The Day from Down Under!

Thursday, November 11, was Veteran's Day. I incorrectly assumed that it was going to be a good day, based on it being 11/11 (and I love numbers like these!). Unfortunately, when I finally passed out that night (even taking half a Unisom to help me sleep), I couldn't have been more thrilled that the day was over! My day started with me waking up later than I wanted and nauseous. Instead of showering before taking the Bean to preschool, I decided I didn't have time and I would wait until later that morning before picking him up, knowing that I had lunch plans and school that evening so showering was a MUST. I got Joshua off to school, and then I did my most dreaded chore of all: grocery shopping. If you know me, you know that I HATE grocery shopping with a passion. I'd rather clean toilets, iron clothes, and do just about anything else. But, alas, we were out of milk, eggs, bread, and almost everything else. Shawn is great about doing the shopping for the most part and doesn't seem to mind (in fact, he prefers it because he always says I spend too much when I go) but I knew that I must take one for the team and get some things that morning if I wanted to make a meal anytime soon.

So, my 'easy' child and I went to the grocery store. And Caleb did great! He was happy in the cart, I got everything I needed (even though I took way longer than I expected to since the new Giant is so big and rearranged). I also ran into a friend there (and did I mention how lovely I looked that morning? Not so hot!). She's a sweetie, but it never fails that you run into someone you know when you look your absolute worst. I eventually checked out, stuck my groceries in the car and headed home, knowing that if I needed a shower, I was going to have to rush at this point.

And this is where my tale officially begins. I got home, got Caleb unbuckled and into the house as I took in the first heavy load of groceries. I had spent way more than I expected to, and I had more bags than I was expecting as well. I took the first load in, and I threw everything down on the counter - my keys, my cell phone, my wallet, and the bags I was able to carry together. I went out to my unlocked car for the second load as Caleb stayed behind in the house. Sometimes the kids follow me back out to the car and sometimes they play inside. Since it only takes me a second or two to grab the other bags and come back in, I don't worry about which they choose... or at least I didn't until that day. I got up to the door, my fingers feeling like they could fall off from the weight of the rest of the bags. I went to turn the knob, and it was LOCKED!!! There was a smiling Caleb Luke in front of the glass of the wood door, who must have been playing with the door knob. I told him to open the door immediately. He replied "I can't. It's locked." I told him to please try and play with the knob again. He told me to open the door. I put down the heavy groceries, and I tried to reason with him. Please open the door, baby. His reply was the same "I can't." I know he doesn't know how to unlock the door. I was beginning to panic. I prayed "please God, let us have been not careful and left another door open somewhere." I went to the back of the house first, but the back door was bolted shut. Oddly enough, the bottom knob wasn't locked even though the bolt was closed, and I had yanked on the door so hard, the knob came off in my hand (how's that for panic?!?!). I dropped it and tried the laundry room door, which was also locked. I put my garage door up, but the door between the house and garage was also locked and bolted. I tried the windows, which were also locked. I once again asked Caleb to please jiggle the handle to the door and try to play with the lock, only this time he burst into tears. At this point I began to cry, too. I ran next door and knocked. No one answered. I ran across the street to another stay-at-home mom's house and rang the doorbell. She must have been out as well. I went diagonal, hoping for someone to be home. I was having no success. I needed a phone to call Shawn and tell him to race home with keys to the house. After all, I was going to need to leave soon to pick up Joshua at preschool!

Our neighborhood is normally buzzing with people, but on this particular morning, it was a ghost-town. FINALLY, a person walking started up the street, and I tearfully asked her if she had a cell phone on her. She asked me my issue, and when I explained, she said she'd go get her phone from her house, which was the next street down, and she started to run. I went back to our front porch, where Caleb was still visible by the door. The mother-in-law from next door came out of her house (I guess she didn't hear me at the door) and she gave me her cell phone to use as the other woman was driving up to my house. I called Shawn. He wasn't there but instead was out in the plant that morning. This older woman suggested calling the police and breaking our brand new $5,000 bay window. But, I wasn't prepared to do either - yet.

I kept asking Caleb to let me in. Then it dawned on me - this time I asked him to come out. "Please come out and play with me in the garage." He was still crying and said he couldn't open the locked door and asked me to. I tried again, "please try the door baby, so I can give you a big huggie." I could tell he wanted to, so I asked him if he could try to unbolt the back door. I knew he knew how to do this, but he had refused the hundreds of other times I had begged him to. This time, he disappeared. While the random walker waited at the front, I raced around to the back. This time, he unbolted the door, and I rushed into the house and scooped him up, both of us in  tears. I unlocked the front door for the walker woman (my older neighbor had a doctor's appointment and left), who carried in all my groceries for me. She told me she also has kids, and how easily something like this can happen. She seemed relieved that everyone was safe and sound. I thanked her profusely, but I forgot to even ask her name!!! UGH! My nerves had taken over my brains at that point.

As quickly as I could, I put away all the groceries. Then I rushed upstairs to get the quickest shower of my life while Caleb played in the bathroom, neither of us wanting to be apart from the other. I was afraid I would be late to get Joshua, but God gave us amazing grace and I was there just in the nick of time. I grabbed him from preschool, and we rushed off to lunch with friends.

Only it probably would have been smarter for me to skip this outing with my former co-workers from MM. While it was fun to see them and their kiddos, my nerves were already shot! Joshua played nicely with Elliott when we first got there - they were tracing each other's hands on their place mats. It was adorable! Then Julie & her kids got there, and Joshua turned into a wild child. She mentioned that she thinks Jude makes Joshua rowdy and I would somewhat agree. He would NOT sit still or be quiet in the restaurant. And after my morning, I had very little patience. Joshua dropped his cup of water, and even though it was a cup made by Daddy's work, the straw went right through the side and we had a fountain of spraying water. We giggled at the sight, and Kristen asked if I'd like to take it with us when we left, which I laughed at. Even though the food and company was excellent, the boys were not on their best behavior. In all fairness to the Bean, it was also later than normal for him, we recently had had the time change where his body felt like it was an hour later, and he passed out on the way home from exhaustion. He did say he was sorry and cried on the way home, too, knowing how upset I was. It was just a rough day all around.

Later that afternoon, I had a student email me to say she wouldn't make it to class because she was hit by a car while walking, had spent the night in the hospital, and had several broken ribs which prevented her from moving. In light of her situation, my day wasn't as bad as it could have been, truly. We were all safe, sound, and in tact. Class that night went well, even though I was nauseous, and we dropped off my car to get inspected that night and thankfully it didn't need anything to pass. So, all's well that ends well. But, I'm hoping we don't have a day like this one again in a LONG, LONG time (if ever!).