Even though I miss having my children being home, I’m now discovering the blessings of them being grown and on their own, the main one — Grandchildren!

I have an adorable little grandson, Braiden and a grandbaby that is due in December.  Braiden is such a joy! While babysitting him one day I took him with me to my hair appointment.  He charmed and dazzled all the ladies in the salon.  Merelyn, my stylist, said “he has got charm just oozing out of his pores!”  Yes, he does.  He loves to flirt with the ladies already and he is only four.  He also loves to use those big brown eyes on his parents and us grandparents as well.

Our next stop was grocery shopping.  Oh my gosh, I forgot about grocery shopping with little ones and all the unexpected items you find in the cart at check out.  I had a new dust pan, extra bananas (I had already put some in the cart), and a big package of string cheese.  These were the items I didn’t see him put in, I did notice when he was putting in the yogurt, orange juice, and of course he needed a new Spiderman toothbrush and toothpaste to match.  Oh, and those magazines, candy bars, little toys, etc. shelves that are on both sides of the check out counter — they should be outlawed!  

I have gotten used to just going into the store, getting what is on my list, browsing the aisle a bit and then getting out.  I forgot about the workout you get while shopping with a little one.  I kept putting things back on the shelf, keeping him beside me, trying to shop and watch him, so he wouldn’t get in front of other people’s shopping carts, letting him ride in front of the cart, then on the end of the cart, “no, you can’t have that,”  “we already have that at home,” and my favorite, “can you wait to go potty, we are almost done.”

These were moments of joy for me, watching him in the store, deciding what he liked and thought he needed.  When my children were small, many times these trips to the store, ended up being moments of frustration for me just trying get in and out of the store, what should have taken 10 minutes took 30, and there was laundry at home waiting, nap time was almost there and crankiest was setting in.  I look at young moms now when I see this and quietly say to them, “enjoy it, they will be grown and gone before you know it.”