A week or so ago I had one of those days where I was trying so hard to get through my list of errands with organization and little deviation. Of course it's at these times that I usually find my day veering off into some sort of tangent. The night before this day I was thinking to myself, "Hmm...nothing at all to do tomorrow, we can have a relaxing morning." After which I sat bolt upright as the proverbial light bulb started flashing in my brain. I needed to drive to the fair grounds to pick up all of our ribbons and entries.
I had a fleeting memory of the year before. Standing in lines for reward checks, claim check checking- if that is even a 'thing'. It took a long time and I wasn't interested in doing that with all 6 of the little ones with me. I called my 'Manny' and asked if he wouldn't mind having the middles while I took the older girls and Jillian with me to round up the goods. He said fine....because he is awesome like that.
Around 10 am I rallied the troops, brushed hair, located the missing shoe that is always lost. Kids all packed in the car we took off for the leisurely drive around the corner. Stop the van -whoa, I just typed CAB instead of van and had to backspace, if that wasn't a freudian slip I do not know what is- commence to unload the middles, give minimal instructions since he is the 'Manny' and knows the drill well.
Soon we are on the road, my two eldest, the youngest and me. We cruise along, we do not speak. At times like these we revel in the silence because silence is golden and this day it's 24 karat. I am still not overjoyed at this impromptu trip 35 miles from home- 70 round trip. I am trying to make the best of it and we are stopping for lunch before we hit the fairgrounds. My tummy is channeling Winnie the Pooh as there is definitely a bit of 'rumbly' down in the ol' tumbly.
As we hit about the 22 mile mark of our trip that dim bulb (hardy har har) in my brain starts beaming again.
"THE CLAIM CHECKS!!!!!!"
I yell this rather loudly and Maddy unfolds herself from the ceiling of the van up into which she has been startled. Yes, I left the entire bag of claim checks at home. Now I have no desire to take on the blue haired granny brigade at the pick up tables. None whatsoever. Those ladies are scary and not unlike the way they cling to their purses as if they have their entire life savings inside, they also cling to the rules regarding NO PICK UP WITHOUT A CLAIM CHECK. Not to mention that I have about 40 claim checks. Mine, the kids and my 4H kids.
We turn around. We drive home...in even more silent silence. The rumbly is now more of a growly. I pull in the driveway, grab the bag of claim checks and jump in the car like Bo Duke. We are back on the road, 44 extra miles behind us. Lunch at Wendy's is uneventful. We run into some friends who were also picking up ribbons at the fair. They tell us that it was a madhouse at the fairgrounds when it opened at 12 and I am beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, it was a good thing I messed up.
When we arrive at the fair it is crisp and cool and not crowded. We breeze through picking up our items, standing in lines waiting for our awards. Jillian is a sweet little charmer in her stroller clutching her prize-winning crab dress to her chest, even the blue hairs were amiable. With all of our items collected we started to leave when a woman suddenly stops me.
"Excuse Me." she says.
I get stopped often, a trail of ducklings children behind me can stop people in their tracks and everyone loves a witty comment. However I only had three kids with me and that is not so unusual.
"I don't mean to startle you," she began "but I noticed your daughter has a pump."
Aha! It's a diabetes thing. She then introduced us to her daughter Sydney who also has diabetes and wears a pump. Gabby's face lit up and the two girls went through the basic- our moms must want us to be best friends because we have diabetes in common- questions. I made the mistake that I am sure most people make when they look at Gabby. I assumed that because the girl was tiny, she must be about 9 or 10. It turned out that she was about one week older than my girls and about the same size as Gab. To top it off she is also homeschooled. If that was not a moment sponsored by God, I do not know what is.
We exchange email addresses and the rest of the day goes along swimmingly. The girls begin emailing each other and I reflect on the events of that day and how sometimes a thing gone wrong is actually a blessing in disguise. Gabby is tickled to have a friend who knows what her life is like. They talk about their disease and how it effects their lives, and the commiserate on all of the issues they deal with daily. It gives them a sounding board with someone else who knows. As much as I love Gabby and as much as I have learned about diabetes I will never truly know what it is like to live her life.
And so our day of bad luck turned into a day of great fortune. Sometimes I just look up, smile and say, "I know that was you God! Thanks!
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