Yesterday, I had a reasonable list of things to do. I had made an appointment at the Mazda dealership for our 20K service on the van and also mentioned to them that our engine light has been coming on occasionally. I was also looking at a fridge void of necessities, so my trip was to be capped by a stop at the grocery store. I had started my laundry which included the sheets from the boys beds. I was hoping to get them out of the dryer when we got home and make the beds before nap time. I had my bags packed and even had lunch made anticipating walking in the door around 12:30 with two very hungry boys. I missed a couple of obvious things…one…take some hand work like crochet for the long wait at the dealership. Not that my hands weren’t full with little boys, but they played pretty well. The second thing I missed was Owen’s Leapster. He really could have used it, as he got bored with the blocks provided pretty quickly…thankfully they had several new books. I had at least thought of the Leapster and even mentioned it to him but we both forgot it as we headed out the door.
We ended up getting there late because once I got in the van I realized we would need to stop for gas…and then we had to wait for a train at one of the crossings we passed. There are so many things one cannot anticipate. They were pretty busy at the dealership and we got in line and waited with the masses in the customer seating area. As I mentioned, the boys played nicely for the most part. I had to remind them to forgo a few behavioral traits that aren’t exactly polite. For instance, most people were either reading or watching the news and Owen would occasionally yell in some character voice he was using with the Noah’s ark animals, or Ivan would wander up to someone and lean on them and play with their cell phone attached at their belt. I finally decided to get my stroller from the van and take the boys outside to walk around. The weather was nice and little boys like to look at cars. Of course my van was all raised up on the hydraulic lift, but they were kind enough to get it for me anyway. And we walked. One of the salesman came out when he saw us near the CX-9‘s and I quickly explained that we were just waiting on the service for our van. He explained that he figured that was the case but insisted that he had to open up that vehicle anyway if we wanted a look inside. He totally wanted to sell that car to us and he made a good case for it. I like it. We’re just not quite ready for it. When the two older boys can buckle themselves in, I could see that as an option.
We returned to our waiting area and sat there from our arrival at 10:00 until after 12:30 sometime. Finally the young man who had helped us when we drove in came in and announced that we would need to take another vehicle home. Apparently the check engine light was indicating a bad solenoid, and they had to overnight a part. Oh…had they only checked that first…we could have driven off in the rental van and I could have picked up my groceries and gotten the boys home in time for a decent nap. As it was, we didn’t go to the grocery store because Ivan was already asleep in his car seat before we even left Hickory Hollow. We drove straight home and ate our already prepared lunch at 1:30, I put the clean sheets on their beds and they both took very good naps. I sat in my comfy chair and worked on my crochet for a while, then laid on the couch for a bit. Something about waiting on people and feeling that I have no control over a situation is very taxing on me. When I can fold it all up and put it away with a ball of yarn and a crochet hook I do.
The rest of the day went well. As soon as Kris got home, Owen and I went to the grocery store and got our needed items. We got out of the store just as it started to sprinkle and were able to park in the dry garage to unload the groceries.
The best part of the whole thing was driving home from the dealership I remembered my prayer in the early morning hours was that God would allow me to pick the fruit of patience that day. I didn’t want to grow it…the Spirit is already in me and it’s His fruit…I just want to reach up and grab it. Ivan and Aron were sleeping in their car seats and Owen was singing one of his many newly penned songs and I was not gritting my teeth. I was tired and I could easily see how things could have been better, but I wasn’t angry and I wasn’t trying not to be upset…I just wasn’t upset. It was a good feeling.
Kudos to you for actually taking the boys with you. I can hardly make myself get to the mechanic with the girls for just an oil change (actually I’m doing that tomorrow morning). But gaaa 2 and a half hours and then you find out you need a rental car. Glad you stood the test.
Ah, the Leapster. We just outgrew our Leapsters over the past year or so. Very sad.
The part about not being able to control my time and how I spend it is the only thing that really makes me angry, and of course the boys end up being my punching bags. But I never thought about just picking the fruit of the Spirit instead of trying to grow a new tree. Do you care if I use that analogy on some other mommies?