This weekend Will’s little sis, K was in a play.  She is attending local performing arts classes and they finish each semester with a performance.  We hadn’t intended to go, as the going would involve a good bit of driving, but late Thursday night Sister turned her puppy dog eyes to Daddy and suddenly our plans changed.  It was decided that Will would take off early Friday so we could arrive in time but by then there were only Saturday night tickets available and our plans changed again.  Saturday found us traveling the turnpike west toward OKC (that’s Oklahoma City for you non-Okies).  This particular stretch of road is divided neatly into thirds by the quintessential American road stop… McDonald’s.  I would love to say McDonald’s is an establishment we avoid. Indeed before I had children I swore I would never take them there but … plans change. (It’s a running theme in my life.)  We had deftly avoided two of the golden arch stops and were almost past the third when Brother declares he needs his diaper changed.  A sudden odor in car confirms his statement and initiates a not so golden detour.

We exit at the last moment and park in a somewhat shady spot near a tree.  While I take care of Brother, Sister and Will go inside to get some drinks.  Interestingly, Brother does not need changed.  He’s not even wet.  I let him get out of the car and play in the shade while we wait.  Will and Sister return.  We are ready to get in the car when suddenly I feel sick to my stomach.  I go inside to use the restroom while the three of them sip on ice tea and take their turn at waiting.  When I get to the restroom I no longer feel sick - not even a little.  I puzzle over this as I wash my hands.  I am almost to the exit when I see Will and the children coming back inside.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting a refill.”

“You already drank that all of that?!”  (He got the largest size they had.)

“No.  I used it to put out the fire.”

“The fire?!”

“Yep and I think I deserve a free refill.”

A series of questions reveals that while my family was waiting for their not sick mother.  Sister spied a fire just beginning to grow in a bush near the building.  She alerted Will.

“Look dad, there’s a fire.”

Will scans the horizon looking for a grass fire.  “Where?” 

“There.”  Sister points.

“Oh, there!”

Using only his quick wits and beverage, Will calms the flames long enough for a volunteer fireman (who just happened to be out dining with his family) to come and finish the job.

We thought about it later.  In all the time we’ve ever lived in Oklahoma, in all the times (too many to count) we’ve ever traveled that road, we have never stopped at that particular place.  We wouldn’t have stopped that day except to change a boy that didn’t need changed and we wouldn’t have stuck around long enough for Sister to spot the flames except to wait for a mom who wasn’t sick.

“How can we understand the road we travel? It is the LORD who directs our steps.”

Proverbs 20:24 (New Living Translation)

The incident quickly became a memory when we arrived in OKC and were introduced to the grandparent’s new hot tub.  A quick bit of splashing and a simple steak dinner ( simple steak dinner - seems like an oxymoron doesn’t it?) were followed by one of the best junior productions of anything I’ve ever seen.  The children were enthralled and I found myself wishing my friend Leslie and her sweet daughter could have joined us for if anyone would appreciate Suessical it would be they.

After the curtain call and congratulations were over, Will and I packed up Brother in the car and headed back to Tulsa for the night.  Sister stayed for a slumber party and the promise of a visit to Sam Noble’s Museum of Natural HIstory. 

A good time was had by all.