6:47 p.m. Today's project was to meet our grandsons and their mom at the Wal Mart on Aero Drive in San Diego and bring them up here for a visit.
Of course, my day was nothing like that!
First I met up with my girlfriends at Mimi's for breakfast and gab at 8:30. I skipped the breakfast and just gabbed, because I had to pick up 3 prescriptions for Steve, load the car with the lunch I'd packed earlier, and leave by 10:15 for the noon pick-up. The younger grandson Xavier was texting me all morning, but I took advantge of that to remind them to bring their Bibles, jackets, boots and warm clothes. We had a surprise adventure planned for them on the way back--a visit to Sandhaven Pines to help us select our Christmas tree! I was excited about introducing our family's long-standing traditon to a new generation.
This was a very rainy day. By the grace of ged, even after some confusion and changes of shoes for Steve, we left on time. The cloudbursts came one after the other all the way to our destination, but the Lord kept us safe and the jeep's tires performed well in the moderate traffic. I was kind of drowsy from getting up early, so when we arrived at the shopping center 30 minutes early, I snagged a Peppermint Chocolate Iced Mocha with a double shot of expresso at the Starbucks inside Vons. Steve and I also selected drinks for him and the boys.
Here's where the day began to get strange. I got a call--not a text--from Adrian, the older, less chatty grandson. He told me that Xavier had locked the keys and his luggage inside his mom's Suburban--and there was plenty of maternal "excitement" in the background to verify this mishap. (Haven't we moms all been there?! I'm certainly not one to cast stones!) So I said, "We'll just come down to Chula Vista and when I get there I'll call Triple A." As long as the member is with the vehicle, it doesn't have to be my car, so we checked out of the store and went about 15 minutes further south to their apartment complex.
The Lord had already provided help, because a tow truck driver friend of their mom's was on his way. We chatted awhile in the carport, then I went inside my car to put the seat back and rest. I guess the expresso hadn't kicked in yet. Poor Xavier was utterly embarassed, but his mom said, "we all make mistakes!" How true that is...both his dad and his Uncle Steven actually locked themselves in cars as preschoolers, so I've spent my share of time waiting for the AAA driver with the Slim Jim to arrive before I could be on my way to work.
Funny how, as a grandmother, I had a peace today, and just prayed while I rested. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God;" it seems to take us years to learn to obey that directive, doesn't it? My natural behavior is to jump up and take off in every direction at the first appearance of a problem, figuring it must be solved NOW, and who better to do it than me? Well, God has already solved the problem at hand, whatever it may be, before it even happens! But not if we won't let Him!
The car was unlocked, Xavier's bag was retrieved, we piled into the Jeep, and off we went, eating our pack lunch and making good time, until--horns blaring and lights flashing, an ambulance crossed six lanes between me and other stopped cars. Firetrucks and emergency vehilcles sped in the carpool lane, and there we sat for the next 30 minutes! On the 15 freeway north, at Rancho Bernardo, we actually all turned off our engines. It didn't matter if it was raining, I lowered the windows for fresh air, and texted Heidi and all of Facebook to pray. By now the expresso was kicking in, so there would be no napping. Praise the Lord, we saw people start up their cars and were were soon on our way. The mangled cars a small distance up the road were very frightening to see; I just hope and pray the person(s) survived.
Finally, regular speeds were restored, as the rain continued. Xavier queried me in "21 questions" style, but until we were within one block of the tree farm, neither boy could guess our destination. Grandma still has a few tricks up her sleeve! Since Steve had forgotten where we were going, I took quite a risk whispering it in his ear, but the boys didn't catch it.
What fun we had bundling up, hiking over "hill and dale" at the tree farm, strolling through rows of soaking wet trees, and posing for pictures! The boys, just like our kids did, chased each other a bit, we lost one or another of our party a few times, but in the end, we found a gorgeous12 foot tree. Steve and I will go back to have it cut down once we coordinate some help from one of our sons, son-in law, or son-in-law to be. The lady who reserved the tree for us, commenting on the rainy conditions, said, "At least the trees are certainly clean!"
We're home now, relaxing and looking forward to a fine day at church tomorrow. Steve and I are re-adjusting to our frequent, favorite houseguests. Teenage boys! I can hardly believe they are 13 and 15.
Lord, thank you for these two fine grandsons, that they know You. Keep them safe from over-exposure to the world, I pray. And please provide us the groceries to meet the needs of their adolescent appetites!
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