The Art of Patience

For a couple of years now our little daughter, Yvonne, has been telling and retelling her stories about surviving Hurricane Katrina. She was not quite two years old when it happened... and we aren't entirely sure how much she remembers versus how much she came to remember after living through these years of recovery and hearing the stories that we have told. Aside from the usual morning routine of recounting the previous night's dreams of flooded toys -- the only thing she has been really consistent about is telling folks about the 'big bed' that she used to have that 'got flooded.' She never had such a bed - as she was still in a crib when the storm hit... And from that crib she transitioned to her tiny toddler bed. She lost that crib and all of her toys -- but there was no 'big bed'. However, in her mind... there was. And in her mind - it was apparently a huge loss for her.

Obviously at nearly five years old - she's been more than ready for a 'big bed' for quite some time, but Dave and I waited a little longer hoping to run across something particularly special -- and hopefully in time for Emily to move to a 'big bed' too.

With a shortage of local stores, shopping being much less than pleasant with five kids in tow in blistering heat, and - well - I don't even have to mention the gas prices... We turned to the internet in search of a bedroom set for our two little girls.



The entire order was placed and paid for online. Delivery and setup was also scheduled at the time we placed our online order. Forty-eight hours before the truck was due to arrive we received an automated phone call reminding us to be sure someone would be home during our delivery window. We never once spoke to a live human being. I was skeptical. Very. Very. Skeptical.

However, I am now Very. Very. Pleased. The truck arrived on time with all of the items we ordered in perfect condition. The delivery guys were super-pleasant and amazingly careful with both the furniture and our walls and floors. They didn't even grimace when we told them that only the relatively light beds and nightstand would be going in the downstairs bedroom while all of the heavier items had to go up the 19 stairs and all the way to the far end of the house (to the girls' future upstairs bedroom, of course). The entire thing went off without a single hitch and we are quite happy. And the furniture is exquisite - even better than we expected from the online photos and descriptions.

But the girls are even more thrilled. One of the best moments of the last several years happened this afternoon when a very, very excited Yvonne greeted her Nana at the back door and excitedly asked her to come see her bed.... And that could only be matched by the mental picture I'll always keep of tiny little Emily trying to arrange the sheets on her new bed and carefully arranging her stuffed animals and pillows.

We were once again stymied by the lack of shopping in Pascagoula when we ran out later in the afternoon to pick up some twin-sized bedding for the new furniture and could not find a single thing in the only two stores we had to shop in. But with the art of patience and the help of the internet -- that'll all work out fine too.