One of many harrowing moments in Jessica's life.

Just got this heart-wrenching email from Jessica with a happy ending. Hard for a Papa to read, imagining his poor hungry kids unable to eat! It's actually probably a good experience for them, to be so thoroughly disappointed but realize life goes on. It's actually helpful for me, too..

From Jessica:

We had an interesting night.  Went to IKEA with the intention of getting some cheap and attractive paper plates/cups etc.  Small-land had a 40 minute wait so we played in the rugs for a bit before heading up for dinner.  Boys were great.  Waited patiently in a long cafeteria line diligently steering their own IKEA Tray-Mobiles until, loaded up and ready to pay, we discovered I HAD NO WALLET!!!  NO MONEY!!!  Oh, the horror for a Mom!  There they were with some of their favorite things to eat right in front of them!  And it was 5:30!!!!  Of course, they both cried.  I saw the joy about his dinner fall off of Art's face in real time when he realized we weren't staying to eat.  "But I was really looking forward to that!" he said of his plate of meatballs and potatoes. Lewis was so upset he tried to walk away with a chicken tender.  I felt horrible and offered to give them ice cream for dinner.  Whatever they wanted.  How cruel a moment it was!  

But we made it out of IKEA without too much of a scene and I only lost my cool when Art went boneless at the car.  That was a little much.  And only moments later he very articulately said, "Well, I guess you can't have everything that's fun."  We went home for the wallet and I got back into the car with two cold meat balls for each baby, some chips for the boys and and a mission to bring home some Kentucky Fried Chicken.  Back at home eating Art said, "This is the best dinner ever!"  Everybody fared incredibly well.  I told them several times how proud I was of them for taking a really bad moment and moving on so well.  They were just great.