Moving Forward ----Day 20

What a day!

It's been busy today ~~~

We got the day going and got Big Z to school on time, and, arrived home for a wonderful time on Live Chat for My Power Mall. During this time, I got to check-in with the Assistant to the Director of Customer Service, Maggie; also I got to meet and visit with Edy for the first time.

I made a follow-up call to one of my leads from our leads test program. She was to sign up with a World Changer Mall, however, she'd had some computer/Internet glitches and she set about finding a remedy so she could tune into Family Chat tonight on Blog Talk Radio. I called her back just before the show and she thought she'd worked the glitches out with a tech. person. However, as we tried to get her going, problems arose again. So, hopefully, she was able to tune-in via phone to the Family Chat. She has a wonderful vision, and I hope to welcome her to our company soon.

Spoke with Jacki and she asked me to take a shift and so I called 10 leads. I got two connects and 1 person hung up; the other we are to talk again tomorrow as the timing of my call was off.

After piano class, we were back home to get back to the desk and fire it up for Coaching Calls and Family Chat. Afterwards, spent time checking email and updating blog.

It doesn't read like a lot, but it's been a non-stop day ;-). Progress is being made. I feel it!

T-Day Update ----Day 19

We had a delightful time out on our friend's land and working in the garden plot. Dad had taken the two oldest kids to see a play with Grandma, so, Big Z was disappointed when at first he learned they wouldn't be there to play with. But, he got his muscles into work at pulling weeds and felt his disappointment fade away.

Weather was sunny with a slight breeze as we drove to their land. The youngest boy was sleeping when we got there. We caught Mom eating a sandwich, so, we joined her in conversation outside with the new little ducks, who've grown, I might add, quite a bit since we saw them at school last week. They were out in their own private yard with food and a bucket of water . . .

How fun they are to observe, their long necks moving in all directions, their inquisitive eyes following your every move, and their "quacks" constantly demanding attention. Once one of them climbed on the edge of the bucket of water, dove in, and began to swim by diving under the water and back up and trying to turn around and do it again. The most fun part of this was the bucket was as wide as the duck! Not much room to move around in!

As we got to work, my friend apologized for not having gotten a 'tiller to help with the task, and then she added, "I hear it's better to turn the soil by shovel." Big Z and I didn't mind 'cause we were there for the physical work and for the fun.

We got to work with our shovels and tools to get at the weeds and interlopers that have invaded the garden space since last season. Mom had already done quite a bit of work with her son before we arrived. It was beautiful out and we were content. However, Mom said, "Hmm. The farther I go, the more I like your idea of trying Lasagna Gardening!"

I laughed and we kept at it. We had our six friends, the Chicken Gals, helping us with each move of our shovels. They were after bugs and worms, and cluck-cluck-clucking with contented helpfulness. One however, found her way into a small raised bed with zero weeds, and she'd churned it up and was happily having a dirt bath, sprawled out on the soil and ruffling her feathers as she'd kick the dirt around. Her eyes were rolling in her head! Talk about a heavenly sun spot!

Eventually, a neighbor drove by, and he and my friend waved to each other since there are so few people on her little road. In less than a minute, the neighbor backed his truck up and pulled into her drive. He got out of his truck and walked over to the garden plot and asked her in a serious tone, "You need a rototiller?"

My friend looked at him with a smile on her face and said, "YEAH. I want one!"

He looked at the three of us with our shovels and the amount of space we needed to cover and he said, "Good. I think that would be good. What you're doing is a waste of time!"

I chuckled and begged to differ, "Waste of time? Nah, we're out here getting good exercise and having a lot of fun, clean fresh air and good conversation." He wasn't convinced ;-).

He said, "Well, follow me." And she did. They went to his truck and he unloaded the machine and brought it over to the garden plot and immediately sunk the tines into the earth, the machine bucking and moving all 'round the hardened and weed-filled beds. He stayed until he was finished and churned the earth until the 'tiller stopped its bucking and jumping around and instead plowed gently through the dirt.

Big Z kept at his work, dodging the machine as it came around to tackle the weeds he'd been working so hard on. He was wanting to use his muscles to "make a difference!" and began to express discontent this machine was going to steal away his fun.

Eventually, he took a look at me and called me over . . . "Help me! Help me get this out before he comes back. I WANT TO GET IT OUT MYSELF!"

I came over and sunk my shovel in along the edges of the huge pile of weeds, and that gave him the amount of help he needed to pull the roots free from the earth and move it away in the nick of time.

Finally, he expressed his exasperated fashion, "Mom. Why did he have to come here with that machine? He's taking away my work! I want to do this!"

I got close to him and said, "Listen, Z. You have to realize that this isn't your job. We're here to help. This is our friend's place. And, C's neighbor saw she could use some help with her garden. It was very kind of him to come back and ask her if she needed some help. This is his way of helping, and, she appreciates it very much. We'll still have plenty of weeds to pull when it's all done. This is his T-Day project, but he doesn't know it. He's giving his gift just because."

Big Z took it in, but I could tell he still wasn't very happy about that machine working faster than he could. When the neighbor took off, he motioned for our friend to come follow him to load the 'tiller it in the truck.

As he departed, we learned he'd just come back from his father-in-law's garden plot in a neighboring town. And, we had a new helper take his place: our sweet 2 year old awoke from his nap, wondering what all that noise outside was.

For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, we dug weeds along the edge of the garden, and weeds alongside the garden in the gravel. We visited and enjoyed each other. We got the rakes and pulled clumps of remaining weeds from the tilled soil. It was almost warm enough to feel a bead of sweat between the sun and our efforts ;-).

The boys fell into various other activities in between their visits to the garden patch: playing in a gravel pile with dump trucks and fun toys; getting the cap rifle out and making explosive gunpowder noise; eating their lunches together; grabbing the Harry Potter book and reading on the lawn; riding wheeled toys around a small cement pad; playing chase and telling stories. How delightful it was to have Big Z share this sweet time with this young'un. They were like peas in a pod, free from the sibling rivalry.

I enjoyed seeing the Big Truck in their yard, and it looked as if it is supposed to be there. We were going to take the topper off it so my friend could easily have the nursery rig pour rich soil into the back of it, but we didn't quite get to it before dark. Another time.

And, we didn't quite get to my donation for Locks of Love, though, as bedtime approached, and Dad came home with his friends, Big Z was getting excited about doing it with them. It didn't happen; it got too late.

When we came in the house, the boys played and read while Mom and I got in the kitchen to make some tacos and do up some dishes. We enjoyed our dinner and visiting and found some more baby chicks in the house, tiny and fragile under their yellow lamps. Big Z got to hold one who was quite feisty.

We gave our good-byes with hugs and smiles, and took one last look at our efforts in the garden patch with Dad and Big Z's friends. We came home well past bedtime, and readied for bedtime.

What a fun day it was!

Step-by-Step -----Day 18

Saturday's Success:

Today I got to help my friend learn how to shop on her mall again! We went back to Home Depot to help her research her project. As we closed the phone call, I realized one of her next errands included going to one of Jacki and Ginny's favorite stores: Best Buy.

So, in short order, I called her back and asked, "Do you realize you can shop at Best Buy on your own mall, and pick your order up in person? I want you to know you can earn a rebate from your shopping, and it's up to me to help you learn to think, 'Shop my own mall' until you get it in your head. So, whether you use it today or not, I'm wanting you to know it's an option."

She did not realize Best Buy was on the mall, and, having just left Best Buy without the item she needed because it wasn't in stock, she had the part number and was headed to another store. I took down the info and went online. Found the part immediately, and yes, confirmation it wasn't in stock. I had a Live Chat with the Customer Service Rep for Best Buy, hoping we could place the order and have it delivered to the store. It was not possible to do this. So I located the shipping costs and got back on the phone.

We talked it over and my friend made her first purchase on her mall!!! Her son was with her by this time, and I asked if she told him she has an online mall yet? She said she had not; busy lives. But, she agreed, she would let him know that if he had something he wanted, she should ask him to check the mall first.

"Hurray for Making Your First Purchase, Friend!!!!"

Our business cards for Big Z Gives Big were printed. Picked them up at the print store and it felt really good to have them. They are pretty, on 80 lb. white card stock, using the template from the back office.

T-DAY UPDATE:

Got back to my friend's T-Day mowing that I started last evening. It was spitting water drops for much of the time I was on the mower, and it was much cooler . . . Brrr . . . But I got another couple of hours of mowing done before the big birthday bash at Big Z's school last evening. It sure is pretty there, and it's fun to ride around acres of green enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature. By mid-summer, the verdant landscape will turn dry.

While at the school bash, we confirmed our T-Day Gardening Project after Noon. We're looking forward to our T-Day Play ;-). And, my friend brought a few of her hats for my soon-to-be bald head. It may come to pass that my Locks of Love donation may happen earlier . . . Could be fun to do it with them today. Will keep you posted if it manifests itself before Friday.

Moving Forward -----Day 17

A Flicker Couple have been pounding on the side of my home this last week . . . This is after the Robins have been using my side-view mirrors as their vanity spot as they flap their wings while looking into the mirror, and then perching upon the mirror or the side of my car. You know what the side of my car looks like . . . streaks of . . . no matter how much I clean it off, they just come back.

The Flickers are attempting to drill the existing hole in the siding to a size that will accommodate their much larger bodies than the little birds that flew into that hole to nest last year. I 'm not sure if it was Starlings last year or not . . . but, these Flickers are just too big for that hole. And, as they pound vigorously against the house, our whole house sounds like a construction zone.

"This ain't no place for a nest, " I say, "Find a tree to build your nest, kids!"

So, I go outside the house and 'round the corner, down a few steps. I politely look at them and tell them to go find a tree. They look at me and wonder . . . And, then, they take off. Sometimes one hovers on the roof awaiting the "all clear sign" and then when she knows it's just too challenging to face off with me, she flies away as well.

These Beauties got right to work at 6 a.m. this morning.

"Bbbbbbbbrrr--rrrrrr-ttttt-BBBbbbbbbrr--rrrrrrrrr-ttttttt."

Well, you know what that does for some wishes for extra shut-eye or meditation time . . . So, up I went and went out to visit the birds. Today they took off, and you know? I don't think they came back . . . I do hope they found a new home to provide a nesting zone for their babies . . . one that's in a TREE! ;-)

I suppose I'll know as the sun rises in the morning . . .

Well, since I was up . . . I got right to work to reprint my new goal statement and put it by my desk. Wow! A lot more words to read on that one, but it all fits on the page and is still quite legible over my right shoulder.

I spent some moments to clean up my desktop that has become cluttered with files.

I checked my CD and files for our invitation cards as that is one of my items to attend to as I work towards my goals. I went to our back office and updated my template of choice, got it to my hard drive and then got it to my CD.

Just this evening I finally made it to the office store because I fortuitously found a gift card in my wallet that had a small sum of credit on it. AAAahhh, perfect money to create invitation cards ! I made it to the store with just enough time to have the young man help me get 6 cards to a page vs. the 4-up style. By tomorrow afternoon, I will have invitation cards for the local market to explore Big Z Gives Big Foundation Mall.

I called my friend and confirmed our T-Day Garden event for Sunday. We're a go! I called my friend who I'd be mowing for and as we talked about the gorgeous day, she suggested I come today instead of tomorrow as it threatens rain . . . Eeeks, but today was a "get it done production kind of day!" so I wasn't sure if I could make it, though my heart and body was saying, "Get outside, Girl! This is a day for being in the sun and play!"

On the way to school, I visited with Big Z over my decision to lop off all my hair for the good of the children benefiting from Locks of Love . . . He's still not very happy about it. I mentioned it to him before and he said, "You will NOT!" and he ran his fingers through my hair.

Well, it's been some time and I've given soft suggestions since our first visit. I talked to him this morning and told him that I finally wrote it in words last night, and it's pretty much a done deal. I told him I realized it made him uncomfortable, and that I was having some reservations myself. However, I told him, I am doing it because I have it, my hair will grow back quickly, and it's the least I can do for a short time to provide for another child who has no hair, who can't grow hair.

So, I asked him, "Do you want to be a part of the process and help me cut it after putting it in a lot of pony tails? Or, would you rather I just do it and you see me after?"

He replied in a serious tone, "Neither." As I looked at him, his eyes held fear . . . Fear of what his Mama may look like without hair!

I said, "I know you don't like it, but I'm going to do it. So, take some time today and check in with you about what you would like. I'd like you to be a part of it if you want. It's for T-Day."

He finally said, "You have to wear a wig!"

"A wig?" I asked, "Really, a wig? They're kind of expensive. Where would I get one? How about a hat instead?"

We were getting near his school by this time and we trailed off . . .

So, this event will either happen with Big Z helping or I'll go to the local beauty school where I went the last time I donated.

I spent an hour with my friend who I'll mow for, and who is one of the three members who signed up for their own mall in the last two weeks. She's the one I'm helping "remember" to use the mall to shop in. So, we looked on Home Depot.com for her choices and spent time discussing options, prices, colors, etc.

I had a wonderful check-in call with another friend of mine with an MPM business and she was talking about sharing the business with her sister-in-law, who has since joined the board of the non-profit they are to fund raise for in June. I told her my good news, and she asked for an update on my progress for our 60 day goals. It was good to hear her enthusiasm for getting more involved.

I updated my payment card after emailing payments@mypowermall.com. I got to speak with the behind-the-scenes wonder, Lisa Mota, Director of Payment Services. ( I tell you this so that you'll know how to do it when it comes time for you to update YOUR form of payment.)

I made 2 follow-up calls. One to the person that I didn't catch at our appointed time last evening. Got her VM and left her another message.

The other call was to my connect who hadn't gotten to view the presentation yet. As I got her on the phone today, she had viewed the information. She said she was a "Ready to Get Started" but that she also wanted to talk with her mastermind team tonight and this weekend.

As we went through the conversation, there were two lines of thought: 1) I like what I see and for me personally, I want to get started; and 2) I like what I see and I want to share it the people in my group because I think it will benefit them, but, I'm not sure what they will think of me for showing it to them. Eventually she said, "I think I would like to show it to them, but keep my mouth shut" about the other options we'd discussed.

We went over a couple of clarifying points, and strategy, because not only does she wish to share and help her team, she is creating a ministry that she would like to also fund with MPM. So we talked strategy on how to do this, support her and those of her team that are interested.

When I asked her, "When would you like to get started?"

She said, "Monday. It's a new week, everything will be fresh and new."

I asked her, "What time do you see yourself signing up for your new business?"

She said, "About 3?"

I asked, "Does that time feel good to you; does it resonate with you?" She replied that it did.

So, I am to call her at 3 her time to help her get signed up with a World Changer Mall.

I have created an e-card from the back office, and mailed her the information about coaching calls, Family Chat, the times we tune in, and the info on Blog Talk Radio so she can join us on Monday evening. I also reminded her about creating a new email account she would like to have associated with her new business, and reminded her to check if she has Windows Messenger on her computer, per our conversation.

I didn't make any new contacts today, however, I did put in a full day and got a lot of details taken care of. I'm happy for my follow-up, because, as they say, "The fortune, or the Gold, is in the follow-up." I would rather have strength in my follow-ups than have more contacts that I can't keep up with. If anyone knows . . . it's far easier to call a person once; it's much more challenging to keep track of your papers, notes, and to be diligent in calling people the sometimes 8-10 times it takes to have someone say, "Yes! Why yes! I do want to start a home business, and I want it to be with YOU!"

I got out to do the mowing and had a famous time . . . I spent two hours total, including travel time. Alas, the mower got overheated, and as it usually does when you hit a hard bump, it shut off the blades and I never could get it started again. So, I'll have to go back again tomorrow, weather permitting.

I posted to the T-Day blog, and when I'm done here, I will post to the T-Day site.

Big Z had a great day, had fun at soccer, and is enjoying a lovely evening. He has piano in the morning, followed by a soccer game, followed by a parade he will participate in with his Dad, followed by a birthday party at his school, followed by a Harry Potter movie on TV IF he can stay awake when we get home ;-). I'd say, that's some T-Day! On Sunday, we'll get him working in the dirt for the garden . . .