So I was at Paiz today...

...getting the infamous school supplies for the beginning of school next week. We had new student orientation this morning as well as the end of our in-service meetings for the week...and I decided that instead of going home and eating first, I...or I should say "we" since the kids were with me...I hear all moms of youngsters going "Why are you breaking the cardinal sin of motherhood?"...which of course is never take your children shopping when they are hungry...even if it is just for school supplies. Ok...where was I? Oh yes, entering Paiz with one screaming child. Lily was very upset because Maya & Caden each got to take in a list and a pen for checking off things we needed and she could not understand that she could not take in her set of markers and tablet that would be dropping all over the floor during our trip in the store. Hola...look at the gringo mom with her screaming child. Everyone was very nice and smiled at us a lot which helped me keep my temper which was getting short after 10 minutes of wailing because she realized that though Maya & Caden got to pick out things she couldn't...kind of like rubbing salt in a wound...good lessons to learn but not suggested on an empty stomach...and wailing is the correct term for what was happening. So we found a few things from the list but realized shortly into our list that there were about 10 things we would not be finding there. I had to pick up a few groceries as well and on Fridays they have samples of many things, like Sam's club does, and the ladies smiled as they explained their wares and where they were located...none of which I could understand...but we munched and "Gracias"-ed a lot and enjoyed the rest of our trip. At the check out we got through fine and then ran into Liz Ramos, the school recruiter, who volunteered to help us go to the "libreria" (paper/book store) to get everything else. So we headed down the strip mall to the store...literally downhill... which was tricky on a narrow sidewalk with a full shopping cart & 3 kids. The store had everything else we needed...except a bathroom but Lily was strong as I ran with her back up the hill to Paiz...I have told you we are at 5000 feet here right...huffing & puffing but we made it. Yeah! By the time we got back to Liz & Caden & Maya they had all of our needs collected. So Liz left to finish her shopping and we stood in line to pay. Just at that moment a giant stroke of lightning slammed down from the sky somewhere near and made everyone in the shopping center jump at least 3 feet. And then down came the rain...literally sheets, made car alarms in the parking lot go off it rained so hard! So we pushed our now fuller cart up the hill back to the main entrance and then sat there for at least 10 minutes waiting for the rain to subside enough to make it back to the car. It didn't let up! It was now 1:45pm and no one had eaten since 7:30 am except the few snips of things in Paiz. "Forget it," I said, "let's go." So we took off between cars and walked to our car because even if it is pouring you can't run in parking lots. We popped the car open and within about 30 seconds things were unloaded but you can't leave carts in the lot...so I walked it back up the hill to the cart corral. The water flowing down the parking lot went through my shoes it was so deep! By the time I got back to the car I was literally soaked through! The 2 minute trip home was amazing...being here even three weeks and you lose the idea of how hilly everything is...but flowing water rushing down the boulevard has a way of helping you remember...there was water pouring out of everywhere, half of the left lane of the uphill side of the boulevard was filled with about 6 inches of water, and at the bottom of the gullies the water rushed down whatever drainage system there is. Certain drains actually had water shooting out of them and running down on top of the ground again! Deluge is the only way to describe it. So we got back to our condo complex and the rain is pounding so hard on our gatekeeper's roof that he can't hear us honk...So I had get out, run through the river flowing next to the side of the road, and ring the doorbell. Fransisco smiled at me through his dry little window and with his umbrella opened the gate for us drowned rats...who had to try to still back into our carport with the big van and unload our now soggy school supplies and finally sat down for lunch at 2:15 pm. So as the sun streams through our windows now and dry clothes are on...two things have been learned. 1st: Umbrella will not be left behind again...because the rain comes and we will not be caught without it again! 2nd: Snacks will be stored in the car. Good lessons to learn and it always seems to take an adventure to learn the most practical lessons. Hope your day was good and much drier. God bless as He leads you on your next adventure in life.