So today I was running like a chicken with my head cut off, just another day in the life of Shelli. I finished with spelling tests and cleaning the house. The girls were picked up and dropped off from volleyball practice and I was on to picking up pizza and party supplies for Briana's 13th birthday bash. As soon as I pulled into the grocery store parking lot Shelby fell sound asleep. I knew it. Thirteen years of Mommyhood told me that would happen. Why had I not asked one of the girls to come with me? I decided to run and pick up the pizzas and then by the time I got back to the store she would have had a quick nap. So I pulled up to Papa Murphy's, locked the doors, and ran in to pick our order while Shelby slept peacefully in the car. As I walked back up to the car I had a sinking feeling with each step. I noticed that my jacket was much lighter than it should be and as I got up to my driver side window I realized my keys were sitting perfectly placed on the console between the seats. I slowly felt the panic settle in my throat, down to my heart and ending in my stomach. What do I do now? I called Mike and he didn't answer. I knew it was a good 2 hours before he would be back home anyway. I called my good friend Meg and said, "Oh no what do I do?" I felt frozen for a minute, she laughed and said, "You call the police, woman. You have a two year old locked in the car for goodness sakes." Of course, that is what I need to do. I went inside and called the police. So here are a few lessons I learned from this experience:
1. Our tax dollars are hard at work and the Woodstock Police are wonderful, quick, and understanding.
2. If you are going to lock your car, take your keys with you.
3. If you have sleeping child, take them with you.
4. For a professional, opening a locked car takes about 35 seconds, but it feels like hours to a mom.
5. Children can sleep through anything, especially child #5.
6. Mommy guilt can be relieved quickly by a trip to Walmart for candy.
7. Your heart rate can fluctuate drastically with little effort at all.
8. You can sound like a drunk even if you have not had alcohol for a very long time. (I answered to the police officer, "No, no...we did live in England for 3 years." The question was are you still on Greenway Cross?)
9. Trying to fit to many things into 30 minutes usually leave important details out, like where are my keys?
and my favorite lesson of all is #10.....God has perfect timing.
After I finished up with the sweet police officer I took Shelby back to the store to finish our errands and buy her some candy (post mommy stress syndrome). I walked past the toys and ran into a friend that works there. She saw me and instantly started to cry. She shared with me how things had turned badly for her and she felt like she couldn't go on. I stopped right there in Walmart and talked to her, hugged her, and told her how much I loved her and wanted her to keep pressing on. I encouraged her and shared with her what just happened to me. She laughed and thanked me, she asked to pray for ME! Right there in Walmart she laid a hand on my shoulder and asked God to bless me and thanked Him for protecting Shelby today. Afterwards she smiled and told me she felt so much better and she was going to go home and thank God for taking care of her and her circumstances. As I went on to pick up some Coke for the party it hit me that she was the reason for my 45 minute diversion. God really is good, all the time, God is good. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
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