Oh, Z...

I've missed blogging while relatives were in town.  So today, I'm going a little crazy here.

I have two good Z stories to share with you today...

This morning, we went to Target.  We had several items in the cart at checkout, including some ponytail holders S had thrown in there for a couple bucks.

When I got outside and started unloading the bags into the trunk, I realized the ponytail holders were in the cart still and I had not paid for them.

I said, "Oh, S, I'm sorry, but we didn't pay for these ..."

She said, "It's okay, I'll get some somewhere else."

I said, "Can you run them in for me and explain?"

She said, "Here, Z, you run faster than me... just go put them back on the shelf."

I said, "Wait.  I think you should bring them to the cashier and explain to her that we meant to buy these, but they got forgotten in the cart and we didn't pay for them, so we'll just get them another time.  And tell her sorry for the inconvenience."

A few minutes passed as he ran into the store and then returned to the truck.

He said, "That cashier was sure mad at me!"

I said, "Why?  What did you tell her?"

He said, "I just said, 'We weren't going to pay for these, but we decided to bring them back.  Sorry.' "

So instead of telling her we'd made a mistake, he made it sound like we were criminals who had a second thought about stealing!  Oh my.

---

Later in the day, I needed to put batteries into a little electronic that required a screwdriver to open the compartment.  I asked Z to please grab me a screwdriver from the workbench.

He ran out to the garage and came back with two options.

After I installed the batteries, I asked him to return the screwdrivers to where he'd found them.

He went back out to the garage, supposedly to return them there.

I was busy doing other things in the house and watching E toddle around nearby.  Suddenly, I hear her screaming in fear.

A quick investigation made me realize that Z was on the back patio hosing it off when he sprayed the sliding door where E was watching him and it frightened her.

Why was he spraying the patio all of the sudden?

To get the super glue off the patio.

Why was there super glue on the patio?

Because it flew off his shirt when he took it off to spray it.

Why was his shirt covered with super glue?

Because when he put the screwdrivers back, super glue somehow squirted out of the tube and onto his shirt.

Why didn't he ask for help?

Because, duh, it's super glue, it dries fast and he wanted to get it off his shirt as soon as possible and he thought to himself that if he did it inside in the sink, it would get all over the sink.

Wait, how did it squirt from the tube onto his shirt?

Because someone had cracked open the tube on the reverse end and it just squished between the drawer where the screwdrivers go.

And oh, now there's some super glue on the kitchen tile.

Google 'remove super glue from tile and concrete.'

Goof Off!  Yes!

We take off to Lowe's to get the Goof Off.  And a scraper.  Probably need a scraper.  $8.50 later and we're heading back home.

I look at the workbench to see which tools were now glued down after the squirting incident.

Wait ... this isn't super glue!  This is tub and tile sealant.  Ug.

I look at the tile floor and proceed to scrape up the mess there.  I use the Goof Off to get the rest up.

I look at the patio and it's all wet .... waterproofed in a way, now.  I can't tell if I need to scrape it or not.  Walk away.

I notice the sliding door handle is covered in sealant.  I use the Goof Off to clean it up.

Sigh.

It's yet another day with Z.  I love him in spite of all this mess.  I love him because of this mess.  I still have a job to do in helping him learn and grow and mature.

Why do I love him?

Because God loves me and I'm a pretty big mess myself.