A scattered brain and some unexpected love

I went missing for about 18 minutes last week. Thing is, I didn’t know I was missing.

Let me tell you the story: It was one of those days {like them all last week} where I had commitments and appointments and responsibilities and plans back to back to back to back. My calendar was pretty full without all the last-minute additions that happened. Such weeks can be exciting, but they can also create a weariness in my momma brain.

Anyway, so it was Tuesday. Cate had been to Robotics Camp and Ben had been at Vacation Bible School. We’d ended up at lunch with some friends after all swapping kids who needed transported at different times and from different places. {That’s just setting the tone for what was a slightly chaotic day.}

So after lunch, we came home and I prepared dinner for a friend whose daughter is recovering from surgery while the kids played/rested/napped. I doubled it, actually, so my family could eat the same thing the following night. King Ranch Chicken Casserole, Spanish Rice, brownies and salad all ready to go.

I had a small window of time between that and needing to be back home to meet my husband so we could go to Paducah {45 minutes away} to get our fingerprints done at a certain location with a certain FBI-approved machine, the only one in western Kentucky, for one of the few remaining documents required for our adoption home study. Again, just setting the stage. Important appointment. Short on time.

We pulled into my friend’s driveway and I left the van running and told the kids to wait in their seats and stay buckled while I dropped off the food. Now, I should tell you, this friend and I aren’t super close. We have a mutual friend, really, but I like chatting with her. I hadn’t seen her in awhile, so we chatted. Perhaps we chatted longer than I planned.

So long my kids got unbuckled {so much for obedience, of course, I hadn’t really done the quick drop-off like I planned either …} and came in. Apparently one had to use the bathroom and the other was just along for the social outing. They ended up swinging on a cool swing in the backyard while I finished chatting.

I glanced at the time and realized we needed to go. So I rounded up the troops, well, my two kids who are social they are sometimes more like cats. Have you tried herding cats? Anyway. Finally. We all made it back to the van.

My phone buzzed with a new text. Y’all. I had five missed calls and a “Where r u?” text from my husband and texts from three friends. I called my husband back, obviously that needed to be my first step. I knew I was cutting it close on time, but I still had 7 minutes to make it home. {We live in a small town, you know.} Turns out, he thought we were leaving for our fingerprinting appointment at 3. I thought we were leaving at 3:15.

Ah, yes, a miscommunication that, according to the emails I later consulted, was my fault. And, yes, I’m the organized one who planned our departure time. It had been one of those days. It was only Tuesday, but it was one of those weeks. And my brain was scattered and weary. I tried to fit a bit too much into my day.

Can I confess something, though? I felt loved to know if I went missing, the search party would start after less than 20 minutes. It’s not like I struggle to feel loved. But it was an out-of-the-blue affirmation that I’m surrounded by family and friends who care about my well-being. And they {well, at least the one I’m married to …} apparently also care my current location and estimated time of arrival. 

I pulled in the driveway, picked up my husband who was waiting for me on the front porch, and then started our detoured {thanks to construction!} trek to our fingerprinting appoints. Greg’s appointment was at 4:10 and mine was at 4:20. We pulled into the parking lot at 4:11 and we walked out of the little ink/mail shop about 10 minutes later, fingerprinted appropriately for the possible expansion of our family.

We went on to Hobby Lobby to buy a birthday present, some scrapbooking accessories, and school supplies and then to dinner at Rafferty’s. This is what happens when the small-town folks make it to the decent-sized city. And then that’s where my recent favorite out-of-the-blue moment happened. {See last week’s post for the rest of this story.}

Despite the chaos of the day, my heart was full, some friends were blessed with food they didn’t have to make, and our home study was one more step closer to being finished. And yet again love overshadowed the crowded calendar.

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I’m linking up with a few of my favorite online places: Kristen Strong’s Out of the Blue series at Chasing Blue Skies; Jennifer Dukes Lee and other storytellers for #TellHisStory; and other moms who know about scattered, chaotic days at Hope for the Weary Mom. 

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