First off let, me start this post by giving a shout out to the lady who passed me as I was stuck in the middle of the road and honked at me multiple times: I didn’t do it on purpose to ruin your day, you are mean and you suck.

Secondly a shout out to my minivan with an instrument panel that doesn’t work in spite of all the money we’ve put into getting it fixed: get it together, baby, I need to know when there is no gas.

Okay, good.  

Sunday on the way to church the instrument panel decided to blink on thus alerting us as to our mph, other important panel things and also the fact that we had no gas.  As we were already late, and are committed to not spending money on Sunday, we got two gallons of gas and were on our way.  I planned to get more gas on Monday before I drove 45 minutes into Seattle and back.  On the way home from church, the panel went bye bye once again.

Monday came, I found myself driving into Seattle with little gas, I remembered this only after I was on the freeway, and decided that I could make it there and would need to get gas on the way home.  Reasonable plan.

Here is where the dilemma came in.  We went to the science center (clean bathrooms) and afterwards went to the Center House for ice cream (questionable bathrooms).  I needed to pee, but decided it would be better to not haul my three small children into an unclean bathroom. Nobody else needed to go anyway.

Well, you know how it goes when you have to go, but you still have 45 minutes of driving to do!  I knew I needed to get gas, but I just couldn’t handle the thought of standing in the cold pumping gas with a full bladder.  I wrestled with how I could use the gas station bathroom, but hello, not a clean place for the children.  I could leave them in the car…  but well, not as safe.  As I knew at least one would be asleep anyway…  

I drove home without stopping.  The funny thing is, I didn’t even race into pee.  I dinked around on the computer, putting stuff away until I remembered the little feeling.

Tuesday.  I know I need to get gas before i go out.  Everything is a little frazzled, I make a product delivery, leave town without gas and a third way up the big, windy, twisty hill, the van sputters and stops in front of about five other cars. I turn on my emergency flashers, the other cars figure it out and I pull out my phone to call Charming who turns out to be less than helpful..  I still think I should have called 911 or something, but he advised me not to.

Fortunately, a nice homeless-looking man (whitish beard and stocking cap) with a British accent stopped in front of me and came to see if he could help.  He tried to start the car a couple of times without success, but was then able to put the car in neutral and ease it closer to the side of the road.  Our car was then not completely blocking traffic, but closer to the blind corner where another car (going too fast) could have easily rear ended us.  (Had the honking lady not been speeding, she might have laid off the horn, for example). And then the Microsoft employee man (as it turned out he was on leave from there) left to get us some gas.

After what felt like 45 minutes (maybe more like half an hour) of being a sitting duck and listening to crying, whining children (Spider was happy) the kind man returned with the gas and the County Sheriff’s arrived to direct traffic.  Two gallons was not enough on the steep hill, so the sheriff left to get some more.  The man who helped us went home without me ever giving him proper thanks or any money for the gas, and when the sheriff came back with more gas I was on my way.

I was reminded of a few things yesterday amidst all this mess.  One– there are good people in the world who will help strangers.  Two– most people are not this way, at least 50 cars passed me, and that man was the only one who stopped.  Most people rubbernecked to see inside my vehicle and one woman honked angrily.  Three– God will always watch out for you.  It was a miracle no one hit us while sitting there, and quite a blessing that the man stopped so soon after we got stuck.

And fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, peeing your pants while pumping gas is much more desirable then running out of gas on an uphill, twisty, narrow and relatively busy road.  And yet, riding home in wet pants, just doesn’t seem that great to me, even now…

P.S. To my kind hearted rescuer, thank you.  If you ever read this, please don’t be offended that I called you homeless looking, I was kind of scared when you first approached, but my children and I will forever be indebted to your kindness and willingness to serve people you didn’t know.  Thank you for being a neighbor and good samaritan.

It did.  What can I say, I love great music.  And the Moses story is so incredible.  When that opening song came on and the Hebrew slaves sing, "Elohim, God on high, Can you hear your people cry?" I just started sobbing.  It was so moving.

Of course I really lost it when Jochabed starts singing to Moses.  Can you imagine sending your baby down a river on the chance that he might live?  Seriously.  The faith of that woman.  I can only imagine the angst she must have felt as she sent him down the Nile and I would guess she was just pleading with the Lord to let him live.  I know I would have been begging to see him again.  And I am totally touched by the tender mercies of the Lord toward Moses mother.  She sends him down the river and then the Lord, through Miriam and Pharaoh’s daughter, works it out so that she gets to be her son’s wet nurse. Not only does her baby live but she is blessed to be with him for a few more years.  What love!

Anyway.  I was crying.  I just love that song– Deliver Us.  Totally worth the dollar I spent.  

Dear Mapquest,

I want to start this letter by thanking you for your many years of service to me.  I am, to put it politely, directionally challenged, and you, you have always been there to guide me.  You’ve been my north star, my guding light, my navigational friend.  I have been spared many a paper cut and painful map folding experiences because of you.  I have saved many a cell-phone minute, by not needing to call for directions, because of you.  We have had some good times, Mapquest. I amvery grateful to you, as many a time, I know I would have been lost without you. 

Excepting of course, the times, I was lost with you… or even because of you…

Unfortunately, dear, sweet Mapquest, as much as I have loved you, I am writing you this letter to let you know that you have been replaced in my life.   Yes, you heard me, you are being let go.  

You live in my computer, Mapquest, and though she is a laptop, my computer can’t go with me everywhere I go.   My computer doesn’t plug into my car and tune into you, Mapquest.  And as much as you give good directions, Mapquest, you do not have a lady voice that gives audible directions.  You have definitely been there for me, but never in my car telling me when I have made a wrong turn.  You don’t give that many alternate routes, Mapquest.  And when was the last time you found me a great parking garage or even some teriyaki, while I was out on the road?

I love you Mapquest.  My love is strong.  But there is a new, stronger love in my life.  BEHOLD!

OH!  Feel the power of the GPS!  So sleek.  So smooth.  So portable and tells-me-where-to-turnable.

Never to be lost again! 

And the giver?  Most, wonderful Charming.  Best Christmas Gift Giver, Charming.  Owns the key to my heart, Charming.  Never to sleep alone again! 

Mapquest, adieu!

How far would you go for a great deal?

I drove 20 minutes the other night to go gorcery shopping at Albertsons even though the church is only three minutes away.  I couldn’t help myself.  It was the big Quaker ten for ten sale.  But driving there, I kept thinking, "gee this is really far, am I really saving that much money?  Will the cost of the gas justify the savings?"

I spent $74 and saved $78. My pantry is stocked full of useful things.  I drove a total of 40 minutes, was in the store for less than 30 (kidless, yay!) and my name brand cereal was only one dollar per box.

But the driving!  Living in this new place, I find that I must drive at least twenty minutes to get most places.  It only takes me about two or three minutes to get anywhere in the town, which is great, but the town is small.  There is a lot here considering the size, but not everything I need or want. 

I’ve been getting depressed lately because Engineer is not in Pre-School.  The cost of it here is so high, and there would still be some driving involved.  (Not to mention, not much enrollment space).  I toyed with the idea of sending him to a local co-op (three minutes away!) where I would have to find a sitter for my girls and help out once a week and still pay $100 a month, but canned it because of the sacrifice involved.  But as I explored other less expensive options, I took into account the driving, and now I think he’s going to the co-op.

I want him in school so badly, for his sake and mine, that I am willing to do a little more than I might normally.  And I really don’t want to drive 2-3 hours a week so he can go.

And yet, once our house sells, I am willing to drive Sugar 20 minutes to gymnastics because she is gifted in the sport and it is soooo good for her. 

It’s funny the things I am willing to do and those I am not.  The trade-offs I make.  I think the twenty minute drive to the Alby’s was worth it.  But I am still looking to see if there is a store closer.