It's insanely hot here in Minnesota today. 103* heat index with high humidity. If you're in Texas this might not be "hot", but for those of us on the tundra, it is miserable. We recently got a Costco membership but haven't been there yet, so in an attempt to stay cool ANd keep kids busy we decided to take the kids.
We wandered the isles looking at stuff. (Is it always insanely busy there on Sundays or was it that everyone else had the same idea?) The little boys know they are to hold either side of the cart and are mostly good about staying put with a little reminder when we stop to look at something. Abel was doing great even with the crowds! Angela was having fun with all the edible samples that were being given out and showing Axel how that worked. We get a few stares now and then, as you can imagine. But, maybe those stares are not for the reasons I think?
At one point I left Dean with the cart and kids so I could go have a look at the cakes. (they have the BEST cakes there!!!) Angela followed because she spotted a table where cake samples were being given out and she wanted one in the worst way. I was just discussing this with her when a woman came up to me.
"Excuse me. You don't know me, but I've been watching you and your kids. They're amazing. Please take this, get them some ice cream or something when you're done." and she placed some folded up bills in my hand.
I thanked her for blessing us. I was reminded that people are not always staring at us because our family is "different", but because sometimes our kids are just plain amazing. They are well behaved. They clearly love one another; Angela doting on the little boys or making sure Axel gets a sample from every table. Axel helping me with the cart or offering to lift heavy things, each one wanting to hold Dean's hand, then my hand. They are just GOOD kids. Our three new kids, look how far they've come!! Sometimes when we're out I want to put a sign on them that reads, "You have NO idea where I was X months ago!"
Thank you God, for blessing us today. And if you are reading, thank you for coming up to me. It truly was a blessing to us, and the kids enjoyed DQ for lunch on the way home, something that isn't really possible for us very often lately. It was Abel's first DQ EVER in his entire 10 years. It's the first his post-institutional behaviors have been far enough behind us that we could attempt it. He loved it! The joy on his face as he got that first taste of hot fudge. Priceless!
