Spontaneity

I did something rare today - I made a spontaneous trip to Wal-Mart.

When I think about my life now and my life two years ago, it's truly crazy that a trip to purchase Ziploc bags, cat food and corn dogs is now the height of my spontaneity. Once upon a time my husband and I would make random trips to Wal-Mart at 11pm to buy Mouse Trap because, well, we hadn't played it since we were kids and that sounded like fun. These days that would either require one of us to stay home or both of us being irresponsible enough to believe that our two kids, confined to their cribs couldn't possibly burn the place down if left alone (and trust me, the latter isn't happening).

In addition, having become an avid coupon shopper, I tend, these days, to plan my trips to the store days in advance. For example, I know that I'm going to the grocery store tomorrow because Wednesdays are when I grocery shop. If I intend to go to any other store I decide whether to go in the morning, with the kids, or in the evening, leaving the kids with Daddy. Afternoons don't work because that's when Micaiah naps. I'll then need to consider Emmett's feeding schedule - can't go when it's time to nurse! And once the time and day are established I set to work creating an organized list, pulling coupons and being prepared with a full plan of action.

This is how my life works. I am comfortable with that.

So, today, when I realized at 10am I had two hours until hubby would be home for lunch, Emmett had a full belly and we had no other morning plans, I had the crazy thought, "We could go to Wal-Mart!" Now, in full disclosure, I had actually planned the coupon/list part of the trip yesterday, but I had yet to choose when, this week, it would actually happen. So to decide on a whim this morning felt almost like crazy talk.

And then, once decided, I had to change two diapers, clothe two children, clothe and mascara myself, gather the list, print last minute coupons (yay for free tub fizzies), put two babies in the carseats, be sure I had my coupon binder, cell phone and purse, run by the bank to deposit some checks and then finally pull into Wal-Mart.

Let's review, we live three miles from Wal-Mart. I decided at 10am that would be our morning activity. I pulled into the parking lot right at 11am. And this is why we don't do random shopping trips anymore. We're talking serious time commitment.

And yet, today, I did.

And I felt free and downright giddy (but that could have been the free tub fizzies talking).