Why does grocery shopping always turn into the most interesting day of the week?  It sounds so simple, and it is so simple–when I get to go alone.

  This week I was bound and determined to do the good ol’ fashioned grocery trip with baby + a toddler thing.  Daniel loves stores, and JD is such a sweet baby, so no problem right?

heh-heh

 It all started when I got JD’s shots the day before, and I let them also give him a flu shot (half dose).  Yes, I do realize he was 8 months old for his 6 months shots.  Life is hard, people.  The immunizations clinic was cool with it, so really you can be cool with it too.  ; )

  John David is still not himself.  I blame the flu shot.  I got up three times with him last night, and he has stopped eating solid food.  I really hope this little guy feels better soon!!!  I’m doing all I can to help him.

  Soooo….since JD was needing extra TLC, I KNEW what had to be done.  The Ergo baby carrier!  “No problem!” I thought,  “I use it all the time.”

JD loves the Ergo.

  At least that’s what I thought until I got to the store and remembered that I’m the Ergo retard that can’t put it on by myself.  Where are Joshua and Caleb when I need them?  Oy.  (Thankfully, little Dan stood there patiently while I moaned and complained and fidgeted).

  Eventually, JD was all strapped in and I made a terrible realization.  It wasn’t right.  His foot was hung up on the side, and I couldn’t free it.  The lower back clip was all twisted, and I couldn’t fix it either.  I CAN’T bend that way!!!

  What’s a girl to do?  I was determined to buy these groceries.  I marched us in, straight up to the “Information” desk and requested some help.  There I met Angel #1.

  She got his foot un-hung and the clip un-twisted.  It still didn’t feel right, but I proceeded forward, spent 10 minutes looking for the “car that you drive” buggy for Daniel, finally found him one, and headed into the produce section……where I met angel #2.

  She was a mom much like myself, and she had three children with her for her shopping day.  Drat.  Outdone.  She’s got the Ergo on properly and 2 kids, under 5, in the buggy.  I look like a newbie.

  Some how she could tell my carrier wasn’t on right.  She came over, and man, I don’t know what she did, but she did it RIGHT.  She adjusted like 4 different straps:  zip, zam, swish, and then she said, “Jiggle him up a bit,”  (which he didn’t love, as he was already settling in for his Ergo nap), and wow.  Instantly, I felt better.  It was perfect.  I thanked her profusely, felt like a pitiful school child that has no idea what they are doing……and continued my grocery shopping.

  I’ve been doing this for 8 years, but let’s face it, sometimes as moms of littles, we MUST rely on the courtesy of others.  Oh, I’m not done.  There were more angels.

  All went well until it was time to unload the buggy onto the belt.  The problem with the “car driver” buggy (with the steering wheels up high) is that it’s a 2-level basket for your groceries, one up high, and one at the floor level.  Have you ever tried bending over a sleeping baby to reach the floor level one?  I had not really thought that through.

  THANKFULLY, this beautiful woman that I had seen earlier and thought, “Oh, we’re in her way, and we’re probably getting on her nerves, as she has no toddlers, but she’s getting on MY nerves dodging around me like that,” swooped in and started unloading my buggy for me.

  She said, “Oh, I’ve been there.”  I was so thankful (and ashamed for my negative thoughts from earlier) that I could have cried, but I didn’t.    We’ll call her angel #3.

  Then angel #4 swooped in and said to #3, “You’re next in line, so go ahead over there, and I will do this.”

  Then the cashier got testy with the baggers for not doing this and letting the customers do this…..

  Let’s just say it was a HUMBLING experience.

  You know how you hear people talk about “people today” and how rude our society has become and such?  I completely disagree.  I’ve been a mom of littles and a military wife for long enough that I have OFTEN had to rely on the generosity of total strangers, and let me tell you:  “people today” can still be amazingly kind and helpful.  Sometimes it’s just hard to know HOW to help, but sometimes (like yesterday) I run into people who just know exactly what to do, and they do it.  Here in the suburbs I know a lot of people that still go out of their way to help others, and I am learning so much from them!!!

  You can spin just about anything in a negative or positive direction.  I’ve had too much help from “people today” to say anything negative about them!

  Sometimes I get so busy, I forget to notice others who need help, but I’m so inspired by all the kind acts that I see everyday.  I pray that I, too, will step it up and be one of these angels among us!

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