VERY LONG DAY

Based on the previous failures of Garrett's fifth degree hand me down high chair I went looking for a new (used) one on Craig's list. I found an updated model in the style and color that I liked. But it was south of San Jose. The trip down there took much longer than I had anticipated. Due to my high degree of directional ineptitude I had to stop by Fry's to get a new power cord for my GPS because I knew the battery wouldn't make the trip. I looked up our destination and saw that it was just south of San Jose so I thought it would be a quick little detour and then we could go to the Children's museum down there. Gettting to San Jose was an hour fifteen. After that it was we were winding back and forth on a road that just kept going. A full 2 hours later we arrived to pick up Garrett's new high chair. The kids were tired of sitting and getting antsy after being in car so long. Dang my handicap! I didn't realize it would be so far!

I promised the kids relief shortly. The trip back into San Jose didn't seem too long, but by the time we got into the parking lot of the Museum it was nearly 1 pm. I fed everybody lunch right there in the parking lot before we went in. The Museum was loads of fun, as usual!

We were only able to spend a few hours there, but the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I got to take Garrett into the baby's only room. He found a ball and chased it around.

We stayed later than usual and Michael had the only cell phone between us. On the way out I was painfully aware of a modern day lack of pay phones. Cell phones have phased them out. I approached a family in the parking lot and asked to use their phone so I could let my husband know we were on our way home. They were understandably suspicious but were kind enough to let me call, just so long as they dialed the number. I left a message and then went to get in the car and it was dead. Dead as a doornail. We've had problems with the starter, but this was NOT the starter...it was the battery. I knew I could roll start it, but the Cruiser was pointed the wrong direction on the incline in the parking lot. Several strangers coming out of the Children's musuem got involved and after it was determined that nobody out of three families had jumper cables I got in the driver's seat and they pushed the Cruiser backwards and then got behind it for a running start to get it jumpstarted. I poped the clutch and HURRAY!!! We were off! I gave big thanks to all of my impromtu heros and they waved me on with smiles and satisfaction. I got about two blocks away and Ethan informed me at the stop light that Elle was out of her seat belt. I took my foot off the gas to turn around and look while we were stopped at the light and the car died. Right there in the middle of the road. Oh...Crap. It was a totally flat street. Not even a little roll in either direction. Fortunately there was very little traffic that I was impeding. I hit the steering wheel a few times and then had to regroup.

I waved cars around me as they came as I thought about what I was going to do. I had no cell phone. Michael would be expecting me an hour from when I left the message. I had a car full of kids who would be getting hungry. What to do....

I saw two guys walking on the sidewalk opposite of where I was. They looked strong....I bet they could push me started again. I called them over. They tried, but alas the car would not start. We tried going forward and backwards to no avail. They rolled me over to the side of the road where I made a big sign in Ethan's notebook that said, "JUMPER CABLES?". I stood outside the car holding my sign and waited. The two guys felt a vested interest in my situation and stuck around to help. One of them ran back to get their car hoping there would be jumper cables inside. Nope.

It was interesting to see different people's reaction to my sign. Some people pretended not to see me. Others shook their heads sympathetically and shrugged their shoulders as if to say, "No, but I wish I could help."

Finally a young businessman stopped in his porche and GAVE us his jumper cables. He couldn't stick around to wait so he just let us have them. They were short so my helpers had to pull their car up to mine nose to nose for them to reach. They got me started! I insisted that they keep the cables and also gave them a Book of Mormon and shared a little bit of my testimony. By the time we got back on the road the commute traffic was horrible!

It was stops and starts and at one point I had to slam on my brakes. ...see you thought the story was over, right? Well Hunter, who was sound asleap, came flying forward. Car seat and all. Seems someone (Elle) unbuckled his seatbelt. It scared both of us. I pulled over into the left hand shoulder to fix it. Ethan was beside himself. He didn't want to stop because we might not be able to get started again. But he didn't want his brother to get hurt either. "I just want to go home!" he cried. Fortunately I got Hunter seat buckled again while managing to keep the car running. Two and a half hours later we finally got home. Sigh...