We were out yesterday doing our semi-monthly Aldi/Meijer
trip and as a general rule we grocery shop as a family. When Matt and I got
married it was something that we enjoyed doing together. He likes food and I
liked that he was there so he never had the opportunity to say, “You spent HOW
much on groceries!” Not that he would, ‘cause he’s just awesome like that, but
still, he never was even given the chance to be tempted. When he started Med
School he was only home on weekends and so we used grocery shopping as a family
outing – usually mixing it with dinner out to make it “fun.” Regardless of how
it got started it has evolved into two adults taking five young children to the
store. It’s usually not that bad but we get our share of weird looks and
comments.
We get the occasional, “Your kids are so well behaved,”
OCCASIONALLY! And we definitely get a lot of, “Wow! You have your hands full.”
I just had a conversation with a friend about how sick she is of comments like
that. I have to admit, they can get really old, really fast. I know most people
don’t mean to be annoying but when you’re told you have a “special place in
heaven” for having “ALL THOSE KIDS” on a regular basis it can make you think
you’re a part of a freak show. Usually they don’t bother me so much, I’ve grown
accustomed to most of it and let it roll off my back.
Still, I was a slightly concerned when we got into Aldi last
night and the kids were a little bonkers. They weren’t totally spastic or
anything but when you haven’t been out of the house in a while cabin fever sets
in and the grocery store is the most exciting place in the world. Thankfully,
the store was mostly empty. Midway through the store Jilly started asking to
take Wally home. Um, what? Apparently, Wally is what she calls little watermelons.
I look back and she is hugging a small seedless watermelon telling me that she
really loves Wally and wants to take one home. At this point I notice a lady
smiling at me. Then Jill takes my shopping list and pretends to read it,
announcing, “Mommy, you need to get a castle.” And then, “Oops, I had it upside
down. You need chicken.” The lady
chuckles and looks over our two carts (the one for food and the one for kids)
and says, “You have 5 kids?” I said yes and she asked the ages and if any of
them were twins. Then she gets a great big smile and says, “You are really
lucky!”
I can’t tell you what a great feeling that was. I left there
smiling. I didn’t realize how much I had steeled myself against the negative
comments and how wonderful it felt to have someone recognize my children for
the blessing that they are. Instead of asking me if I was done, that kind lady
didn’t even flinch when my kids announce, “ANNNNNDDD, Mommy wants another baby!”
Sometimes it’s really just the little things that make your
day. I still feel rosy about it despite the screaming and fighting going on in
the next room or the fact that Asher has his gun tucked into his diaper! J
