All is calm

Today I printed out my Michael's coupon, checked my grocery list twice, and headed out. Freida fell asleep on the way to the store, so walking up and down the rows and rows of delightful craft supplies was calm and brilliant. Pebbles (who is lately more of a Bam-Bam) had fun exclaiming over and fingering yarn, beads, ribbons, buttons, and odd-looking fake pumpkins. Freida woke up about half way through the store but was distracted by colors and shapes enough that she remained quiet. I walked away with a tidy handful of treasures -- just enough for one small project. I'm giving myself time.

At the grocery store we walked up and down the aisles, adding in one or two extras (primarily horchata), painstakingly avoiding the Halloween candy aisle, the chip aisle, the soda aisle, and a good portion of the bakery. I had already had a near miss with Dairy Queen which was advertising a banana split blizzard. But I drove away, dear readers, because I noticed this morning that despite my best efforts to drown some anxieties in ice cream, I'm starting to slim down a bit from walking kids to and from school, keeping a bigger house, and mowing a lawn with a really weird grade in it. I don't want to ruin this blessing and how good I'm feeling.

I realized halfway through this trip that I could walk as slowly as I wanted. The nursing baby was with me and content, the older kids were off doing something constructive, Man was safely at work, and Pebbles was amusing herself by waiting to see if I'd forget her in an aisle and then running to me with a grin and a giggle that made my heart glow. Grocery shopping is not my favorite pastime but I'm so glad that today there is peace.