Grocery Store Come-Backs

Most days I avoid the grocery store with my three monkeys. If I do happen to go, the comments are inevitable. With three kids under three, I've heard some good ones. I thought I'd share a few and what I wished I would have said (or was thinking) at the time.

Oh they are so cute! And what are their names? How old are they? My sisters cousin has twins... a boy and girl... and they weighed... Honey, did you see the babies? Come look...

Thank you for showing an interest in my adorable children. We have exactly 23 minutes in this store until one of them poops or has a meltdown. I have 17 items left to purchase. Please let me continue my shopping!

Wow, you're going to the grocery store with all of them? You're brave!

Yes, I am brave. I gave the maid and nanny the day off and thought I'd take the children for a stroll in the market. Really... I'm in Walmart. I don't have a maid. I also don't have any diapers, bread, toilet paper or milk in my house. And, last time I checked, you couldn't purchase those items at the McDonald's drive thru and the Walgreen's pharmacy doesn't consider those items over-the-counter medications. :)

I bet they're a handful!

Yes they are, but they are also a blessing. 

My absolute favorite:
They are beautiful. How do you do it?

I'm so glad you asked! I don't really have a choice. (Usually this is where I chicken out...) I am so dependent on the grace of God. I rely daily on the Holy Spirit to give me the patience to care for these precious children. I am nothing without him. On the days I try to do it in my own strength, I fail. They are a daily reminder of my inadequacy as a mom and human being. And I'm so thankful for it. They keep me on my knees. I have to trust God to get me through this season. 

It's All About Perspective

I loooove it when my house is clean. By clean, I mean an empty sink, toys put away, surfaces cleared... you get the idea. With three little kids, that doesn't happen much. About the only time that it does happen is at night, and I'd say that's maybe 25% of the time. The fact is, when the kids go to sleep, I'm zonked! But I really do try to keep the house somewhat tidy.

The other day, my husband was walking through the playroom on his way out the door and said the strangest thing. As he stepped over a sea of toys, he said, "I love this. I love seeing that they had fun in here."

"Whaaat? That's you reaction?" I thought.

My typical train of thought when I see the mess is, "We have too many toys. I should get the trash can. I'm so sick of picking up all this mess every single day! Uggghhh!"

So his perspective -- much better.

What if you took that mindset next time your house looked like this?

Or this? 

Let's try not to sweat the small stuff. Instead, let's focus on enjoying our families, being thankful for what we have and living life. In our homes, in relationships and in life, perspective is everything.

God has a sense of humor

My almost-four-year-old says the sweetest things about God. So, I thought I'd share a few of them.

Driving past the hospital:
Emma: My momma was born there. And me, and Mike, and Tommy, and Daddy, and Jesus...

At night after reading Revelation in her children's Bible:
Emma: When are we gonna go to Jesus' big party?
Me: Not for a really long time.
Emma, with real tears: I wanna go NOW! Can we go tomorrow?

Talking about babies:
Emma: Momma, before we were in your tummy, did you cry out for us like the girl in the Bible? (Hannah)
Me, with real tears: I did baby.

Praying together at night:
Emma: Pray for the five babies in my tummy. (She likes to pretend she's pregnant...)
Me: God bless the five babies in Emma's tummy.
Emma: I think God's laughing at me right now!

I think so too... God loves children.

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Matthew 18:3
And he {Jesus} said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Have a blessed weekend!