Monday, February 26, 2007

Pass the Febreeze

Curtis and I met when we were missions interns one summer. Nothing strange about that, except that I was the first missions intern with zero mission trips under her belt. I didn't even have a good track record in G.A.s on my side. I used to try to fall asleep in the car on the way to Wednesday night church so that my mom would hopefully just let me sleep and not make me go to class. I was deeply spiritual. My dear friend Kay, who was already on the missions staff payroll and had been a G.A. Princess, put in a good word for me and I was offered the job. By vouching for me, Kay was really taking a leap of faith because she knew very well that I had no previous experience with missions. In fact, she was there the day the Moore girls seemingly ruined their missions careers forever.

Kay was probably too young to remember her first mission trip. Her whole family was very involved in it locally and overseas. They are incredible people - so godly, so fun, and so loving. There is no family in this world that I respect more. Our parents have been best friends since we were 2. We have vacationed together many times in our lives. So why not do the hard stuff together, too? One night when we were kids, Aunt B and Uncle Roger invited all the Moores to go with them to do some ministry in town. It was something to the effect of taking a Thanksgiving turkey to a family that had recently immigrated to the United States.

So we walk in the apartment. I can still remember the big smile on the father's face. The family was so gracious. I think they had soup cooking on the stove, but I can't exactly remember. My little sister walks in the door, hisses FISH HEADS, it smells like FISH HEADS, does a u-turn back to the porch and vomits.

Mom stays on the porch with Melissa while the rest of us play it off like Melissa did not just call out FISH HEADS and vomit on the welcome mat. The Moores never recover. I distinctly remember climbing back into the Suburban and not wanting to sit next to my sister. Was I feeling sorry for her that she vomited publicly? No. Was I emotionally distressed for having offended this precious family? No. Was I desperately concerned that she would shatter my life by giving me a stomach virus? Bingo!

So tonight Kay tells me that she took baby Jayk to Central Market for the first time. He loved looking at all the fruits and vegetables. He is his mother's child! But as soon as they entered the meat and seafood area, he was out like a light in the Baby Bjorn. You just gotta love those old memories that have been replayed and retold until they're family legends, cause my first thought was that he must have passed out from the smell of the FISH HEADS.

10 comments:

boomama said...

I just choked on my coffee.

Oh yes ma'am I did.

HIL-arious.

Janelle and Ella said...

Hilarious!! Laughing out loud! The part that I found the funniest was that you were most concerned about getting a stomach virus! One more way we are alike, that would be my #1 fear as well!

Sunni at The Flying Mum said...

Hilarious story! Love it. Man, I have got to meet your sister--she's some kind of woman.

Michelle said...

This blog just got me in trouble... I just chuckled out loud because it is SO funny and I am supposed to be working on the Budget Briefing Binder for upcoming hearings... my boss just poked his head in my office to "check" on me meaning "get off whatever website you are on and back to work!" But this was a much needed laugh in my budget briefing nightmare! THANKS!

Anonymous said...

oh my goodness that's funny!

Big Mama said...

This made me laugh out loud.

I will never walk through the seafood section of my grocery store again without thinking FISH HEADS.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

This story is hysterical. Poor Melissa. But that's the way it is with kids. They keep you real.

(And maybe I'm the only one, but does anyone else remember a strange music video that Nickelodeon aired back in the 80s called "Fish Heads"?!? This story immediately made me think of that song. It's scary what's stored in the file cabinet of my mind.)

Kay Altic said...

Friend...that is hilarious how you wrote that...I will never forget that experience...and I want you to know that you are awesome at missions!!!! I got a huge laugh out of it...we have been through it the good, the bad, and the fish heads... :)

Them Chandlers said...

Wow! Love the new look!! :)

Sister said...

I read this with my hand over my mouth so that I wouldn't awaken my sleeping husband. Surely the shaking will wake him soon. Funny, funny, funny.
I love your sister.