An Unexpected Blessing

For the past couple of years, there have been a few items on my "wish list." These are not things that I need, they are just things that I would like to have! They are things that, when I go out, I keep an eye out to see if I can find a really good deal on them. Since I don't really need them, I refuse even more than normal to spend full price! Well, one of those items is something like a pie safe or some sort of cabinet type item for the kitchen for all of my bread supplies. I look everywhere and when I can find them, they are over $300, or they are way too big for the space that I have. So, there is the background info on what I am about to tell you.

Saturday, we decided to go out to the flea market in Mt. Dora. We weren't planning to buy anything, just sounded like something different to do for the day! Well, when we go to this flea market, there is one door that we ALWAYS go in. My 2 favorite little shops of the whole place are on this row, and I just like to start there. Well, for some reason, this time we decided to start on the whole opposite end! In fact, we started outside!

We found a vendor who had things that I really like, so the girls and I went in. (Mark and Caleb were looking at guns and knives - guy stuff!) As we were walking, I noticed a cabinet against the back wall of her little area and we headed for it. It looked just right, but we asked for a tape measure to make sure that it would work and sure enough - just right! Next was the price. Well, it was close to that $300 mark that we always find and I stood there thinking, Lord, why is it always that much? Why can't it ever be 1/2 that?

I no sooner thought that, when the lady who owned it walked up behind me and said, "Oh, by the way, that is 1/2 off today!" Well, that was a quick answer to an unspoken prayer if I ever had one! (Maybe I should have asked for 75% off??!!) So, I proceeded to take stock of all that it had and that everything worked. I opened a door and saw some dishes, right as the owner came up behind me and said, "Oh, and those dishes are included in the price!!" Oh my - can it get any better?!

I called Mark to come and look and he loved it too and we decided that it would be my Mother's Day and Bday presents all in one. The lady there was so nice. We told her what we wanted to use it for and she hugged me, so happy that a family who would truly appreciate it was buying it! She proceeded to offer Holly and MaKenna 3 tins full of paints - oil based and latex - very good quality, nice paints.

OK, so we bought the piece, now to get it home! We had all of us, the pool pump (whole nother story!) 3 empty chlorine jugs (2 1/2 gallons each!) and my quizzing cart in the van and had to get this thing home. Where there is a will, there is a way! We managed to squeeze everything in, but it was tight! Here is a pic looking back:

MaKenna is sitting on my quizzing cart! The piece that we bought is taking up the whole back of the van.

The next problem, though, was that the back couldn't shut and we had nothing with us. Well, Cat, the owner, went to find anything and came back with a pair of men's suspenders! Mark tied it up just right and would you believe, they took us the whole way home! Caleb used them for crazy praise today!


Here is the beautiful blessing, partially set up. The picture really doesn't do it justice.


I didn't like how the mill and bread maker fit on it, so I left them on the other cart. You can see them to the right in the picture.

And here are the dishes that came with it - they are from Czechoslovakia, numbered and everything! It came with a soup tureen and gravy bowl:


A teapot, creamer and sugar bowl and service for 6 - cups, plates and bowls:


Even though it was a big splurge for us, I am thankful for the blessing of such a great deal on something that we all love.