here's to you, stranger man

remember how i wrote that i deserved a merit badge for cleaning up poop after avery threw up, whilst the cable guy was in the house? (oh, you don't remember? it's HERE) well, after a little over a year of this gig, those are daily occurrences. so, i'm taking back my merit badge, and i'm just rewarding myself with a cookie.

what i would like to do is give out some merit badges. moms NEED others. it takes a village y'all. and today, i was pretty blown away by the compassion of a stranger while i found myself in a new situation, you know, in the middle of the street. let's start there, shall we?

on our way back from metairie (our first mistake...) we were getting off the highway coming down claiborne, and something fell off of a truck, and while I didn't see what it was, i heard a horrible sound. and i thought it sounded like when i'm threading the bobbin on my sewing machine and something goes wrong. that makes sense, yes? anyway, I arrive at claiborne and jackson, in the middle lane (locals... i mean, not the best place. like, hello fast cars coming off the freeway! hello horrible drivers! hello new orleans drivers!) so, subi-sub won't start. just dies. and i don't know what to do. like, in the immediate moment, what do you do? (that's an actual question.) i always call ken, but what can he really do, cars are zooming past me, honking like crazy mothers, and i got some precious cargo with me, the Peanut is seconds from snoozing and i'm just, in.the.middle.of.the.road.

in walks our guardian angel. cue stage right. this man gets my attention and offers to push our car out of  the middle of the road. he comes to us, risking his life as people are passing my stalled car so damn fast, and he's CALM AS A CUCUMBER. he waits till the light is red, i put the girl in neutral and he PUSHES US AROUND THE CORNER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. LIKE SUPERMAN. i tell him, you are a blessing. he waves and gets back in his car. then sees me minutes later, 30 weeks pregnant, get out and start to look at the car, not under it, but that's what i wanted to do, and he drives over to us and offers more help. i mean, this man. a stranger.

no verdict on the car, but Ken came and then later a tow truck and we're safe- all that matters. it is the end of the month and we didn't exactly budget for a "random falling debris eating our car engine" expense. but, we're good.

but this man, his name is Frank. i just want to send him a dozen roses. 5 supreme pizzas. a fruit basket. a bear hug.

i was in a bind, and he stopped his day to help. we're always in such a hurry, and he very well could have been himself, and he might have been late to his next destination, but i hope he realizes what a solid dude he is.

and from here, where do we go. for one, i think if we knew that the recepient of our good will would feel so thankful, as I am towards this man, we would stop our lives to help others all the time. so that's it, i'm sure you could call it "pay it forward" but rather, i would dream that this would define a decent human being. could you imagine?

oh you guys, make someone's day today. just do it.

(finding our shadow, while we wait for dad)