Earlier today the four kids and I went to run an errand. We had a DVD to return to our local Kroger. Quick in. Quick out. Well, sort of. Near the DVD machine was a lovely display of little personal watermelons. The kids were drooling over the delectable melons. So I suggested we get two (they were a two-fer special) to go along with our grilled hamburgers that Brian had requested for dinner. Jacob and Nicole each chose one. As we headed for the checkout, Andrew noticed he was not carrying a melon, so he headed back to choose one of his own. Then he promptly dropped it. It split open. Then Jacob managed to drop his. It split open. With an air of confidence (?) that only a crazy new mother of four could have, we quickly paid for our melons and headed out. Oh, and we were let off the hook for our broken produce. They know us well.
As we caravanned back to the car, the door to the liquor store opened. A man was exiting with his brown paper bag of purchases. "Well, look at that!" he said. I smiled. The conversation continued. "That sure brings back memories. Mine were all just like that," he said with a smile. "I sure wish my wife could see this! Ours were just like this. And we made it through. Thirty-five years last weekend." I congratulated him and asked how many children he had. He said he had four - a girl, a boy, a boy and a girl. How wonderful. I told him as we got in the van, "You know it's a lot of hard work and they keep us busy, but it sure is a lot of fun!" Then he ended by exclaiming, "Yep! We had a ball!" Amen.
For every negative remark and prying question that parents of large(r) families must deal with, there are the good and positive ones that come our. I wasn't feeling terribly in need of encouragement at that moment, but what a way to brighten my day! Thank you guardian angel! Chalk one up to the good guys!
2 comments:
No kidding. I needed to read this post today.
Yesterday, I had the kids with me at a large park in Seattle. Two women approached me and were asking all sorts of questions about our "brood"--pointing to my 7-month-pregnant belly and asking the age between "all of the kids". The kicker was when they asked me how old I was and what my husband did for a living! I put on my most gracious smile and answered as politely as I could, remembering Suzanne Temple's post not long ago.
Ah....thank you, nice liquor store man. You represent the goodness. :)
Blessed Triduum and Happy Easter to you all!
How come I just got nasty looks when my 5 year old tackled my 2 year old in the library today and stayed on top of him?? Doesn't it feel good to get a compliment once in a while? We all know what a great mother you are, and how you are probably doing a fantastic job as a mother of 4, but I gotta know, wasn't it at least a little fun to watch a watermelon go SPLAT!! I have always wanted to smash one secretly!
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