At least I'm here with YOU

After church today, I got the hankering to go to the mall - as a family - as in WITH THE KIDS. We hadn't attempted this yet this season...the only Christmas shopping that has been done was on a girls weekend...without kids (or men) in tow.

But I believe that a child's perspective is important...they really do have ideas about what to get people. And it's important to involve them and give them the opportunity to pitch in. And our pastor reminded us today that when we're stressed or worried, to think of something that we're REALLY glad for..say a prayer of thanks...and the perspective changes.

I'M THANKFUL FOR TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN TO LOVE.

It started off pretty good, actually. But there were approximately 17,284 people at the mall.
1. This is BAD news for my no-immune-system-son. WHY did I think it wouldn't be busy?
2. When the four year old has to pee, it's dirty, busy, and people get crabby when you stay in a stall while she says "Almost done. Almost done" 14 times...for at least 1o minutes...while never doing more than the initial pee she did in the first 3 seconds. At.every.store.

I'M THANKFUL FOR A POTTY TRAINED CHILD.

After getting a couple of really cool gifts, I decided that our daughter needed a pair of jeans since she's growing about an inch an hour these days and has outgrown every pair we've purchased in the last 3 months. After finding a pair, in her size, on sale...our son decided it was a grave injustice that HE hadn't been gifted with anything. Then this conversation ensued...

Him: "How come I NEVER get anything?"
Me: "You get LOTS of things. We just got books from your book order!"
Him: "That was Friday. This is a different day. You aren't being fair by getting her a gift."
Daddy: "This isn't a GIFT. It's a pair of jeans because she has no pants to wear."
Him: "Then what is she wearing? They look like pants to me."

So I took her to pee again while daddy dealt with the ungrateful older child. As if I hadn't had enough, I said, "Hey, lots stop in at Kohls REAL QUICK."

I'M THANKFUL FOR A COMPLIANT HUSBAND.

This actually didn't start out bad, either. Then she had to pee. The line was LONG. I said, "We can be home before we get to this bathroom, doll. Let's just go home."

"I HAVE TO PEE!! WHY WON'T YOU LET ME PEE? WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN?! YOU ARE MEAN TO ME!" then followed along with shrill screams...for the following 4 minutes it took to get home.

I'M THANKFUL WE LIVE CLOSE.

She ran into the house and into her room and started to play. "I thought you had to pee really bad," I said. She replied, "Oh, I forgot."

There's this book, "Llama, llama, mad at mama" that we read almost every night. A line in it is "I think shopping's boring too. But at least I'm here with YOU."

I'M THANKFUL CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT MORE THAN SHOPPING. I'm thankful that when I look back on the afternoon, I'll remember I was there with my family. All that other junk doesn't really matter.