We’re adventuring

When Chris and I moved to North Carolina seven years ago, we ultimately became residents of a state that boasts award-winning barbeque, year-round mild weather, mountains and beaches, frequent use of the word y’all and mandatory annual car inspections. And with exception to the last, we were fully aware of what we signed up for, and fully excited for our new, Southern lifestyle. But the last one was a bit elusive to us – Until we got an outrageous bill in the mail because we had been North Carolina-residents for six months and had failed to get our cars inspected. We were all, But we just moved here from IOWA. You know... the HEARTLAND. Go Hawkeyes! And why do you need to inspect my car anyways? And they were all, You owe us $250. Pay it. NOW. And then go get your car inspected. Word to the wise – Don’t mess with the NC-DOT.

And because we are no longer dumb college kids, we now schedule our annual car inspections far in advance of their expiration, and today the Cadillac was due for it’s yearly. And while my wonderful husband usually takes care of all automotive issues, he had a last minute appointment come up and I was put in charge of going to the dealership to get my car inspected. Correction – Taylor and I were going to the dealership. At eight o’clock this morning. And since T’s normal rise-and-shine time is around 7:30, I had to gently wake her up with hugs, kisses and cartoons a bit early in order to get her fed, dressed and ready to leave. Oh, remember the days that you could set your alarm a mere five minutes before you needed to head out the door? And then you have a baby and have to plan all outings at least an hour in advance.

So we left the house at 7:45 and had to fight the morning commute to get to the west side. In the rain. Ugh. And while I miss the convenience of traveling solo, I most certainly do not miss driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic five mornings a week. But, Hey, T and I were on an adventure, and with my giant to-go coffee and bag full of toys with us, we were going to complete our mission with, hopefully, very few tantrums. Because, as I have mentioned, Miss Taylor is a bit irritable in the hours following slumber, and any straying from our normal routine generally prompts a melt-down.

But my girl surprised me. Shocked me, actually. She was such a good girl in the waiting area, and spent the majority of the time exploring the room, checking out all the chairs and nooks and crannies. Oh, and she discovered one of the best magazines of ALL TIME: Highlights.

And after the car inspection was done, I decided to take advantage of being on the west side and treated my little girl to her very first-ever Krispy Kreme donut. And, needless to say, it blew her 21-month old mind.