Yeah for Friday!

I am having an awesome Friday so far. To start with this morning a friend and I took a 20 minute drive into the middle of Amish country to buy fresh pastries. This place was awesome. Sadie and her two children sell fresh made pastries every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings. They are awesome. When I say fresh I mean they filled the filled ones in front of me and added the frosting just before boxing them up. I could have died and gone to heaven with these doughnuts. AWESOME! Then I made my family and work buddies happy because I shared.

As I was reading through my google reader I found out that I won a contest..YEAH! Who doesn't love winning something for free. Last night we had a fun dinner with friends and then Dairy Queen for desert. It's nice that last night and today are going good because this weekend is not going to be so much fun. Bret has to work tonight and all day Sunday and I have to work part of tomorrow. Bummer.

So without further ado here is my Freaky Friday story.

I worked with a lady named Marlene when I was a student worker. She was a very sweet lady that was married to a very sweet man. They had no children but a tiny dog instead. One day when I was working on a project back in Marlene's office we started talking about ghosts and other spiritual beings and she teared up as she told me this story.

A few years ago it was her mom's 85th birthday. Her mom lived in an assisted living apartment and her and the rest of the family took her out to eat to celebrate the occasion. They had a wonderful time and took lots of pictures. Marlene took her mom home and while her husband parked the car she went in to help get her mom settled.

She got her mom into her PJ's and into bed. She told her mom that she would come back the next day to read her the cards and help write the thank-you notes. She kissed her mom on the cheek and told her that she loved her and would see her the next day.

As Marlene was walking out to the car she heard a male voice say "Marlene". Thinking that someone needed her she turned around and the place was empty. So she thought that maybe she was hearing things and kept walking. Again she heard "Marlene" only with slightly more urgency. Again there was no one. At this point she thought that maybe her husband was playing a trick on her because at 9pm at night the assisted living place was empty. She called out her husband's name and said "this isn't funny). Moments afterwards and before she turned around she felt a hand on her shoulder and with a soft urgency and firm voice she heard "Marlene".

Marlene was pretty freaked out by this point and just then her cell phone rang. It was her husband. She threw up a quick prayer for more guidance and answered the phone. Of course he wanted to know where she was. She reassured him that she was fine and that she needed to run back in and see her mom and did he mind waiting. He didn't mind and she went back in to see her mom.

Her mom was reading in bed and looked at Marlene with a quizzical look and asked her what she was doing there. Marlene told her mom that she didn't know why she was there but that she felt like she needed to come and sit for a few minutes. So she did. They talked about the birthday dinner and the family. They laughed and just enjoyed a few more minutes together. Satisfied that she was just hearing things and that everything was fine she again told her mom how much she loved her and that she would see her tomorrow.

Marlene's mom passed away that night. She told me that she was so thankful for those last few minutes. She would have felt bad if she rushed out like she did and that she didn't take advantage of the last night they had. It was silly to see Marlene and I with tears streaming down our cheeks as she told me that story but it really made me realize how often I rush off. Since that day I ALWAYS kiss my husband and kids goodbye, good night, and hello. I also tell them a million times a day how much I love them.