Trader Joe's Angel

Being a mom is hard work. I feel like a big old failure on most days but every once in awhile there is a little victory or I have a moment where I know I'm doing the right thing, even if it's hard, embarrassing (since most hard moments are in public) and/or downright frustrating. Today I had one of those moments.

So we're at Trader Joe's and James has a melt down because I won't let him carry the basket. I explain that he can't carry it because he's dragging it on the floor and hitting people's feet. This doesn't go well. I'm, by the grace of God, calm and able to keep my emotions under control, however the same does not go for my son.

You know that kid you see in a store every once in awhile who is crying and screaming on the floor with everyone staring right in his general direction? That's us.

Somehow I get him to follow me to the cash register but he is still crying and people are still staring. So the well meaning man behind the cash register offers to give him a balloon (Probably to quiet him down.) but I quietly decline and say "Thank you so much but no thank you, I can't reward his behavior."

So here I am feeling like a really lousy mom, even though I know that I'm doing the right thing, when this sweet older gentleman (the Trader Joe's Angel) looks at me and says: "You're doing the right thing, most mom's don't get it but your teaching him a good lesson." Cue lump in throat.

I try not to cry and just say something like "Thank you so much, it's hard." and stare down at the floor all the while praising God inside for this little old man. I don't know for sure that he was an angel but today he sure felt like one so I am thanking the Lord for him and his kind words.