Jury Duty

I had to call on Friday to see if I had jury duty on Monday. I called and they said my group number had to call at 11am to see if I was needed that day. I figured there is no way they would need me, right. I mean they seriously expect people to go about their day, call at 11am and have to drop everything and get to downtown Phoenix? Yeah, actually they did seriously expect that.

I had both girls at Music Therapy when I called and they said I had to report at 1pm! WTH?

I call Andrew and said "You have to meet me in Phoenix, grab the girls, I have jury duty". He said, "Oh you're excited" I said, "I would have been excited if I knew days before and got to freaking SHOWER ahead of time". Mondays are sloppy Kim days. It is all about getting Lily from one therapy to another while entertaining Andi. No time for things like hygiene.

So Andrew is able to meet me, I have a great husband! I am so fortunate he has a lot of flexibility in his job and doesn't mind playing Mr. Mom. I got to the (free for jury) parking lot and on the shuttle and got to the jury meeting place at 1pm on the dot.

I sat through two groups being called, then I got called along with 100 (!) others to a room upstairs. The judge comes in, says this case is about blank and blank and it is a murder in the first with death penalty being seeked! I was like man would I ever love to be on that jury! Then they say it will last until almost summer. Bummer. I've got a baby brewing. Sigh.

So they ask all hundred of us yes or no if we can serve. Of course 80% said No so us No's had to go somewhere else and fill out a form and lawyers had to read our excuses and say if they are worthy of being dismissed. I heard so many people mutter with such jealousy, "she's getting off easy" Easy!? I just had an ultrasound, this baby's head measures two weeks ahead! Easy, my ass! I am planning a vbac! So anyway, it took 2 hours to go over our reasons and while we sat I was approached by the young gal next to me for conversation. She and I started talking and then the 18 year old cutie in pre med started chatting as well. Then the handy man behind us and the retired college professor. We talked. A lot. It was interesting to meet people you would never plan to meet and just sit and discuss the world. Oh and how long it takes to read 80 papers.

The girl next to me told me she just had her 22nd birthday and I mentioned I have a Dec birthday as well and I will also be 22. She stared blankly at me and said "really?" I laughed out loud and said "no", but I was surprised at how shocked she was. Do I really look that much NOT 22?

I was one of the first released, after about a two hour wait and walked in the rain to my car. Was in traffic for well over an hour and got home to my family. I thanked God that I don't commute like that daily. That I too have such a flexible job that I can be home with my kids so often and don't stress in the car for hours each day to and from work.
It does suck right now. Pretty bad. This is the first Christmas I haven't gotten a bonus. We weren't prepared for Christmas and it really isn't going to be like the past, but I am totally ok with it. I almost think the Christmas spirit lives so much more vividly in us when money isn't flowing affluently. I gives us more time to reflect on Christmas itself. I know I am acting corny, maybe it is the hormone overload I am experiencing. But I am glad to have what I have this year and feel very blessed.
I am so glad I am teaching my kids the true meaning of Christmas as well, like just the other day Andi said "Without toys, they would be no Christmas."
I might need to work a little harder on her.

Hanging on to my 20's as tightly as possible........