{"id":513,"date":"2011-05-12T01:00:24","date_gmt":"2011-05-12T08:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/?p=513"},"modified":"2011-05-12T12:36:33","modified_gmt":"2011-05-12T19:36:33","slug":"a-shopping-adventure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/2011\/05\/12\/a-shopping-adventure\/","title":{"rendered":"A Shopping Adventure"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"When our children were really little, we didn\u2019t have a car that I could keep running reliably enough to take the kids out shopping. Shopping night was a family affair. Because we weren\u2019t always sure if the van would start again when we turned it off, John often drove around the store parking lot with all the kids while I zoomed through the store.<\/p>\n

By the time we had a van I could drive, our oldest children were old enough to help bag groceries and help with the little ones when\u00a0we went shopping.\u00a0So my recent shopping trip with\u00a0my oldest daughter and her two little girls gave me a whole new appreciation for mamas who are outnumbered by diaper-clad children when they shop.<\/p>\n

\"\"Johanna<\/a> and I have talked about me going grocery shopping with her, but we live two hours apart, and this is the first time we\u2019ve managed it since her second daughter was born in November.<\/p>\n

Our goal was to leave by at least 10 a.m. and we actually got to the store<\/strong> before then! That was after gathering diapers, juice, potty chair, garbage bags, extra clothes, diaper bag, stroller, camera, grocery lists, and Moby wrap while Victoria, who was ready for her morning nap, cried in her car seat, and Katie wandered around the house, sweetly saying, \u201cCoat, Mama, coat, Mama, coat, Mama, coat, Mama,\u201d after Johanna had put a nicely coordinating brown sweater on her. Victoria quit crying as soon as the car motor turned on, and was asleep by the time we reached the end of the driveway.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I marveled at Johanna\u2019s endurance and cheerfulness as we loaded the cart with canned goods (with 2-year-old Katie\u2019s help), measured out bulk goods, read labels, and compared prices. Little Katie was given the privilege of walking next to the cart, and demonstrated the fruit of her parents\u2019 diligent training, obeying her mama and Nana even when distracted by the child\u2019s-eye-level goodies in every aisle.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The accomplishment of shopping with little ones becomes especially impressive by the time\u00a0you\u2019ve unloaded the cart onto the belt, bagged the groceries, paid the bill, put the\u00a0groceries back in the cart, found a fork (no spoons) for \u201chungwy\u201d Katie\u2019s promised yogurt, loaded the groceries into the car with a baby hanging off of you, put the toddler onto the potty chair, and started nursing the baby. I was assigned potty chair duty while helping Katie with her yogurt, while Johanna nursed Victoria and we fortified ourselves with almonds and cashews.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis must get really interesting on a rainy day,\u201d I mused, which inspired Johanna to tell me about one rainy shopping day, with Katie on the potty chair in the trunk of their smaller car while Victoria was wailing for her lunch.<\/p>\n

Our shopping adventure made me think of Proverbs 31.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/em>\u201cWho can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far <\/em><\/em>above rubies\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cShe bringeth her food from afar\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cShe girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arms\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cShe perceiveth that her merchandise is good\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cStrength and honor are her clothing\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn her tongue is the law of kindness\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cShe looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

Did you know that the word for \u201cvirtuous\u201d woman is the same Hebrew word that is used for the mighty men of \u201cvalor?\u201d It takes a \u201cmighty woman of valor\u201d to do a mother\u2019s job! Don\u2019t ever let anyone make you feel ashamed of being a stay-at-home mama!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Our shopping day also included a natural foods co-op (Katie was delighted to have her own little cart), where we bought groceries and far more lunch food than we needed or could comfortably eat. We took our loot to a park \u2014 the same park John and Johanna had escaped to when they exited the church after their wedding, the park where they enjoyed, according to Johanna, their first 200 kisses.<\/p>\n

What a sweet early Mother\u2019s Day outing with my daughter and her daughters! Almost four years after her wedding day, there we were enjoying the rare day of sunshine, the yummy food, her darling babies, the slide and swings, the tulips under the trees, the hilarious\u00a0toddler conversation. And I thanked God for the privilege of being a mother, of being a Nana, of watching my little girl grow into a woman who joyfully embraces her calling, loving and serving her husband, her children, and her Lord. I love you, Johanna!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Four years ago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Johanna, Katie, and Victoria on the same steps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/a><\/div><\/div>