My Target run Saturday turned into a grueling two hour stint. I was on a mission to grab a few things. Here's the list.

I knew each item would be easy to throw in the basket, with the exception of two things: wonder and a dress.

I had no idea what wonder was supposed to be. Autocorrect changed whatever it was I'd needed. For the life of me I couldn't remember.

The other sure to be difficult item I was shopping for was a dress. I don't like wearing dresses (which is likely odd for a preacher's wife.) In addition to finding dresses uncomfortable is my thought that there seems to be a junior section and then a business dress/mumu section. I just can't make myself do any of those.

After shopping for more than two hours I got everything on the list except for a dress and the mystery item, wonder. In place of wonder I got a bag of M&Ms and a package of Snickers that were on sale. It seemed appropriate at the time.

I checked out and rolled the shopping cart back into line before getting behind a small family who insisted upon walking horizontally (where I couldn't get around them.). So I walked behind them out the doors and into the parking lot.

In classic fashion I fumbled for my keys at the car even though I'd placed them in the blue zipper bag in my purse in effort to make them easy to find. My bags were getting heavier and more bundle-some as I searched.

I opened the car door, relieved, only to be slapped in the face by a paper that decided to escape its home in the backseat. The wind obliged the escapee's decision to flee and sent it up and out of my grasp. I had to immediately choose what I'd do.

Would I try to untangle the bags (which were wrapped around my wrist like a maze) so that I could chase the paper down?

Would I run after the paper, bags in tow?

Would I shrug and go about my business as usual, putting the bags in the seat and then leave?

Not having a desirable option I just stood there emphatically and watched the paper gracefully floating beyond my grasp (which I guess means I littered, but try to stick with me here.) It was clear to me that it was out of my reach. No amount of grappling would have enabled me to have stopped its flight.

I was helpless to my circumstances. Something was happening beyond myself, so I did the thing I could...I watched. And I was in awe.

My husband Jason and I celebrated our 23rd anniversary yesterday. He and I have always took time to celebrate one another...on Fridays, in flirty texts and with goodnight kisses. The years are still flying by.

I wrote a note on my daughter's lunch this morning reminding her that she's on the brink of seniordom. It's not a surprise to us.

The other two children are changing quickly even I though I keep excellent records of their height, and their latest goings-on.

Time passes us by even when we chase it, trying to force it to cease, or at least pause.

There comes a time when we realize that we're the only one's we can still. Sometimes our only choice is to watch beauty as it slips through our hands.

Maybe wonder was supposed to be on my list after all.

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