So Sunday night, I had to go to the grocery store. It was a desperate situation! We had run out of nearly every staple! I do my best to avoid a trip with all my kids, but desperate times call for desperate measures! I had waited until after dinner to make the trip, which seemed like a good idea at the time waiting to go until after food intake. So, we set out on our journey. Like a good mom, I discussed the trip beforehand. I discussed the importance of good behavior and not asking for everything. In the back of my head I had thought I would get them each one thing, but didn't tell them that decision.
It started out well! I got the extra large, too big to steer well, car cart. Liam and Chase gladly jumped in to my delight! Justice and Titus weren't too happy as they wanted in as well, but took the disappointment in stride. I began with the produce and bread, all good at this point. We were rocking along, then approaching the lunchmeat and hotdogs, Liam tells me he needs to potty! UGGHH!!! Not the public restroom at the super market!! It is the most wigging me out public restroom on the planet!! I tried to get a couple more isles in because the restroom was in the middle of the store. But, he gave me the I am going to pee in my pants look to which I had to make a move. So, the cart had groceries and having all four with me, I sent Justice in the bathroom with Liam. Still, we were doing okay, Liam had gone potty, and I had found the fish counter had a bottle of hand sanitizer for post bathroom germ cleaning, so we were in good shape! That is about the time things started to unravel with the snack isle. The kids began asking for countless items and the once cool car cart didn't seem so cool to Liam and Chase. Titus took that disinterest and hopped on in, which then lead to Liam and Chase becoming interested again. The three of them took turns in and out and sometimes on top of the cart. We started getting looks at this point I believe. Then, something really precious happened at in front of the poptarts. Titus and Liam were begging me for a box and I was trying to be strong when a sweet young woman handed me a coupon for a free box of poptarts. She said I needed them more than she did. The next isle over she chased me down and gave me another coupon. This would be the Lord because the rest of the trip was a blur! I was a mother hen wrangling my chicks! At one point I put my head on the handle of the cart while 3 out of 4 kids cried and my efforts to calm them were to no avail. I felt like a failure! My kids were melting down in public. I could feel the stares and hear the giggles from onlookers! I wondered if the trip would ever end! Oh, and it finally did with Liam throwing a nice size tantrum for a box of ice cream bars that I would not buy. Yup! I was that mom! The cashier did compliment me on tuning my kid's fit out and not giving in.
As I walked to the van with my now much calmer kids all of a sudden, I breathed a sigh of relief! It was over! I had survived! My nerves seemed to come back in place and we had food for the week to boot! Although painful and embarrassing at times, this would still go in the books as a success, that although my kids were a hot mess, I wasn't! I had maintained my calm, I had not melted down! Those coupons from that kind stranger was a gift from God, that even in the midst of the strain and stress He is there and my strength comes from Him. Without Him I would have not faired nearly as well! He is my rock that I stand upon. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!" Phil. 4:13. He has given me all I need to raise these boys! Although this was a tough trip in many aspects, the Lord was so good and gave me such encouragement that I can make it through anything with His help and grace! To Him be the glory!
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