Not So Rosy

Saturday night while driving home from the grocery store with the kids, I was about a mile from my house when I saw BLUE lights flashing in my back window. I pulled over and wondered at first if the lights were for the car in front of me because I knew I wasn't speeding. Umm, no. The police officer stepped out of his car and approached my window. He told me he pulled me over for an expired license plate. Great, I thought.


He asked me for my license, registration, and insurance card. I gave the officer my driver's license, and get ready for this--it had expired! I was driving with an expired license. Oh. my. word. 


He left me to go back to his police car, and I did my best not to burst into tears. I had no idea what was about to happen. I've been pulled over ONCE in my life before this night, for speeding downhill when I was 15! After what was probably five minutes but felt like half an hour with hungry sleepy kids asking me to go home, he returned to tell me what would happen. He gave me grace for the expired sticker on my tag because it hadn't been, ahem, that long, but he had to give me a citation for an expired driver's license. I was afraid he was going to arrest me or tow my car and leave me to try to get me and my kids home! Instead, he gave me a citation and asked me if Jim could come drive us home. 


I sat there with the kids in the car on the side of the road, fighting back tear after tear. Finally, after having to get out of my car to stand in the road and have my picture taken and fingerprints done, we got to go home with a piece of paper ordering me to be in court in a couple of weeks.


Yesterday, Jim took the morning off work to take me to get my new license. After not driving for a few days, I was ready to take the kids out today. This morning, I got everyone bathed and dressed, fed, and in the car. I tried to start the car, and it. would. not. crank. My car battery had died. When it rains, it pours, right?!? 


I guess the reason I am posting this story is that I feel like my posts tend to be rosy and happy, talking about the positive things going on in our family, which is what we choose to focus on and  what tends to come out when I write.  The thing is though, not all days are great, the busyness and stresses of having small children with special needs and being cooped up to keep Bennett and everyone else healthy do not always make things completely rosy. Important things are sometimes put on the back burner longer much than they should be. I learned that lesson this past weekend! While taking care of my babies, I also have to take care of me and responsibilities outside of our home. 


On top of this, we have had two washers AND dryers break in the past two months--TWO! But God provided gently used ones to us both times through friends and family. I know it could be much worse. I think about Katie and her children in Uganda, those she and Amazima help on a daily basis, and about people who lives with so little around the world, and I just don't feel like I have much to complain about. I am thankful I have a car to drive, a house to go home to, a husband who has a job to take time off from to take me to get a license, and four beautiful children. 


It's funny the post I wrote last week that I am going to post once I add pictures starts out saying "I'm in a really good place right now...." and goes on with a big ole happy rosy posy update on our family. It is still true though. Life is good. $ is tight, I may be going to court soon, and my car battery may be dead, but we are still "in a good place" and love life with our family of 6.


Now, if I wake up tomorrow and my new battery won't work in my car, my second replacement washer and dryer won't work, or some other crazy thing happens, I may not be in such a good place!! I guess I can read my happy post to remind myself of just how great our life is and how thankful I am for every day with these 5 special people I love so much. ;-) 




Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain!