holyboogers

I braved Black Friday mayhem today to go shopping.  My husband woke at 4 am as I lay sleeping with Ryan and Noah and he was back by the time the three of us woke up for the day.  When I pried my eyes open, I leaped out of bed, ready to go with a wakefulness that I don’t normally exhibit first thing in the morning.  Noah had just nursed, Ryan was still sleeping…I was ready to go.  I wiggled on a pair of jeans, pried the sweatshirt directly off the back of my husband (it’s go to be the most comfortable sweatshirt and unfortunately, it’s his!), threw my purse around my neck and onto my shoulder, and out the door I went. 

My destination?  The mall.  I mistakenly thought that by 7 am I would be dodging other cars for a parking spot, but there were many open.  I snagged the first one I saw and so it began…

I could hear the Salvation Army bells jingling as soon as my feet hit the pavement.  Giving is definitely a virtue I’d like to instill within my children as they grow older, most especially during the holidays where we want for nothing and there are so many children and their families that are in need.  This is another blog entirely, but I placed some money in the tin, my heart beginning to warm already and I hadn’t even set foot inside the doors.

I open the door, walk a few steps, and I’m in.  I’m a woman on a mission.  No children in tow, I have nothing holding me back.  I can go anywhere I please.  Now, most people I talk to hate Black Friday.  They hate the crowds, the noise, the pushing and rudeness.  I think the day after Thanksgiving shopping crowds and sales have the opposite effect on me.  Christmas music is playing.  The smells are in the air.  I’m shopping for my loved ones and can envision the smiles I’ll see come Christmas Day.  Was the mall busy this morning?  Absolutely.  But I had nowhere to go.  I wasn’t in a hurry.  I hit some amazing sales and now the Christmas season has truly begun.