2 Kids + 4 Stores = 12 Hours

I think God is using errands to teach me about patience. It is glaringly obvious that I have none, and even more obvious that I need some. Long gone are the days of just running a quick errand. Long gone are the days of aimlessly wandering the hallowed aisles of Target. Errands now involve serious planning and preparation and about five more hours than anticipated.

Last weekend we had to catch up on some errands we'd been putting off, so we headed into the big city. The hour's drive was uneventful, with both children sleeping. We arrived just in time for lunch, and stopped at one of our favorite places. Savannah was kind enough to sleep while everyone ate, but woke just as we finished. We waited for her to eat before we could leave. After two diaper changes we were off.

A quick stop at an ice cream shop turned into a mini-meltdown by Aiden. He chose to run laps around the store instead of eating his ice cream, then was very upset when we made him leave without getting him MORE ice cream. Everyone buckled in , and off we go.

A quick run into Target takes longer than usual, because Savannah decides to cry and fuss...and I couldn't locate the $4 beach towels I saw in the ad. Many, many laps of the store later I located the last remaining $4 towel and we left. By this time Savannah was hungry again, so we all piled in the car and sat in the parking lot while she ate. Two diaper changes, and we were off.

A few minutes down the street, Savannah lets out screeches and screams like she's under attack. We quickly pull into a gas station and get her out of her seat, which launches Aiden into hysterics for some reason. Wayne walks circles around the car with Savannah to calm her down while I hand Aiden some juice and shush him. Ten minutes or so later, we're back on the road.

We hit up Marshalls and Aiden decides he's already had enough shopping, and begins throwing everything he can reach into our cart, while whining and complaining. I do my best at digging through the sale bins until I just can't take the whining any longer and we leave. Two diaper changes and we're on the road.

By now, it's dinner time. Not having planned on being gone this long, we pull in to somewhere quick and easy....a pizza buffet. Aiden will have none of this, and dumps the cheese and red pepper all over the table, refuses to eat anything but brownies, and sticks his hands in my drink. I am so exhausted by this point I ignore him and pretend I can't see the disaster he's making...if I didn't see it I couldn't correct him, right? Simultaneously, Savannah starts crying to be fed and I smell something rather obnoxious coming from Aiden. One baby fed and two diaper changes later and we're off again.

Wayne decides he'll stay in the car with the kids for our next two stops, and pray they sleep. I run in to Babies R Us for what should be a five minute transaction. Much, much longer than five minutes later I emerge. Whether it was because I couldn't locate the training pants, or because I was walking veeeeeeeeerrrrrryyyy slowly, one can't be sure.

We drive over to Sam's Club and I head in to fill my cart with mammoth packs of chicken breasts and peanut butter. As soon as I return to the car, Savannah wants to bed fed again. So once again we sit in the parking lot, waiting on her to eat. Two diaper changes and we think we're off...but Savannah decides to screech and wail and Wayne does the walking in circles around the car thing with her again, while I give Aiden more juice and shushing. Finally we're ready for the hour-long drive back home.

About half way I get the crazy idea to pull in to McDonald's for a latte. We couldn't get across traffic in time to make the last Starbucks, so this will have to do. I am exhausted, mentally and physically, and we still have to drive home, unload the car, and get the kids in and ready for bed. I need caffeine to manage this. Do you know what happens when a moving car with sleeping children comes to a stop? They wake. Grouchy. And whiny. So Wayne tapped the brakes the entire way through the long drive-through line to simulate the car in motion. It worked. Sort of.

Back on the road, I'm chugging my latte when I feel something warm on my chest. I hit the map light, and see half my drink on my shirt. And a lid that wasn't fully snapped tight on my cup. Suh-weet.

Finally home.....twelve hours later......I think I'll go by myself next time.