Pet Peeves.  I will, with slight embarassment, mention the two that top my list.  One:  People who continue to sit in their cars in front of the ATM machine after their transaction is complete.  I know their transaction is complete because I have witnessed them take their cash, receipt and card.  I know what they are doing.  They are getting their little billfolds in order.  I totally understand this.  Really I do...I like to be organized too.  But c'mon people.  You totally see me behind you, boring a hole into the back of your head with that "You have got to be kidding me" look on my face.  Just pull up and pull off to the side, and organize your little billfolds there so I can have my turn with the ATM machine.  Seriously, the second that box spits out your cash, you need to be moving out of the way.  Unless of course, no one is behind you.  This is the ONLY time it is OK to continue sitting there while organizing your stuff.  But...If I am behind you and you look down or hesitate for one second too long after getting your money, I will lay my entire body on the horn and even gesture out my window for you to "move along."  I won't really do that, of course, because I am chicken.  But I will want to.  Really bad.  Two:  People who continue to run their windshield wipers when it has obviously stopped raining.  For those who are wondering, this only bothers me when I am IN THE SAME CAR with them.  I know that some people are just oblivious and don't even realize that they are still running.  Not an excuse.  The screeching sound they make on the semi-wet, semi-dry windshield is worse than nails on a chalkboard and makes me want to pull my hair out strand by strand.  Don't make me reach out and break your windshield wiper thingy right off the steering wheel.  Seriously...don't tempt me.  I'll do it.  Not really.  But I'll want to.

I jokingly write about Pet peeves because since Ella was born I seem to have a new one quickly rising to the top of my list.  It is people who say "I'm sorry" immediately upon hearing that Ella was born blind.  Listen, I know that this is an easy default response and that most people just simply don't know what else to say to me.  I can't change the fact that it really bothers me...but I have learned better ways to deal with it.  Now I say, "Jeez, you know, you really have nothing to be sorry about!  She is happy and healthy and I don't feel sorry about a thing.  Neither should you!"   

I bring this up because today I took Ella to a wonderful music class that I think we are going to enroll her in.  As I was driving her to the studio this morning, I was thinking about the onslaught of "I'm sorry's" I would most certainly get from this group of strangers we would be meeting for the first time.  I was feeling frustrated already and we were not even halfway there.  Then...like magic...a farmiliar song came on the radio.  This is a song that our MAPS group moms had been recently talking about and that everyone seems to agree is like the "theme song" for our kids.  It is called "Wonder" by Natalie Merchant.  There is a line that says "know this child will be gifted with love, with patience and with faith...she'll make her way."  I felt such a wave of comfort wash over me as I realized that worrying about what people might say about Ella is so ridiculous.  She is totally "one of the wonders of God's own creation" and I am currently working hard to remove this pet peeve off my list.  It will take some time.  But you know what?  We loved the music class.  It was fun and Ella laughed & clapped (not until the last 5 minutes!)  And you know what else?  I did not get one single "I'm sorry."  I worried for nothing.  I'm working on that too.  It will take some time as well, I am sure.  In the meantime, just move along at the ATM OK?  Turn the stinking wipers off when it stops raining.  Don't make me crazy...