What do you mean I can't drive on ice?

Winter is finally here. It started on Saturday when it was a cold and dreary day. Misty rain and a high of 42. Woo hoo. These are days that make you want to just stay home and snuggle under your blankets to watch The Hallmark Channel, while your kids tear up the house because they can't go outside.

We had a brunch for the ladies at our church Sat. morning. As I was driving there, I turned on a road and was singing along to KLOVE when I noticed a police car coming the opposite direction. Force of habit and I tap my breaks. I didn't even realize how fast I was going. He quickly put his lights on and I just pulled over to the side of the road to pull out my drivers licence and insurance while he made a u turn to come behind me.

I knew I deserved a ticket. I think I was speeding but can't be really sure since I didn't look at my speedometer. If I was speeding it was 10 miles over.

He came to get my stuff asked me my correct address and said he would be right back. I then realized that I didn't even lower my radio. I just kept singing along.

He came back after a couple of minutes and said he was not going to issue me a citation, I just needed to slow down. How nice was that!!

It reminded me of how God gives me mercy and grace especially when I don't deserve it. I didn't deserve to be let off the hook, but the guy gave me a break.

On Sunday, it was pretty icy at our Little House on the Prairie. We didn't make it to Sunday school, but we made it to church.

Let me back up a bit. Last year we had that terrible ice storm. One of those times, Hubster was out of town and after a week of isolation I was ready for some sort of adult contact and didn't want to cook. I loaded the boys in the car and told them we were going to McDonald's. Even that sounded good and I'm not really a McDonald's fan.

I forgot that I don't know how to drive on ice. Our house if up a ways from the road. If you go to the house from the road, you go up a couple of little hills on the driveway. So if you go from the house to the road, you go down the hills. Get it?

I backed the car up out of the garage. So far so good. I noticed the 3" of ice on the drive, but totally ignored it. I drove down the drive, down the hills never putting on my gas. The car went down on it's own. When I stopped at the road, the car continued to go just a little so I turn the steering wheel so that I could turn left. But the car didn't cooperate with me. It had ideas of it's own. It kept going straight. Next thing you know, I'm in the ditch across from my house. I sure made it far.

The kids were scared but I tried to reassure them that nothing was wrong. What could possibly be wrong? The car was in a ditch with the right rear tire up in the air.

I called Hubster, like he was going to be able to help from where he was. He called some guys from the office to come help me. While waiting, my neighbor came by and started to attempt to pull me out. Then a whole crew of guys from Hubster's office came to help. They were excited because they were able to get out of the office and play in the ice.

They all helped pull me out and then it was time to go UP the driveway. They had to pull me with with a chain because the hills just weren't allowing the car to go up. Stubborn car.

Then they pushed me up into the garage. I parked the car then decided that I'd be staying home until Hubster came home. The guys asked if I needed them to get me anything, I said no while my kids were yelling from the back seat, "McDonald's please mom". I still said no and the guys went back to work, but not before playing in the ice. But see, I got my adult contact. Ha Ha.

So back to Sunday. While Hubster was driving, the boys were remembering how mom got stuck in a ditch and how mom doesn't know how to drive on ice. Then they proceeded to tell daddy that he needed to give me ice driving lessons. They still laugh about it.

I write stories about how my boys do crazy things and they make me laugh. It wouldn't be any fun if I didn't laugh at their expense. I suppose it would be OK if they laughed at me when I did crazy things. At least they know that mom can't drive in ice and snow and they sure aren't getting McDonald's during that time.