What a day!

Whew! Yesterday is one of those days where I can easily say, I am glad that is over! SIGH. What a crazy day! As you know, Matt started the day very EARLY by taking the two big boys fishing. They had a great time! Asher actually caught his first fish! I wish I had the picture to post for you! He was SO proud! What a special blessing that HE got to catch a fish!! While they were gone, they two little ones and I ran out to Harris Teeter's triple coupon event and scored some great deals there! Great fun was had by all ;) Lydia was THRILLED with her free balloon and princess bandaids (which were on sale and with a coupon).

Later we all met back home for a few minutes before running more errands. We needed to leave the house around 10:30 am in order to pick up David's three month photos and make another appointment we had and be home for yet another scheduled visit! As we climbed into the van, I looked at Matt and said, "whew, it has been a day and a half" to which he smiled and said, "its still just morning sweetheart".

We ran out to North Hills and I ran in and picked up the photos without and issues at all. Climbed back into the van and off we went to our next stop...only for some reason we kept hearing a clicking sound. Pretty clearly coming from the tire. Matt was hopefull when we stopped to check it that he would find a rock. Not exactly. He found a rusted old bolt...right.in.our.tire. We pulled over to the side of the parking lot, pulled the kids out of the van and began to wonder what we would do to keep them busy while Matt changed the flat. At which time I realized it was 11 am.

Since the morning had begun SO early and been kinda crazy everyone had eaten early and some of us VERY light. So I pulled out the blanket we keep in the van and the lunch we had packed and fed the kids while Matt changed the tire. SWEET. Perfect plan, the kids would be fed and would likely fall asleep in the van, which would be great b/c they were SO tired!

Matt took the ruined tire OFF the van and went to the back to get the spare. Enter problem. SO, you know this van, yeah the one we just bought that is 20 years old? YEAH...well, apparently the spare had never been used and was also 20 years old. SIGH. You know what that means, right? yeah. It was useless. This is where we began to see God's hand in things. We were sitting in a Target parking lot. So Matt and the three big kids ran into the store while I sat outside with our stuff holding David. They were after fix-a-flat and maybe a pump. I walked around and tried to help David go to sleep. Countless cars drove by, MANY starred at us....MANY. But NONE stopped. NONE. It was FINE that they didn't we were perfectly fine and didn't need a thing, but I am FLOORED at all the "gawkers" who were admiring our vehicle but didn't notice the mom with her baby sitting there. Now this is where I began to wonder what in the world is wrong with this picture. Seriously. Who wouldn't stop to help a mom and her baby with a flat. Enter conviction. I then realized that many times with my four kids in tow (who am I kidding, I sometimes didn't with only two) that I see someone in need on the side of the road and didn't offer any help at all...I mean seriously, it is a dangerous world that we live in. Who knows if it is a trap or not...me with little kids, I certainly can't stop. Maybe that is true, and possibly wise, I am not sure....BUT it gets worse. There have been times when my husband stopped and what did his precious, loving wife do? Oh, she pitched a GRAND GLORY fit. Don't you know the baby has to eat? or we will be late? or fill in the blank. I have not been to thrilled when he was late coming home from work b/c he stopped to help someone in need. SIGH. No wonder no one would stop. If I, a believer in Jesus Christ can NOT take time out of my busy schedule to allow my hubby to help, then why would I expect someone else, likely a lost soul, to stop and care? Did Jesus not say, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:39-41

Seriously, I am amazed at how God used our day to show me His hand in our life. There are SO many details that He worked out. I had already canceled one thing we had planned (that we totally would have missed) due to grumpy kids. Matt was with us, which the original plan had him riding his bike while we were gone. We were in the Target parking lot, which meant we could get what we needed (at a discount ;) )....AND it wasn't raining!! God made a potentially horrific scenario (me alone with four kids and a flat tire, with basically no spare) a wonderful teaching time.

I am glad yesterday is behind us. We now have four new tires on our van and we made most of our connections for the day! But, I have a lot to reflect on and learn from our day....