A couple days ago my mother told me that I needed to stop worrying so much, and pray more. This morning I took that to heart andI said a quick prayer out loud that God would give me special help. I was headed out in public for the first time with both my boys. The morning was already not going well and I was frazzled, annoyed, exhausted, and near tears.
We pulled into Aldi parking lot just as it was opening. I began the process of just getting the boys out of the car. Calvin was safely strapped to my front in the baby carrier and I grabbed William's hand as we headed for the carts. It was then that I had my first, "how we gonna do this" moment. There's no way I could lift William into that cart...but there was no way I was going to trust him to hold my hand the entire time we were in the store. I tried lifting him. Nope. So I took his hand and prayed for help for the 2nd time that morning.
Within seconds of that prayer a woman wearing a plain white v-neck t-shirt and a maxi skirt walked in the door. She gave me a once over with her eyes, smiled, and said, "honey, I've got 5 kids. Trust me. Throw that boy in the cart."
I laughed and said, "I'd love nothing more, but I can't lift him. Especially with the little one strapped to my front."
She responded by saying hi to William and lifting him with ease into the cart. I thanked her profusely and we chatted a bit about life with kids and how challenging and fun it is as we perused the first isle. Then we parted ways.
But the story doesn't end there. That blessed woman got her groceries all paid for and in her car. THEN she came BACK into the store to help me get William out of the cart, help me bag my groceries, and loaded them into the back of my van while I loaded the boys into car seats. And she took the cart back (which is like my least favorite part of Aldi shopping).
The whole time this is going on, I can't stop thanking her and it's a wonder I didn't just burst into tears. I told her about how I prayed for special help before leaving the house and she said, "Isn't God so good?! I'm so blessed to be an answer to that prayer,"
So with my groceries and munchkins loaded, she gave me a big hug and told me that it gets better. The sleep will eventually come back and I would soon be a pro at taking 2 kids to the store.
I got in my 300,000 mile, junky, green mini-van and couldn't help but grin from ear to ear and thank God for the amazing ways he takes care of me. And for the blatant, obvious, tangible ways he is answering my prayers these past couple days.
Next time, I'm getting a babysitter.
