When I set out for Aldi and ended up at Audi

Life is a grand obstacle course.

It starts early: look at what it takes for a tiny human to even get out of his mom's body!

Then notice all the tumbles and bumps it takes for a child to learn to walk.

There's a pretty standard set of obstacles that most children go through at a fairly standard pace. Some, however, face insurmountable obstacles early on, and parents are forced to recalculate and innovate to navigate the course.

At some point,  the obstacles differentiate greatly, and one adult's obstacle course looks very different from another's. 

Some people enjoy navigating through obstacles; others despise it. Maybe it's why some adults manage to appear happy most of the time, while others are plain down grumpy every time they hit an obstacle. In my lenthening experience of being an adult, I've discovered that, on my course at least, obstacles are everywhere. I can either embrace it, or hate my life.

All that to preface how I set out for Aldi and ended up at Audi.

 ......

I planned my day:

Take child to Grandma's,  pick up Walmart order, get a huge amount of buns at Aldi, go home.

Obstacle 1: Thanks to Craig's dad reminding him that we had the Expedition scheduled for some work at the repair shop, my Big Vehicle was absent.  I remembered this when I was ready to load my children into it.

Recalculate.

Plan B: Take Toyota Corolla.  All children to Grandma's.  Get Things. Bring things home. Empty car. Retrieve children. 

Obstacle 2: The children who were supposed to be sitting calmly in the car waiting for their mother were, well, not sitting calmly.

Recalibrate. 

Children exit car. Children wait in line, get in car one at a time. Buckle in. Keep your bodies to yourself. Thank you.

Obstacle 3: Forget to add air to tire. Oh well, it will be okay. It's still plump. It's not that far. It'll be fine.

Execute Plan B.  Walmart? Check. Aldi? Check.

Look at tire.

Oh, duds and bummers.

I can't drive home on a pancake! At least it was a little plumper than a crepe- I could limp somewhere to get air. 

But where

Can I find air?

It's all around 

Yet can't be found. 

"Hey, sir!" I said to the guy parked beside me. "Where is the closest place I can find air for my tire?"

He looked around.  "Go to the dealership across the road. They will have air."

My courage and pride both felt a little wilted at that moment,  but it truly was the best option. So I drove my dusty, rusty, out-of-shape 2007 Toyota Corolla to the Audi dealership, past the blue and red and black grand, brand new vehicles,  and asked for air.

The fatherly gentleman at the desk was very kind, told me where to pull in for air, and served me himself.

"My car feels a bit out of place here," I said.

"Why is that?" 

"I've been driving it a long time!"

"You've gotten your money's worth out of it."

Yes, indeed.

And that is how my trip to Aldi ended up at Audi.

Now-off to face the next set of obstacles!

Our toddler, equipped and ready to face the obstacles!