This is part one of a two part series! I have stories to tell! Partly because I want you to know what's going on, but mostly because I need to remember these forever. So I will document them here.
I was on the bus with the boys by myself. We were returning home from Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). The ride there was great. We all had seats...the boys had Cheerios... everyone was happy. The ride back however was not so smooth. For starters I went back to the street that we arrived on to get back on the bus and head home, only to realize it was a one way street, heading downtown not uptown as we needed to go. After a minor internal panic, I went to reach for my phone to call Aaron so he could give me directions on how to get home. Only to realize that I didn't have my purse. Important side note - Jonathan has not had his morning nap. It's 11:45, both boys are used to eating by noon. I wasn't set up for success.
I returned to the church to get my purse. I knew exactly where I had left it. It was on the table where I had "loaded up" AKA: Jonathan on my back in a carrier, Austin in the stroller so he could hop off and get on the bus, and lunch box attached to the stroller easily accessible so I could fed the boys on the way home. My purse just hadn't been a priority apparently! Hey...I made it out of the church with both children...I felt that was a success.
Back to the story - I was able to find a sweet gal from BSF who gave me directions on where to get on the bus I needed. It was a short walk, I was thankful. The bus took FOREVER! Austin decided he didn't want his shoes on. I am in a dress with Jonathan on my back in the middle of the street trying to get the shoe back on - again and again....ahhh! Finally the bus arrives. Immediately upon seeing it I said out loud "OH Great". It was PACKED! I am a wide load with a baby on my back, purse hanging in front, Austin in one hand, stroller in the other. But we have to get on...so we did. There were several other children on the bus along with some senior citizens and handicap people. What does this mean? No one offers us a seat. No problem...Austin just hang on! Austin keeps looking at me telling me he wants to eat his lunch. Lesson learned - DO NOT TELL AUSTIN WE'LL EAT ON THE BUS - just in case we can't! To make a long story longer, the bus started to clear and we finally got two seats. Jonathan's in my lap, Austin next to me, and my feet are "securing" the stroller. I open the lunch bag. Breathe. It's going to be OK. Until of course, both boys decide they don't want the pizza cracker I made (which they loved day before). Austin announces he doesn't want it. Jonathan spits it out. Me...I'm flustered again...so much for breathing! In this moment, Austin shoves my purse down which pushes up against the stroller which then goes falling across the bus hitting the person in front of us. Yes - welcome to my reality. The lady next looks over with a ton of compassion in her eyes and says, "Do you want me to hold your stroller?" Well of course I do. She then struck up conversation of her raising her three kids in the city. She identified that it's very difficult. Then it happens. She says, "You're doing a beautiful job." There was nothing beautiful about anything this sweet woman had witnessed. We were a mess. She said it again, "Really. You're doing a beautiful job." I smiled in relief. It was the exact words I needed to get us through the rest of the ride which was thankfully much better. But that sweet momma of three, saw herself years ago in me. Perhaps provided for me what someone did for her one day. I'd run into an angel!
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