Out with the old

I had two choices: I could curse the frustration provoked by the situation or I could laugh at myself. The absurdity of the whole event definitely called for the latter.

It was time to roll up my old living room rug with 2009. The new rug was delivered and the FedEx deliverer thoughtfully hauled it up my front steps (well, he did need my signature) but then left it leaning against my front door and said, "good luck." Of course I did not expect him to unwrap it and lay it out for me, but I did question for a split second why I thought I needed a new rug after all.

My son has reached the busy and curious age of 18 months. He likes to be in the middle of the action. I knew I couldn't begin the rug switch while he was napping because his room is too close to the living room and he'd never sleep with all of the excitement. So, I pushed up my sleeves and began moving the furniture off of the rug that was about to go out the door.

This story has little to do with being an Army wife, but somehow, I found myself blaming the Army for the absence of my husband this particularly laborious day.
--Just kidding--

I felt accomplished having moved the coffee table, the sofa and the chair off the rug. My son was busy climbing on the new rug (which was still rolled up), that I had managed to get into the house. As I began to roll the old rug up off my living room floor, I turned my son's way and said,"wow, this rug is really heavy." He laughed at me. The challenge ensued, of course, once it was all rolled up because I'd have to get it out of my house, down the stairs and into the garage.

Much to his objection, I temporarily placed my son in his crib while I lugged the old rug out to my deck. Then, I retrieved my child and kept him busy by handing him the watering can while I shifted, lifted and shoved the 8 X 10 rug down my narrow front staircase.

Halfway down the stairs, I picked up my son, walked via the neighbor's walkway (since the rug was lodged on my stairs), down to my garage. I put my son in his car seat and backed out the car. I quickly pulled this rug into my garage with all my might...convinced that every single person on the block was laughing at me from his/her window. At last, the rug was in the garage!

My son and I went back inside and there was my living room waiting for me to arrange it again. Yup, my job was only half finished!