When we go shopping . . . .

We got out of the house today!!  It felt so good after nine days of being home bound with sickness.  The kids are not 100% but much better.  It was not what most would have considered an exciting outing.  It was our every 2 weeks grocery shopping trip.  We only shop every 2 weeks because I find that I spend less and then it is less interruption in our schedule.  My little secret is that I love grocery shopping.  I am a saver by nature and grocery shopping lets me spend money guilt free :D :D.  Silly but true.  Shopping with six  children is always an adventure! Not because of my children as much as the other people observing my children.  We cannot get through a store without being commented on usually by multiple people. 
The common comments:

• Are they all yours?
• Are any of them twins?
• Are you running a daycare?
• Are you catholic?
• Are you mormon/lds?
• Wow you have your hands full!! (this should have been at the top as I get this one every time I am out).
• I could never do that!
• You must be a very patient person. ( Now why people think I have achieved this because I have numerous kids is beyond me.)
• Then there are the counters - the ones that stare and then start counting out loud and pointing while elbowing their friend.

Less common comments:

• Are you a politician? ( Yes, we actually got this one.)
• Haven't you figured out what causes that yet? (Please don't ask Stephen this because his response makes me blush.)
• It should be illegal to have that many kids?  ( Didn't handle this one as well, I was having a rough day and my husband was in Iraq - in all honesty I cried, after giving him a dirty look.)
• Your children are sooo well behaved.  ( I like this one.)
• WOW , you are so very blessed!  ( This is most often from the elderly who constantly encourage me by smiling and stopping and talking to the kids.)
• Wow, do you want to take mine?

 Most of the time I do not have to respond.  Caleb has a monologue that he launches into as soon as someone opens their mouth - "Yes, we are all hers. Nope, no twins.  I am the oldest. I am ten and the youngest is 1.  We would be bored otherwise!"  He has had a ready response since he was about 3 and he started hearing the same questions again and again and the answers.  :D 

 I will so miss this season of our lives!  I will miss not parking as close to the door as I can but parking as close to a cart as I can - so I can load everyone up.  I will miss people's comments.  I will miss it taking 5 minutes just to get out of the car.  I will miss us taking up half an aisle as we shop - sometimes filling two carts.  I will miss having all their little hands on the cart.  My four oldest each have a corner of the cart that they have to hold onto at all times. Well Caleb doesn't so much anymore.  He walks alongside me unless I have him running and getting something. Titus and Hadassah ride in the cart.  I will miss shopping taking half our day because we run to Costco and then Walmart.                        I will not miss the times when one suddenly needs a potty break and I have a cart full of groceries :D

I am so very blessed.  Thank you, God!