"YOU ARE SOOO BLESSED"!

I had to post this because this statement said to me by a random shopper today completely changed my whole day.  We were at Joanns, and things were going less than smoothly.  I guess I better say this is after we had already been to Target where we had an incident with Ivy screaming for 5 minutes straight while I searched for her binky, after not finding it we resorted to opening her a new one and yet it didn't work.  Finally I fixed her up a bottle and she was quiet.  However, then the boys went into a fight over who could hold my nail polish we were buying, to which Cash had it and then dropped it and it broke and spilled all over the floor.  I tried to get a worker to come help me and yet she looked at me and I said "excuse me and beckoned her over," and then she just turned and walked into the clothes section and completely ignore me.  Thus I gave up and just set it down and walked away.  We then had an incident at the checkout counter too but I won't go into that.

Well, we got into the car and made it to Joann's - probably not the smartest idea after our morning but we did it anyways - in the hopes to get stuff to do a fun craft later that day.  We were walking around and right off the bat Griffin got upset about something and started screaming and throwing a temper tantrum.  I tried to get him quiet so as not to wake sleeping Ivy but that failed and just like that she was up.  Then Cash grabbed something for a sword and of course Griffin wanted that so he once again went into a tantrum - we finally got him one too and then upon Cash putting his hands on the cart Griffin hit him with this sword he now had and so Cash was yelling at him, and Griffin was yelling back, and we were pretty much a big commotion.  I wanted to just put my earphones in and completely ignore what my children were doing and go along as if everything was fine - but that didn't work either and so I am trying to get them to cooperate, in my most nice stern voice I can have so everyone doesn't have to hear this yelling mommy and the disciplinary action I would like to instigate but rather be sort of pleasant - and no it didn't really work anyways so I was just up in arms and trying to cruise through the store getting everything as quick as possible, trying to make the least amount of scenes possible.  

Well, every one had calmed down and we were actually doing quite well and then it happened.  This sweet older lady walked by me and looked at my cart, with Ivy up front in her carseat, Griffin standing up behind her waving his "sword" (which was actually a wooden cross), and Cash bobbing in front of the cart with something new he had just picked up off of aisle 4.  She smiled, looked at me and said: "are these ALL YOUR children?"  Just not wanting to hear her response of "wow you are so busy....or wow you have your hands full" which seems to be the ones I get usually when we are out and I am always wanting to respond with - "yes that is why I have no makeup on, my hair is in a bun on top of my head, I am still in my workout attire, and yes that is snot from one of the kids noses or brownie from a little kids messy hug I have gotten earlier this morning but we are surviving ok?!" back and yet she surprised me and caught me so off-guard!

She then said "wow!  You are SOOOOOO blessed!"

WHat?!  I have NEVER received this statement after being asked this question, and it really was so shocking I didn't really even know what to say! (also a shock I know) and so I just looked back at her for a second with jaw open.  I then said thank you and kept walking.  She was walking by me and she said again "you really are so blessed!  It might be hard and keep you busy now but what a great blessing these 3 are!"

Seriously?!!!  She must have been put there by an angel, that or the fact she hadn't seen what we had just been like 15 seconds earlier in the store causing one stir after another going from aisle to aisle.  But whatver the reason she was a very big blessing in my life.  I paused and thought to myself how truly blessed I really am!  I have great kids - who are so much fun and who actually do a great job normally on all the errands we go on and who I love so much.  I love each of them dearly and my shopping trips wouldn't be quite so exciting without them all (maybe more peaceful and quick - but not as exciting!)

My anger quickly subsided and the rest of the trip went smoothly as I found myself smiling and looking for the good and the funny things each child did in the store - we were smiling at cute little Ivy who had started to sing and babble to herself and us!  I was laughing at Griffin who was trying to point his sword at every passerby from then on and say hi and "what you doing to them?"  I found myself hugging Cash in the line at the register telling him how grateful I am for the helper he is and how it's so great to have him out of the cart so he can help get things and put them in and be my #1 boy!  All of this because of her little comment to me!  

What a game changer!  I am truly blessed, and today I am so grateful she reminded me of it and helped me change my attitude so that the whole day is going more happy and smoothly because of it.  She doesn't even know the impact she has, and never will, but seriously those 4 little words turned my day upside down and helped me smile my frown away!

Have a great weekend!  We will - for we truly are SOOOO blessed!!!