I get everyone back in the house...crying. Nate's mad he's in his seat and is not afraid to let the world know it. Gabby is crying, "I wanna go to da stoe!" Kate is crying, "What about lunch and gymnastics?" I'm so upset I can hardly stand it--between their crying and knowing this disaster has ruined our day and probably my checkbook. I go back out one more time in some desperate hope I can get it to start. Still nothing. I hit the lock button. The battery is so dead the doors won't even lock.
I go back in, dejected. I get everyone unbundled and call Justin. It's the first day of the term, so he says he'll be home after classes today to see what he can do (probably replace the alternator), but Kate's gymnastics class is before that. Even if I could get the car from him, I can't put all three car seats in it.
I call my friend, who has been having her share of technical difficulties. She is sympathetic and even offered to take Kate to gymnastics for me. I was feeling much better after we chatted. At least Kate would get to her lesson and I could get the groceries later, after Justin was done for the day. I always keep a few extra days of food on hand in case we can't get to the store for some reason anyway.
Then I call my mother to tell her. She lives in Kentucky, so there's nothing that she can do, but sometimes it's nice to whine to someone. The only thing is I feel guilty because I know it makes her feel bad and want to do something.
In this time, I've started lunch for the girls. Then Justin calls back. He thinks it's odd that the brand new battery (see story here) discharged over night. I leave the girls with their lunch and Nate in the play pen to go check on the leads of the battery. One of them was a little loose. He told me to tighten it and try again.
It worked!!!! I was over the moon. I got to call Ann back and tell her how very much I appreciated her generous offer, but that I could take Kate myself. I got to tell my mom that we didn't have to buy an alternator. I even posted it on Facebook.
It reminded me of the story of the Lost Coin (Luke 15: 8-10). I felt like calling everyone and rejoicing.
I believe that these annoying things happen for a reason, be it to teach a lesson or keep us from harm. Usually we don't get to see the "why." This time I did. As I packed up the diaper bag for gymnastics, I found my wallet. It wasn't in the little bag I take shopping, but instead it was in the outside pocket of the diaper bag. I would have gathered my groceries, just to find out at the check out I couldn't pay for them.
Sometimes God is saving us from a bigger hassle in those little annoyances.
I'm so glad that things worked out -- except for your delay in buying groceries. I believe that God does watch out for us much more than we realize. And even though I couldn't do anything to help, I'm thankful that you can still call your mama every now and then when things aren't going how you'd like. It gives me the opportunity to say an extra prayer for you when you're needing it. I wish that I could still call my mama every now and then.
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