"WalMart"

Ugh.

I just returned home from a grocery shopping trip to WalMart.

That could be my whole post right there. That's enough.

Sadly...that's the point of this post!...sort of...

I am a list-maker. I LOVE making lists! I make lists of the things I am planning on doing or accomplishing during the day. I add things to my list if I complete something that wasn't on my list to begin with. I have even been known to get to the end of a particularly hectic day and rewrite my whole list and then cross it all off one thing after another just so I can SEE what exhausted me so much!

I think this desire to "LIST" my day may have been kicked into super-drive when I became a stay-at-home mom. Some part of myself needed the "ACCOMPLISHED" phase of life...do you know what I mean? I taught for 6 years prior to being blessed with motherhood and of course, as a teacher, I had LOTS of lists going at all times and LOTS of things to cross off my list all day long.

Being a mother to small children is a little like the movie "Groundhog Day". Everyday is a lot like the day before it. Wake up, nurse, change diapers, wipe up stuff, change diapers, wipe up more stuff, run errands, make food, wipe up more stuff, change more diapers.....repeat...

Don't misunderstand. I LOVE BEING A STAY-HOME-MOMMY! I love it! But, I definitely have my moments. I am only human. I have my selfish times. I have my impatient times. I have my less-than-super-mom days. Today is one of those days.

So. My list for today looks something like this-
-Devotions
-Dust
-Laundry
-Upstairs Bathroom
-Sweep
-Post Office
-Bank
-WalMart
-Renew library books
-Make granola

I began my day - everyone fed, everyone clean...ish, everyone ready to roll - off we go on our errands. Drive thru at Post Office and two Banks (in another post I'll describe my reasons for why ALL places I must go during the day should be drive-thru...but, that's another post)...then I head to WalMart for my grocery shopping.

I don't like that I shop at WalMart. I feel like I am helping to contribute to the downfall of all the family run businesses of the world. But, THEY ARE CHEAP! I can't help it! I would, at this point in our financial and family world, be CRAZY to do my bulk shopping anywhere else! So...I head to the largest WalMart in the state of Wisconsin. Yep.

Let's just blink for a moment and pretend that that hour of my motherhood doesn't exist. Can we all do that together? Please? Do you think that in the long-run my children will remember that hour of their lives?

So, we get home from "WalMart". I carry in the bags of groceries, park the car, get the kids in and occupied while I carry my HYSTERICAL baby Susanna around the kitchen putting away the perishables. I get those things put away and walk past my "LIST" on the way to nurse her before making lunch. I scan the list so I can quick have that satisfaction of crossing off my morning and I get to cross off"Post Office", "Bank", and "WalMart". WHAT THE!?!?! "WalMart" SO does not count as much as sweeping later today or my quick drive up to the mail slot and deposit the envelope at the Post Office or my 5 minutes of making granola. "WalMart". One tiny little line through that word is supposed to give me the satisfaction of accomplishing that monumental task with my children in one of the semi-truck carts while they battle each other and me for an hour through the grocery store that could feed a small nation!!!

So...from now on....I think on the days that I must go grocery shopping at WalMart my list for the day will look something more like this...

-Devotions
-Dust
-Post Office
-Make it into WalMart from the car without Lydia getting mowed down by an SUV
-Get all 3 onto mammoth cart without Isaac having a nervous breakdown from the piece of goo on the far corner of the cart
-Survive produce section without 302 lemons cascading down on Lydia's head
-NOT say something snarky to crabby old lady near meat counter when she says to my beautiful baby daughter "He sure looks a little crabby. Maybe he needs his diaper changed."
-Resist urge to duct tape Lydia to cart after she throws 4th box of cereal into cart onto grapes
-Do NOT say something I'll always regret after Isaac whines "Why can't we have Lucky Charms!!! You NEVER let us get anything good!!!"
-etc. etc....this could become a REAAALLLY long list
-Avoid getting myself a treat from Starbucks just to punish the little felons in the backseat....maybe I shouldn't cross off this one...
-Unload all the groceries without the dog stealing the cheese sticks out of the last bag before I can get them from him
-Sit down and get Susanna nursed before she turns purple from screaming
-Make Granola
-Renew Library books

Ahhhh. That feels better. Crossing off this list gives me satisfaction. It makes me looks like a rock star. It. Is. Finished.


-