Lesson #3 - The Less You Want To Learn Something, The More You Probably Need To Know It.

Dear Laney,

Yesterday, I loaded you up in the new car and headed into town because we were going to go to our first swim class. I was so excited to get you out in public in your bathing suit.

As we got halfway down Petty Creek Road, the Tire Alert light came on in our car. I pulled over to the side of the road and sure enough - we had a flat. We were four miles from home and seven miles to town, and it's not like Petty Creek gets a lot of traffic. And I don't need to tell you that we don't have cell service in Alberton, because your baby ears have already heard me complain enough about THAT telecommunications nightmare.

So, I got out of the car - in my Crocs - walked around the car in the mud, and changed the tire. I rolled down the back window so I could talk to you in your car seat the whole time I was doing it. What I hoped you were learning from this process was that women can do anything, there's no sense in panicking, and it's always good to be prepared for anything.

What I learned from this experience was that these ain't tire-changin' shoes:

On the way back home, I thought about how lucky I was that Tex had taught me to change a tire back when I was in high school. He also taught me how to drive a stick shift, which has saved my butt on numerous occasions. When we were safely home, I called Tex to thank him for that automotive safety lesson almost 20 years ago. I thought it would be a touching phone call, one parent to another...but he said "What's WRONG with your TIRE? That car is NEW!" etc. etc. So much for the Hallmark moment.

The lesson here is that when your dad starts demonstrating all of his crazy survival skills, you should maybe pay attention, because you just never know.

I do know I was proud of us yesterday.

Love,

Mom