I took all four of my children to the grocery store with me. It's an adventure every time. By the end of the trip I am in desperate need of either a dozen doughnuts or a bottle of Jack Daniels. So far the doughnuts have won out every time.
After the muzac, the children, the noise of the carts and the other shoppers, the crying and whining of kids who don't get to pick out multiple treats or rent a Redbox, there's a single moment I can look forward to.
Other moms may recognize this moment, I know for a fact my own mother took advantage of it as often as she could.
It's the moment after all the groceries have been loaded into the car and all the children are safely strapped into their carseats and you shut the car door and it gets quiet. Silent, for just a moment. It's blessed relief and for just a minute all the tension eases off enough to take one deep breath of slightly smog filled air as you push the cart to the cart return cage. Alone with yourself for less than a full minute it's still enough to gather the shredded bits of your patience together for the next round about to take place.
I used to wonder why it was my mother took so long getting into and out of the car. Sitting in a hot car on a warm day it seemed like she would take forever to just walk around and get in. Then, when we parked in the carport she was always the last one to make it into the house from the car, sometimes sitting in a trance-like state for minutes before gathering herself to climb the stairs and join us in the house. When my children are all grown enough to walk into the house themselves I plan on using those minutes too.
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