One day, several years ago, my husband and I were in the midst of a remodel of our home (3 residences ago) and I was making yet another stop at my favorite store: the Habitat for Humanity RE-Store. I love that place, because I feel like I am such a good steward, putting someone else's mistake to good use. Anyway, I was wandering around the tile department, when a older gentleman in a contractor jacket came up to me and said, "Hey, are you that lady contractor?"
I found it pretty funny at the time, but last Friday after I spent an entire day with oil based paint and grungy clothes, I could not find enough energy (or abrasive soap) to get the paint off of my hands in time for a costume party. I was very relieved to come up with the brilliant idea of going as a Lady Contractor. So I grabbed some "tape" and a hammer, donned my grubby paint jeans and hooded sweatshirt, and I was ready.
When I arrived, I got a great response. One person was especially impressed by my attention to detail--putting splatters of white paint all over my hands. "Perfect!" one person said, "That costume is perfect for you!"
Now. Wait one second. I looked around at the other ladies at the party. Two were dressed as beauty queens, one as a butterfly (in high heels) and one as a ladybug, (and one as a very believable pregnant lady). I definitely was not going the cute angle that night, that's for sure, but does that mean that I am the perfect lady contractor!?! I could have been a beauty queen! Really!!
Ah well, if I had donned my bridesmaid's dress from my sister's wedding, two things probably would have happened: 1) I would have had to take it off again because it is too small now and 2)my "manicure" would have led to immediate disqualification from any beauty queen believability.
Perhaps I was the perfect lady contractor that night. I actually do love the work I do when I get to remodel and build. I know some wives who have really grown to love football, and maybe that is what has happened to me. My husband's love for construction and remodeling has rubbed off on me--and with our dreams of homesteading and strawbale construction still looming, perhaps it is "perfect" for us to be a contractor team. :)
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About Me
- Mandie DeVries
- Mandie DeVries is a wife, homeschooling mother of 6 children, and a catechist of the Good Shepherd. She received recognition as a CGS Level I Formation Leader by the National Association in September 2015 and is currently studying for her Masters in Theology at St. Meinrad School of Theology. For several years she wrote a weekly article about adventures in Catholic parenthood and CGS-related vignettes for her parish blog and parish bulletin called "Faith Formation Begins at Home." She continues that work today on several blogs: faithformationbeginsathome.blogspot.com, cgsformaion.blogspot.com, and familyfiat.blogspot.com.
That's a great idea for a costume!! I am gonna go the lady bug angle - mostly because i already have an all black outfit so i'm gonna go to a fabric store and buy some cheap red fabric and cut red dots! and wear my red dorothy shoes!! Miss you tons!
ReplyDeleteYou would have been a great beauty queen. And trust me, I was only dressed the way I was because Olivia insisted I be a princess. I really wanted to go as casual mary. A nickname I recieved (I was going to use the word got but remembered what Bethany said and that it isn't a very strong word) from my two sisters because I used to only dress in t-shirts and jeans. :)
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