Not a REAL woman

I seriously thought I was keeping it all together! Each day someone asks me a question like, "How are you surviving as a mom of 6?" And each time I smile and tell people it is easier than I thought it would be and that everything is going really well! I truly believe that it was harder to go from 1 kid to 2 than it was to go from 3 kids to 6. Language issues and all! I was even doing super well yesterday when Ben had school board and left at 3:30. I thought 'NO PROBLEM." I fed the kids, did homework, picked up the kitchen, got Joseph ready for his 1st soccer practice, got the other 2 boys ready for baseball, started laundry and left the house to take everyone where they needed to go. And I still thought all was well.

I dropped the boys off at practice, took Joseph to Grandpa's so that Grandpa could drive him to Richland for practice and then went to Fred Meyer to get gas in the van. I punched in my number to get my discount, pushed the button to pay at the window (I had 2 gift cards I was going to use) and happily filled up my COMPLETELY EMPTY van. It wasn't until the van was filled that I looked for my purse. It wasn't there. In one of those sickening moments when you are feeling both stupid and horrified all at once I remembered that I had left it in the Suburban and I also remembered that I had told myself at least 3 times to get it out of the Suburban before practices... OH.MY.GOODNESS!

I walked to the window and when Ken (the Fred Meyer gas station attendant) looked at me I started babbling incoherently. It went something like this, "I forgot my purse in the other car I can't believe I did this it has never happened before I know Russ the manager he will vouch for me I don't know what to do I don't have any ID I can't believe this happened and I have to go get the boys from practice and my husband is at a meeting and I can't believe I did this and what do you want me to do I have never done this before I thought I had it and I am so very sorry..." He sighed (very loudly) and told me that he had to register it as a "drive off" but as long as I come back soon to pay for it, it SHOULD be fine. (Meaning the police won't be looking for me - yet) He told me that he was getting off at 7 and I should come back before then.

I was panicking slightly as I got back into the van (the 3 girls were completely oblivious to the whole thing and were happily watching Mermadia). How would I get the boys, and get my purse and be back to Fred Meyer by 7? I called my most wonderful Mother-In-Law and asked meekly, "Are you going to Fred Meyer soon by any chance?" She told me that she was actually on her way to see Grandma and asked what I needed. I told her the story (probably without punctuation) and she laughed - sort of. She said she would go right now to pay for it and then go see Grandma.

I guess Ken was maybe slightly irritated when she got back to pay. He did not laugh when she told him that, "my daughter-in-law wants you to know she isn't a lunatic." He just responded, "Russ says Hi." Jan asked, "Russ who?" and Ken told her, "Oh, she will know".

My own Grandma would actually be horrified by this story - I think about her EVERYTIME I leave my purse. When we used to watch Dukes of Hazard and Daisy would get arrested (again) she would ALWAYS say, "That Daisy Duke is not a REAL woman! Real women never go ANYWHERE without their purse!"

Jan is holding onto the receipt. Ken told her to, just in case. Gas theft and "Drive Offs" are serious business around here so if you see the police hauling me off - just call my mother-in-law, she has the receipt.

When I called Jan this morning she asked right away if there were any other bills she needed to pay... :) Funny.