The Second Day of Vacation

It was crazy. We were going to be on time for church. Yippee!! But of course last night, I couldn’t remember why I was giving Dee Dee the Christmas gift I was giving her. I had finished Christmas shopping in early December, later than usual, but still this Christmas gift was making any sense. I had to go to the other idea I had which makes much more sense.

So a side trip was needed and I thought we had enough time before church, but once we got to the store I realized we didn’t and of course a simple U-turn wasn’t possible, which led us down a street we weren’t familiar with and my “oh, if we turn here, this should lead us back to the street we need to be on” didn’t work. We drove down the unfamiliar terrain, which of course led us to being late.

After church everyone disappeared, getting ready for Christmas. So after assuring Deeds was staying at church, we ran out to get her new gift. I’ll be honest sometimes I wish I could leave them in the car. A two second trip in the store takes ten minutes, but we preserved and the kids got to help pick out part of Auntie Dee Dee’s gift. We hopped back in the car, drove quickly yet safely back to the church.

I put everything in her Christmas bag when alas the tape that I specifically brought from home for this gift was nowhere to be found. Nowhere. I felt the pressure of time upon us. I didn’t want Dee Dee to leave, the kids ran for the playground, when I wanted them to stay close, we had a birthday party to attend, and had to stop by my job to pick up something. The pressure was on.

I saw a couple headed to their car and asked, “Do you have any tape?” And oh how I loved them when they said, “Yes.” Deeds’ gift was saved. Yiippeee! Everything was taped. I left the gift in the trusted hands of the wonderful Peggy and off we went with the rested assurance that Deeds had the perfect Christmas gift for this year. I’ll have to figure out what the other gift was about. I’m sure in time it will make sense again.

Then we were off to the birthday party. We were late, but they were expecting that. The food was gone. The kids were hungry. Layla refused to get in the jumper. I knew no one there. Okay, I did but no one I ever said anything more than just “Hey” to as I dropped Jory off in the morning and when I picked him up in the evening. And I’m pretty sure the birthday boy isn’t the nicest of kids and says not so nice things to Jory and in front of him.

We stayed for an hour and that’s how long it took the party to wrap up so instead of lunch the kids got cake and soda. On to the next stop, my job. We weren’t able to sneak in like I thought, but we got what we needed and made another quick stop before we got a phone call from my mom to come home so we could take Aunt Brenda and Vandy home. Oh no, the car broke down….Onward we go…