Grocery Shopping

Once upon a time I loved grocery shopping. I remember sitting in college classes and instead of doodling in the margins, I would make a grocery list. I would then break down the list into what was in each aisle, so it was more efficient. (I'm sure that this says something about me, but I'm not sure what.) My first inkling that grocery shopping was going to be less fun once I had kids came about 10 days after Benjamin, my oldest, was born. My husband came home from work and I looked so pitiful that he asked what he could do for me. "Please," I begged,"please, just let me go somewhere all by myself. Someplace where nobody is attached to me. Thirty minutes is all I ask. Just thirty minutes of nobody touching me." So, I went to the grocery store. My first big outing into the world sans baby and I chose the grocery store. It wasn't fun. I was too tired to look at labels, or chuckle at the pithiness of quotes on boxes of tea. It wasn't until somebody stopped and stared at me that I realized I had draped the upper half of my body over the shopping cart in sheer exhaustion. So, I went home.

Fast forward 8 years and add two more kids. I'm back to liking grocery shopping...at least when all my kids are in school. Or I only have one of them. I am also back to my complicated grocery routine. But this time it involves 5 different stores and I do it all on one day. It is a day of pure exhaustion, but accomplishment. And 12 times a year at the store isn't so bad.

Today as I drove home with my van bursting at the seams with enough food to feed 5 boys (husband and brother in law included) and myself for the month, AND all the kids with their after school paraphanalia. (Speaking of which, there should be laws against sending home paintings from preschool that aren't dry. My clothing sports many different colors of paint due to the vast quantities of preschool paintings I am exposed to. Today I have green glitter paint on my jeans.) It was late and I was dreading the unloading and putting away. When we arrived home, though, Benjamin and Nathaniel started bringing bags in. And then they got creative and pulled the wagon out. There was a bucket involved somehow, too, but I'm hazy on the details.

They made a big game out of it, and I couldn't thank them enough for their help. It really touched me. And I had glimpses of the wonderful young men they will someday be. They have good hearts and I'm proud to be their mom.