For the Love of Overpriced Blueberries

Recently one of my dear friends spoke some good truth to me. We were chatting about a crazy status update she had shared about a day in the life of her motherhood. You know the kind. The one where this happens. And this happens. And then this breaks. And then this person pukes. And you just have to share so everyone can give you some solidarity sister.

I had one of those days the other day when I was doing an errand marathon trying to get ready for two of my children's birthday parties.

You know what I mean. We'd been to the bank. And Dollar General. And Wal-Mart. And then Aldi.  And it was bordering on 1:30 and no one had eaten a bit of lunch but I felt the need to power through.

I have said the following statement more times than I can count.

"I will no longer go grocery shopping with both boys."

(Thing 1 & Thing 2)

And yet "like a dog to its vomit" (Ew? What a gross Bible verse right?) I end up in a pinch and there I am crying for mercy as I drive home from said shopping experience sans 4 year old number one and 4 year old number two shoving lime tortilla chips in my face and calling it lunch.

(Don't worry I shared with Thing 1 and Thing 2)

On this particular trip I of course had a list of "must have" items as I was trying to party plan. Which means I was trying to juggle keeping the boys from destroying the store and checking everything off my list.

Yes, I know this is a recipe for a disaster. But, it is also the great material for this blogpost. So at least my mistake wasn't wasted, right?

Towards the middle of aisle 3 I realized there was a package of blueberries in our cart.

What? Where did those come from?

I only buy the produce on sale. It makes our budget work. I knew I hadn't chosen these lovely blueberries because they weren't on sale that week.

I'm pretty sure that was the work of precious (and apparently hungry) Thing 2.

At this point we had already made it to the check out line so I decided to go with it and silently offered up a prayer that said not-on-sale blueberries would be under $3.

And with that we began the daunting task of unloading our fairly full cart. With expert help of course from Thing 1 and Thing 2. About half way through I hear the following, "Oh, no! Mama the blueberries are falling."

You guessed it the overpriced not on sale blueberries had mysteriously (Or not so mysteriously since my helpers were hungry) come open and were spilling out into the cart and through the holes of the cart onto the floor. Everywhere. So, I did what any frugal mama would do and I started picking them up and putting them back in the carton.

Off the grocery store floor. (Calm down they came out of a field and I did intend to wash them.)

While the boys started "helping" by trying to move the cart a.k.a. smash a bunch of blueberries.

I finally picked up all the blueberries including the precious smashed ones that I sadly threw away. While putting the carton onto the conveyor I might or might not have said for everyone around to hear, "God is going to develop the patience of a Saint in me by the time I get you boys raised."

I wish this was the end of the story.

We arrive at our car and I am silently praising God that we have made it to the finish line and I can buckle the boys in their car seats while I unload the groceries into our van in silent freezing peace.

That is when Thing 1 looks up at me and says the following.

"Mama I put my yogurt in my pocket. And you forgot to pay for it."

Have mercy.

At which time we returned to the warmth of the Aldi (or was that my blood pressure providing the heat?) to pay for the $.44 yogurt.

Take 2 on the finish line. I buckle the boys into their car seat and actually arrive at the peace and quiet of loading our groceries into the back of the van. Only to realize that the star of this story the BLUEBERRIES have made a reappearance. They have apparently came open AGAIN and have left a trail all over the parking lot.

Now I know you are wondering two things.

1- Did I pick them up? No, even I have a limit in frugality/patience.

2-How much did they cost? Praise the Lord they were indeed under $3. I believe I paid $2.38 for the less than 1/2 a carton that made it to our house.

But Thing 1 & Thing 2 did enjoy them, and I am pretty sure I remembered to wash them.
(Breathe....I washed them.)

And if I'm being honest more of my days look like this than I'd like to admit. And though they make me laugh now, at the time I thought I might not survive. (I can be dramatic) Or at least not with my patient mama facade in place for sure!

But here is the great truth my friend shared while we were talking about her own adventurous shopping trip with littles.

She said, "But really couldn't most moms of little ones make a status update like that every day? That is just kind of life with kids."

I needed to hear that because I sometimes believe the lie that only my life is a running source of material for Mom's Night Out 2. I think other mom's lives are much more chaos free. But I'm guessing so many moms wouldn't have loved the first movie if they couldn't relate.

Maybe I'm not the only mom who has caved and paid for over-priced half gone blueberries.

I recently finished a Bible study by Kelly Minter. This quote felt like it was penned just for me. For my motherhood. For my ministry. For my undone laundry and in desperate need of a mop floors.

"God shows up in our reality. He shows up in our weakness. His eyes are not running across the earth looking for the woman who lives in a  romantic movie set of perfection. He is looking for the real, the weak, and the one who conceded need for Him. And how thankful I am."

Real? Check.

Weak? Check Check.

In Need of Him. Check. Check. Check.

I guess his eyes are looking for me.

May he find me up to my eyeballs in spilled blueberries conceding my weakness and asking Him to make it my strength. (possibly while I thank him for lime tortilla ships :)