When Mom Can't Sleep

I have had a lot of things on my mind.  

So much so that when I was awoken last night at 1:30 am, I. Did. Not. Go. Back. To. Sleep. 

Oh, I tried everything.  I tried to take deep refreshing breaths. 

Those ended after the second one.  

I tried to think of God's word remembering verses about peace. 

None came to my mind. 

I laid myself on my right side.  

I laid myself on  my left side. 

I laid myself on my back.  

I willed myself not to look at the clock. 

I looked at the clock.  

I thought, "Maybe I should just get up and go to the grocery store." 

So after thinking that 4 times, I did. 

At.  4:00 am, I was backing out of my driveway headed for the grocery store to get my WIC milk and eggs. I also needed diapers so I figured I might as well pick those up. 

Do you know how lovely it is to go to the grocery at 4:00 am?  It is pretty delightful.  The cashiers are kind and give all their attention to you.  It is a great experience to turn around in the middle of an aisle and not run into anyone.  Zigzagging through the store bothers no one.  

You don't have to make sense.  You don't have to be efficient, and yet you are still done more quickly than if you took your Sweet Peas & Buddies into the store with you for one item.. 

It's marvelous!  Simply marvelous!  

When I was done meandering through the store, I walked to the checkout.  I put my WIC items on the belt and tried to get myself organized.  As they were running the "check" through the computer, I dug in my purse for my wallet to be able to pay for the diapers. 

Nothing. 

There was no wallet.  I had taken it out the night before and put it in my gym bag.  And never returned it to my purse. 

Oh, man! 

This was certainly annoying.

But ALAS!  My checkbook.  

-Do you take a check? 

-Yes, we sure do! 

Sweet!  my problem was solved! 

Until we tried to run the check through. 

A valid ID. 

What? 

I didn't have my wallet.  That's what started this problem in the first place!  

So for 20 minutes, the cashier tried everything she could.  EV.ER.Y. THING.  

And then, she said, "Do you just want to go home and get your license?" 

And so I did.  I drove 5 minutes to my house and back and then got my diapers. 

Why didn't I do that earlier?  

Do you know why?  Because I do!  I was in mommy mode.  I thought it's going to take longer to go home with all my children in tow than it would to just stand here for 20 minutes willing the check to go through!

Forgetting completely of course that it was 4:00 am and that I didn't have a single one of my beloved Sweet Peas & Buddies with me.   

So therefore instead of taking just a mere 5 minutes to solve the problem, it took 25.

I should feel sheepish.  

But no, what I feel sheepish about is that there was a water bottle on top of the van that fell off in the middle of the road on my way to the store.  Did I stop and pick it up?  

No. 

I did stop and think, "Oh, no.  What did I break now?"  But when I saw something lying on the road, I thought, I'll get it when I come back.  

People, it was 4:00 in the morning.  No one was going to drive over the water bottle.  

Trust me. 

So I drove the rest of the way to the store. 

Then, I drove home to get my ID. 

And I drove back to the store. 

Finally, on the way home from the store the last time, I stopped.  And rescued the water bottle.

Crises averted. 

Thank you very much!