…without Kristin and me and our combined seven children.

It may seem very strange but we have the best times there (large carts big enough for all four of my kids and a load of groceries, free samples, lots of noise) and in a few short weeks she and her family are moving to Arizona.   This is the theme for me the past few years with good friends I’ve had.  They move away or circumstances change and their place in my life is not the same.  I’m trying to understand the purpose in this but don’t have it figured out just yet.  That’s a whole other post.

On our last trip there, I for one was close to crying more than once.  There were all kinds of things that made it highly amusing and a delightful end to our Costco shopping career.  A short little lady with a thick Spanish accent said to me in the freezer section “You just need three more!  Then you will be like me-seven is so fun!”.  She went on to dote on all our kids and talk about how cute they were and how we should enjoy them every minute and they were such blessings.  Not the usual reaction we get and it was so sweet.   We did, in the same trip, get the pointing and laughing from another two ladies.  Some just shake their heads.

Then there was the moment three kids had to go to the bathroom, I took them.  We filled most of the stalls and as I waited for everyone, a man (distracted and talking on his cell phone) walks right into the women’s restroom, stops, looks at me, turns around quick as he can and exits still talking away.  In the same trip, another mom was in a stall with her two kids constantly telling them to keep the door shut, sit down, don’t touch anything-you know the drill-and finally the door came flying open and she was sitting on the toilet trying to finish quickly and cut her losses.  I couldn’t help but smile.

On another “Kristin” note, when she gets all set doing caligraphy for a little business on the side going, I’ll be sure and let you know.  She helped me create one of the coolest gifts I’ve ever had the joy of giving.  Visit Steph’s blog to see a picture of it.  If you click on the first photo you can get an idea of Kristin’s handwriting talents.  It’s pretty amazing.