Wisdom

So, now that I have 4 children I seem to get a lot more interesting comments from people in public. Well, this also begun to happen when I was visibly pg with #4. It's quite interesting the things I hear from people, most positive I guess you could say. Such as the last visit to Emma's eye Dr. where one of the ladies that worked there came over to me, after us having been there awhile asking if they were all mine (dontcha love that one?), after saying yes, she proceeded to tell me I did not look old enough to have them. My reply was 'I certainly am', she then asked my age, and after hearing it, told me I looked 22. BLESS HER! And hey, this was in person! And working in an Eye Dr.'s office I'm assuming her eyes worked at their optimum lol.. or did they? Anyhow I thanked her, being at the point in my life now where I get a little bit knocked down every time the cashier scans my alcoholic beverage purchase without asking me to show ID.

So as we were leaving another woman there tells me I deserve a medal hahaha. I laughed it off, but was a little proud of myself for keeping up with them all.. and somehow keeping my sanity in the process of succeeding at keeping them entertained, and contained, and not breaking a single pair of glasses the entire 2 or so hours we waited. They were pretty good. ;)

Onto my next story which is why I started typing this to begin with. I'm in Walmart, in the cooking utensils section, searching for a particular utensil to make a new recipe. The only other person being down there was an older gentleman also looking for something and also looking quite lost amidst it all. He turned around to look at us and started to walk off down the aisle (I assume giving up in his search) and turned around and came back. He then proceeded to ask me 'are they all yours? or do you have a class?'. There again, I laughed and said yes, they are mine. He was a sweet old man, in his early 70's probably if I had to guess. Very much with it, witty and bright eyed. He looked around at them all and told me I had a 'real good start', and that they were all 'lookers' too hehe. He then proceeded to tell me about his father and then comes the wisdom. I say wisdom, because I really do love to hear from older people. Most often, I come across sweet old people with something meaningful to share. Most of them are drawn to my cute kids, which brings something out in them and will strike a conversation. I love that they have lived so much longer than I, have experience to share and the willingness to still do so. I love the ones that even after all of that, are not bitter and angry (there are plenty of them too). I love that they tell me to appreciate every second with my children because of some rough time in their lives that taught them to do so (I've heard these stories also), and besides the well meaning ones who need to say something either quite obviously outdated or irrelevant to me, like how I need to believe in Jesus or keep my babies feet covered in the dead of summer.. I am all ears from what I can learn from my elders.

This man's wisdom I agreed with. He told me that his father grew up in a house with 5 sisters and a Mother (not quite sure if there was a Dad there, but it didn't sound that way). He said he was SPOILED to no end. He did nothing for himself because they did it all for him, being the only boy and that he grew into a man that could not take care of himself nor his family apparently. He wasn't given the tools to know how to care for himself, let alone someone else. He cautioned me to not spoil my son (Jude, not having seen or paid attention to that Rye was a boy I guess), amid 3 girls (Emma, Elsha and I). He told me, 'make him take out the trash, make him cut the grass!(little does he know Chris is waiting impatiently to pass that job down to Jude lol) 'Raise him into a man that will one day know how to care for a nice lady.' Wow, that man spoke the truth and I have always felt the same way. It's just refreshing to hear it from a man, and a man that age that you would think still held old fashioned beliefs about roles. I told him YES, I most certainly agree and pointed out I also will do the same for his brother. 'No Momma's boys here!', 'Good girl!', he replied. ;)

Let that be a lesson to all of you with sons to raise. I am doing my very best to raise self sufficient men. No reason they can't cook, learn laundry, help look after their younger siblings (in Jude's case), clean up after themselves, know (and use!) manners, treat their Mother with the utmost respect, sisters too. Too many men have I met that fall under this 'Momma's boy' category. Not only do they not know how to treat a woman, they expect a woman to MOTHER them! (this seems to be a universal trait in men) I thought that job was accomplished once? Perhaps in these men it wasn't, and so the duty is passed down to their wives and partners. I don't agree with it, but I realize this is the way that is a lot of times. Men NEED, and women GIVE. I don't think that will ever change, but I think to what degree those things occur can be controlled. I'll do my best, as I'm sure most Moms do. Whether we succeed or fail being evident in time.

Funny, the thoughts a Walmart trip can provoke eh?