close one

I got pulled over Friday! As I made a left out of Mya's school, the popo got behind me and turned on his lights. I was so confused. The only thing I had done was stop for some jaywalkers. I thought, what, did he want me to run them over? So we pulled to the side of the road and as he walked up I asked, "What did I do?" I forgot to be charming and ask how he was doing, wups. He informed me that I made an illegal left turn out of the school parking lot. I was like, "What?! I do that every day! Are there signs?" And he said yes actually two large ones that are not hidden at all. Ugh. I thought to myself, yeah, nobody reads those.

Then he asked me for my drivers license. Oh man, I panicked. Who knows where I put that little card. It could be so many places. In my wallet? Nah, too easy. In my change purse/wallet that I sometimes throw in my diaper bag? Nope, not there. I apologized and told him I was totally flustered and that it was definitely in my purse, just didn't know exactly where. He smiled and was super patient with me. Meanwhile Winter was yelling at me in the back seat wanting to know what the nice man in the uniform wanted. Addie was saying "Hiiii! Hiiii! Hiiii!" and waving. Angus was asleep thank goodness. Didn't need a crying baby on top of it all. I finally found it after what seemed like an eternity. I said, "So sorry, I have too many kids." It's true. 

How am I supposed to know where my ID is when I usually just throw it in my purse after they card me at Target for buying wine. I'm 34 people! By the time I get to the checkout, the baby in the Ergo is grabbing at my face and the credit card swiping machine as I try to swipe my card. Addie's usually yelling and trying to get out of the stroller. My purse is way too low hanging on the stroller for me to grab my wallet and put my ID exactly where it is supposed to go. And that's just two kids. What about the other two that are dancing, twirling, grabbing heavy bags from the checkout lady and jumping up on counter tops. It's a wonder my ID makes it home with me. And those silly checkers. They should know me by now. I'm in there like thrice a week. I know them. They know me. And yet they ask to see my ID every time. 

But I don't think the nice policeman wants to hear my Target story so I simply say, "I have too many kids" because it kind of covers any short comings I have these days. He laughed and went back to his car. Winter asked worried, "Is he gonna keep your driver license?!" She only knows about those because she got one at Disneyland after driving little cars on the race track. It's very precious to her and she'd be pissed if some guy walked off with it. 

I assured her that he was just borrowing it.

So he came back and said, "Well, I rarely do this but I'm going to let you go with a warning today." I could have hugged him. He gave me some story about knowing the principal and how she was really on him to ticket people lately because of the danger it caused to students when the traffic laws weren't being enforced. Okay, whatever. Whew! We cannot afford a ticket right now. And when exactly am I supposed to take traffic school? I don't think you can bring a breastfeeding baby.

Not sure why he let me go. I could say I looked extra cute that morning but that's never the case. I didn't even brush my teeth. I barely make it out of the house most mornings that Dan is working. Sometimes my flip flops match, sometimes they don't. I have 4 kids to get fed, dressed and into the car. I always ask the girls as we drive away if there are 4 kids in the car. I'm half serious. I always fear I'll leave one of them behind one of these days. 

SO, I'm thinking he gave me a warning because of the fire sticker on the back. Or maybe my "Faith, Hope & Love" sticker. That's always nice to see. Or maybe he was a Hume Lake fan? OR maybe he appreciated how clean my van was since I just got it washed. Who knows.