Today will probably always be documented as THAT day for our family. It was a do-over to say the least. And for that reason alone–this mom just has to document it;). Because if you only document the beautiful ones–well…it’s just not real–and this was one day I hope to look back on and laugh at. (Not quite laughing just yet;).
I thought I was ahead of the game as I saw a note on the preschool bags that they boys were supposed to take in a family picture tomorrow. Most families have those already together–but since we just grew this summer and haven’t had time for a family portrait YET…I grabbed one–sent it to Walgreens 1 hour photo (I’m totally against drug stores for quality pictures–BUT it’s for the bulletin at preschool mind you!). I read another chapter of the Penderwicks to Laney–and CRASHED at 8pm last night. I *should* have not crashed–and gone to get the pictures…then we would never have THAT day to talk about;).
This morning–Rico Suave took the 2 bigs to the hybrid homeschool they attend while I took the middle 2 boys to preschool with Z baby in tow. We left 30 minutes early so we could run by Walgreens and get the family pictures for their preschool bulletin board. (Did you just read that I said we left 30 minutes EARLY? Yes–can you also say MIRACLE?! Y’all…I was on top of it–and then…it all fell apart!)
So I got to Walgreens–running in with 3 littles 4 and under in tow. I ran straight to the picture desk (Z baby on my hip, Frank spinning in circles and Isaac hysterically CRYING because he only had socks on…and was too busy singing to music on the way–and had to concentrate on singing so he couldn’t put his shoes on…and he was worried the cash register lady would laugh at him with just socks.). Oh my. I get to the photo booth and sweet lady behind the desk checks the Y basket…A basket…every letter of the alphabet basket–and NO PICTURES.
I RESEND them from my phone. And now they are printing–THANK YOU LORD! It will just be 20 minutes. Say good-bye to carpool…and hello to kids will be late for preschool (aka–park and run everyone in…aka–Zeke will be in TEARS leaving without his brothers with us and he wants to stay too). 20 minutes later–pictures are ready—we RUN out of Walgreens. AS we run out, Frank grabs the keys off my belt loop (yes–I have a HOOK that HOOKS my keys to my belt loop so I never lose them!)–I reach for my keys to realize they are NOT there. Oh no. Are they locked in the car??? I set Z baby down–dump out my purse–and then year a 4 year old giggling behind me. “I have your keys mommy!” Frank!
Well–if we HURRY…we MIGHT make the END of carpool and the Z-baby tears MIGHT be saved. I quickly put everyone in the van. RUSH to preschool. Unfortunately–preschool carpool is OVER. We run in–drop them off…but I look in my purse. NO PICTURES. Phone starts ringing–and it’s Walgreens. “Ma’am, you left your pictures…” ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
I explain to Frank and Isaac’s teachers how I left the pictures–and she tells me she needs them because she needs to laminate them. Oh my. I’ll do my best. I run out to the van. LOCKED. Keys sitting on the driver’s seat. I reach in my purse to grab my wallet to get the AAA number. NO WALLET. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
I realize that when I was looking for keys in the Walgreens parking lot–my wallet must have been left on pavement. Oh my.
I run in the church because we live in Atlanta, GA people—and in September…it’s frying. Sweat pouring down–so I run in to stand in the A/C while I look up the AAA number on my phone. I go in a nursery room. THANK YOU LORD! There are TOYS for Z baby to play with!! He plays while I call AAA. They say they will be to my van in 45 minutes. I try to call Walgreens about my wallet…again and again…and again. Busy signal. Stink.
5 minutes. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. Just 30 to go right??
Preschool lady comes in. “Oh I’m sorry–you can’t wait in here.”
And then. It happens.
The tears come.
I grab Z-baby. Walk outside in the heat. Sit on a white bench. And I just started to cry.
Do you see me Lord?
Why so much all at once?
I’m doing the best I can. Struggling to teach the kids. Trying to find our new groove with 5. This just feels like a hard day.
AAA man finally comes. Hands me a cold water. Makes me want to cry again–that was really, really nice.
I get in the car–thank you Lord! I try to call Walgreens AGAIN about my wallet. Worried because we are on the envelope cash system so all our grocery, gas, etc money is in my wallet…so around $500 just in there–and going to be SHOCKED if it’s still there.
I pull up to Walgreens and run in. I run to the photo booth. She hands me the photos–the now SACRED photos. I hope they look fabulous on that preschool bulletin board;). I ask about my wallet. The manager goes to the back to get it out of the safe. She says someone brought it inside. EVERYTHING was there–um–except the $500. Gone.
Just for kicks–I call the police to report it. You never know what they can see on drugstore videos right? He comes–and oh the compassion in his face as he walks up was enough to remind me that it just stunk but would be okay. He watched the videos with the manager. A sweet lady turned it in. And they could actually see what appeared to be a Roswell High School kiddo with a backpack who walked by…grabbed my wallet–took the stash and left the wallet. Sweet police man said he’d go to the school and just see if he could figure it out as there might be word among kids at school that day. But really–there’s nothing else to be done.
So…off I went now lunch time to feed my little Z…put him down for a nap and then go pick up the other boys from preschool.
One little share of my morning to my sweet friends–and one friend so sweetly sent me a Starbucks coffee and another sent me a gift certificate to bless me. Although there are not so thoughtful and dishonest people in world-there are JUST AS MANY if not MORE–people who want to bless and love on you when things are hard. So thankful.
I wish I had a really good ending to this yuck day…but I’m afraid I don’t. And I’m just really glad that it’s over! Tomorrow is a NEW day–and I’m thankful that JOY comes in the morning. When things like this happen–we really can just give them to Him–and trust Him to make justice happen. I know every penny He restores–and that kiddo who took the money and walked away–has much more to carry. Our sweet children prayed for him tonight and prayed that he would know Jesus and His love…and that we would love him big. And then my sweet Parker brought me his piggy bank and told me he wanted me to have it. AND THAT…a child with a heart like his is worth more than anything you could lose or get back in material value. Hearing Laney pray for that sweet boy…watching Parker insist we take what he has worked so hard to save (for a skateboard!)…makes you realize the hard things do not matter and some times you just have to step back and NOT see things in this world from a worldly perspective. The lessons that were learned today in the hearts of my children…were worth so much more!
And tonight–I go to bed with a thankful heart–that He is making my children into such precious ones…and that we don’t have to worry about the things of this world as we keep our eyes focused on Him!! And THAT…that ending–is about as good as it can get!
As things don’t go your way or as hard things happen–ask the Lord to give you EYES TO SEE…to see things differently and to understand what He might be doing or how He wants to work through the hard. He is El Roi! The God who sees! You are never forgotten!
by admin