The Road Trip That Almost Wasn't: A Mary Story

This week at "Mommy Monsters," I'm blogging about the Catholic New Media Celebration and the Road Trip I'm taking with Sarah Reinhard (and our kids). We've dubbed it the "Jet Setting is for Sissies Road Trip 2008," and both of us are already considering next year's trip (with or without each other).

Last night, we were heading out of the Convention Center, on our way to a cabin at Lake Altoona, where my parents were taking care of Christopher and getting ready to celebrate Dad's 68th birthday. We were about to get on I-285 around Atlanta, when we heard that it had been closed until 7 p.m. that evening because of a car accident.

Up until that time, Sarah and I had been relying upon "Gertrude," my GPS system. Gertrude was adamantly insisting that we make a U-TURN and get back on the Interstate. We were not about to do that ... but we are also VERY bad at reading maps. So, what to do, what to do.. "Get on 20W, then 61N," my Dad suggested.

But how? I'll let Sarah tell the rest of the story now ...

"So ... we were toodling around, trying to figure out how to get to 20, and Heidi says, 'Mary, you love children, and we have a baby on board who is at the end of her rope. Not to mention the baby's Mommy. Not to mention the three other kids. We need help to figure out how to get home. Can you send us a sign, or some help or something? Hail Mary, full of grace..."

No sooner did we get the last words out, then we saw the bright blue sign. "To 20..."

Thanks, Mary.