I promised you guys a story today, and while I’m a bit further from it today and it probably isn’t as dramatic as it felt yesterday, I’d still call it noteworthy at least 😉 Really, it probably would’ve been somewhat normal if not for the morning.
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I loaded the kids into the van to take Dekker to school like every other morning. I buckled two kids, and the other two buckled themselves. I turned the music on and off we went. School is a short drive away. Two or three minutes. I was about halfway there when I realized the sound I was hearing wasn’t the music. It was worse. I paused the music, and sure enough, it was a sound from the van. We had our winter tires off not too long ago, so I wondered if maybe the lug nuts were loose. Was it a rattling sound? It was kind of flappy…
You guys already know what it was…
We had a flaaaaat!! 😩 Like a VERY flat flat!
I took a picture and sent it to Brady. I could’ve limped the van home and let Brady fix it this evening, but I had a nails/wax appointment that afternoon. I could have rescheduled, but I’d get dinged financially for that, so I figured I’d see what Brady said. When we talked, he said right away that he would come home and help me. The thing is, I’m capable of changing a tire. I haven’t done it in a while, but I’ve done it before. I’ve never done it with the bus, though! I’d likely have Brady on the phone talking me through it the whole time anyway, except that he also has never had to change a flat on the van, so there were some unanswered questions. How to detach the spare, could I loosen the lug nuts myself, etc.
The kids and I waited in the van while he drove to us. I had an offer from a friend to drive us home, but I figured we could stick it out. I considered taking them over to the playground and just killing some time there while we waited, but my little miss independent insisted on coming out this morning in only a little sleeveless nightie that was small on her last year. 🙄 So we were stuck in the van. Thankfully, the good tunes were rolling and everyone was content.
Brady came like a night in shining armour, full of smiles and ready to help. He made this inconvenience a lovely visit, with no angst or frustration. He just rolled with it, and peeked playfully at the kids through the van windows. Laela found a rainbow, which was not only a really sweet little moment for her, but made for some beautiful pictures!
Man, she’s gorgeous!! 😍
Thankfully, our spare tire was a real tire, and in perfect condition. He jacked the van up and got the tire switched out in no time! Easy peasy.
He took the other one back to the city with him in hopes that our tire shop could salvage it. (Spoiler alert: They could not. Its shot, and we’ll have to buy a new one.) He left it there and headed back to work.
I killed about 1.5 hours with the kids at home before we headed back to the city to inconvenience Brady once again. This one had been planned in advance, at least, but I felt like a TOTAL jerk doing this to him twice in one day!
We switched spots in the van, and he hung with the kids during lunch while I went to my pampering appointment. Guilt, much? None from Brady, but ALL kinds on my end! I got all refreshed while his time ticked away. But he was wonderful about it, and I truly enjoyed my time. And I love my fresh new nails!
Pretty, right? Spring! Sunshine! Also, peaches, according to Dekker. No, you’re not crazy. They’re not peach. Not at all. (Also, forgive my gouged out thumb. Ouch!)
I swapped Brady out to take the kids home, and he reminded me to grab myself some late lunch on the drive home. I said I would, for sure, and decided to get soup and a bagel at the Tim Hortons on the outskirts of the city. Then my soup would have the least amount of time to cool off before I could eat it. Upon arriving there, I was less than thrilled to see the drive-thru closed! I don’t mean to be lazy and not go in just because the drive-thru was closed, but I didn’t want to drag my three children inside (one of which was fast asleep already) for food. So, we drove home instead. Or, rather, we drove back to our town. It was too close to the end of the school day to go home, so my rockstar children waited in their seats, again, for school to let out. They were SO patient! We finally made it home and those kids rocketed out of the van. Solly usually waits to be lifted out of his seat but the moment his buckles were open, he slid out of his seat like a wet noodle. He was READY.
With the way the day had gone, it was obvious that Brady would be working late. Which was a TOTAL bummer because I was going to have to be out this evening at a meeting. While I had seen Brady at unusual times in the day, I felt like we’d spend NO time together! Getting home, however, it was plain to see how many daily things I usually do to keep our home running, and even plainer (yup, plainer) to see that I hadn’t accomplished a single one of those things ALL DAY. So I let the right people know I wouldn’t be at the meeting, and that way I can get my house back in order without bailing on my husband a third time in just one day. And maybe actually see him for a bit.
My biggest takeaway from today is how important our demeanours are, and how our attitudes affect those of others. Today could have been SO much worse if my husband decided to fault me for the flat, or guilt me about my frivolous appointment, but he didn’t. I’m so thankful for that, and for him.
I could brag about you (and your cookie shirt) aaaaall day, Brady <3
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Full disclosure, I wrote a lot of this out yesterday so it would be fresh in my memory. It felt so trivial as I was writing it out. Like, c’mon Hailey, roll with the punches a little! But literally, after putting the kids down to bed yesterday, I slept from 7:30-8:00 while Brady lovingly put together some supper for us. And then he and I were both cashed out asleep by 10:00. Sooooo apparently it was a legitimately exhausting day, not just in my head! Wow! What a Monday! 10/10 do NOT recommend! 👎 But we lived!!