticed that there was a little boy sitting outside the gate on the steps. I asked him if he was waiting for a ride and he said "yes". The man said that he would wait for him, but I wasn't really comfortable with that so I said "Let's go back in and call your parents." I asked the lifeguard to stay with me (the man didn't leave and was starting to make me nervous. . .) I walked to the gate, unlocked it and the man kept chatting with me. I don't even remember what he was saying, I was nervous and couldn't get the key in the door to the office. . . I remember him saying "Are you sure that you work here?" We called the kids parents and they arrived very shortly to pick him up. The man and I were walking to our cars (the lifeguard had left after the child got picked up) and we started talking about who knows what . . .I was still doing the nervous chatter and mentioned that I was the coordinator for the local MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) group and did he have a wife and kids? LOL I was searching for ANY reason not to panic . . .He replied that he did and that he thought I might have helped her that afternoon with a little red headed boy. . .I was relieved at that point . . .I knew if that was his family that I had nothing to worry about! I ended up giving him my phone number and email address so that she could contact me, and she did!!!

Just a few funnies about her/the family/us:

• She joined the MOPS group and we became pretty great friends.
• I found out her husband actually worked for the government in one of those "I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you" jobs . . .(so my uneasiness wasn't uncalled for! LOL)
• We found out we both loved the movie "The Goonies" and could quote all of it . . .we have only watched it together once, but we will consider each other a "Goonie buddy" for life!
• I was able to be with them through the birth of one beautiful child, as well as the loss of another beautiful child.
• She has ministered to me in several ways, she is such a servant and wonderful mother . . .

Anyway, I am seriously thinking I need to call her up and make a date for me, her, "The Goonies" and 2 Route 44 Vanilla Dr. Peppers!! ;-)