Just Call Me Oscar

So, guess what I did today?!? You'll never guess....it's SO not a Sonya thing to do! So, I woke up this morning (with my mind, stayed on freedom....oh, sorry, wrong song) and decided to write boog an email...so I did. Then, I took a leisurely time getting myself ready. There's really no reason to rush things in the summer. As I was doing my hair, I had this random thought (what else is new, right?). "Hmmm, I wonder where I put that health care reimbursement check? The one I got from the school the day we got home from vacation....the one for $270 that will cover my medical expenses for the next year....?" So, I did a mild freak out in my head, all the while assuring myself that it was on the kitchen table by my paycheck, right where I had left it. Well, I finished my hair and decided to double-check, just to make sure it was there. It wasn't. I then proceeded to have a real freak-out!! I had no memory of moving it or touching it, other than to open it and put it with the rest of my bills/money stuff on the table. Everything else was there, but that check wasn't!!! So, in the midst of freaking out, I prayed that God would help me find it. And I emailed all of you asking the same. I didn't panic as much as I thought I would because in the back of my mind, I figured I could call the school and ask them to stop payment and issue me another one. But I didn't want to do that if I didn't have to. I searched the house for awhile, but it felt pointless because it's SO small that I didn't know where to look! Really, there arent' many places it could have gone! I was sitting at my desk wondering where it was, hoping against all hope that I hadn't thrown it out in the trash I took out last night. I knew I had to go out to the trash can and search that bag of trash........I was talking myself into doing it -- "Sonya, you know you HAVE to dig through the trash. You HAVE to!!!" It went like that until I finally trekked down the steps and outside to the trash cans. The trash can was pretty much empty when I had thrown my bag in it last night, and there was only one other bag in there besides mine. I had to practically lay the can down on it's side to reach in a grab my bag (grabbed the other one first and was like EWWWW this is NOT my trash!!!) but I finally got it, did not fall in, and the can did not fall over or close on top of me. It was all coated with trash can juice and crust - GROSS! Then I took it back into my clean house............sick and wrong. Did you know that rotting raspberries turn a sick tan color and turn to mush?!?!? I do now! It smelled SO bad. I put the trash bag in a clean bag and cut open the bottom of the bag. I pulled the trash can over so that I could transfer trash from the bag to the can as I inspected it looking for that missing check! I think deep down, I knew it would be amidst the nasty trash. Well, I was about 1/4 of the way into the bag, about to give up, thinking it was lost for good. Did I mention that I had ziploc bags over my hands like gloves?? There was no way I was gonna touch this stuff!! Well, just when I thought that there were no more envelopes to be had, I found another one. With the Antietam School District return address stamped on it. Sure enough, there was the missing check, safe and sound (albeit smelly, wrinkled, and a bit damp) in it's envelope. I was so excited, and still disgusted. I threw the envelope away and gingerly placed the check on the counter, far away from other things. Bagged up all the trash and got it out of there, back outside where it belongs!! Then, returning to my kitchen, used the biggest glump of soap to wash my hands!!
So, there you go. I dug through trash today. It kinda derailed all my productive plans for the day, but I guess that's ok. I had an answer to prayer and found the missing check. Thank God for answered prayers and antibacterial soap!