I find it fascinating how life goes sometimes.

Take this scenario for instance.

You have children ranging in ages 8-newborn. You must go to the store to get essentials.

It takes you at least an hour to get ready to go to the store for 5 items. In between breaking up melt-downs and knock-down-drag-outs between the 8 and 5 year old, you have to comfort the 18 month old, change his diaper and get various goodies packed in the diaper bag. Right when you finally get ready to leave and everyone is bundled, even though you planned this all SO WELL, either the baby needs to nurse or has a blow out in her diaper.

So you get that taken care of, gather the scattered kids again and FINALLY make it to the van. Don't forget going out in the rain and wind because you can't park in your single-car garage because your hubby NEEDS it for the motorcycle that he rides twice a month, 3 months out of the year.

You arrive at the store, only to find that all the parking spaces NEAR the door are taken. So the search begins. Whatever, you get tired of that and take the closest one you can get and unstrap everyone. Send the 8 year old for a cold and wet shopping cart so you can put the baby's car seat on it and somehow get the 18 month old strapped in somewhere. You finally get yourself and the kids into the store and commence the shopping.

When you come out, it starts all over again. But you finally get smart enough and let the kindly older gentleman who bags your groceries and gives your children candy, help you out to your van so that you can focus on getting the cold kids inside and out of the wind while he puts your bags in-AND (now this is the best part)- takes your cart back in the store for you!!

This was my life 4 and 5 years ago. Going ANYWHERE I just wished for a spot fairly close to the door, especially when it was windy or cold. Rain, I don't mind. What I found fascinating was any time I went anywhere without my kids, there was almost ALWAYS a parking spot right near the door!?!? What is up with that!??! Does God just sit up there and laugh and slap His knee and think to Himself "Man, this is fun! I LOVE my job!!!"

It still happens. Getting them to and from is not as hard as it used to be. But it never fails that when they are NOT with me, there are open spots close to the door all over the place and when they ARE with me, we can't find anything to save our lives!!!

So when I see all the spots and they are NOT with me, I do what I think is best and drive past the spots and park farther away. I am hoping some parent with young children will happen upon it right when they need it most. I can hope anyway, right?? Likely some able bodied young ruffian will shoot right on into the spot they don't need and make a poor mother drive all over and drag her tiny kids through the rain and wind. I will try to think positively about it.

Can anyone else with young kids relate???