Wednesday, November 10, 2010

What is irony?

Hello everyone!! Well, I know that butcher block was amazing, but two and a half years is a little extreme... the truth is Cameron started our blog, I was not up for it at the time, so when his interest faded it just sat there waiting for us. After enjoying and reading so may of your blogs I'm finally jumping on the band wagon! Some of your entries are truly touching, and after my sister, Kellie, helped show me how to make it look cute, I've decided to finally take over, as my husband always hoped!
To catch you up... we have had another baby since then, Jane Elizabeth Brown, born May 22, 2009. I'd like to say we're finished in that area, so now that's she's 18 months old, I have time to write a blog!!!
So now to get to the thing that's motivated me to write today, call it a chance to complain to the masses.
What is irony?
Irony is reluctantly taking four children ages 7, 5, 3, and 1 to a craft store, promising them that they will get ice cream if they're good. You race to just what you need, involving your kids in the process so they can feel special and a part of things. Then you run over to the fabric cutting table. Your son grabs a number and noticing that there are people in front of you patiently try to keep your kids happy as you wait. You wander through the aisles, you play hide and go seek. Your sweet son follows your baby around so she won't scream in the cart the whole time. You do this for more than TWENTY MINUTES!!! Noticing that there are many people now (it is Christmas craft time afterall) they are all grumbling about this ONE LADY who has at least twenty different fabrics in her cart and as she's getting them cut, she'e sending her daughter out to get more! I'm trying to set a good example of patience to my children so I don't say a word, though I'm the only one with crying kids. Finally my turn comes up and I race to the front so no one has to wait on me so long. I fly through my cuts, interspersed with calming and chasing kids. I had put my baby in the basket of the cart where I could be nearest to her, but as I try to grab another child who is doing laps around a display she gets up and wiggles. I grab her immediately, while still calmly directing the lady of what measurements I need. So.... the lady next to me, the one who if purchasing half the fabric in the store announces as loud as she could, "you know baskets have seats and buckles for your children!" I am in shock. First I have four children, should I push four carts? Second, the buckle was broken so it would have been more dangerous to have her sitting there. Third, I have kindly entertained my children for over twenty minutes so she could entertain her fabric obsession, and finally WHO DOES THAT?!!! Why are mothers so easy to criticize and ridicule in front of at least 25 people?! So, as my blood begine to churn and I am completely flabbergasted by this clearly neurologically challenged woman I immediately had a choice. I could blast her and I'd probably be cheered on by all the people who have had to wait for her, or continue to try and be an example to my kids. I will tell you I wanted justice so baqdly right then, a voice for all mothers so unjustly accused... but I simply said, " You know... keep it to yourself, you can't talk right now." Her haughtiness shrunk into oblivion, she turned and mumbled to herself. Everyone there was in shock. They were all pining to yell at this woman, and I had the chance, and what did I do? I taught a motherly lesson to all of them.
So my dear friends, this is irony and in the end the best kind of justice. Because I still had four children, that for a quick moment, could still look up to their mother.