Calling All Shoppers

Those of you who know me know I don't like shopping. Yep, that's what is called an understatement, eh? If you don't know me and don't know how much I dislike shopping, you should go back and read through several of my posts from 2012 including one titled Shop It Up. But I've discovered something since my granddaughter was born ... I don't mind shopping for that sweet little girl. It doesn't matter what it is I'm shopping for either ... food, clothes, toys, shoes ... doesn't matter at all to me what it is I'm shopping for as long as it's for her. Pretty crazy, eh? Actually, according to all the other grandmas I know, it's not really crazy at all. I just wanted to use "eh?" again ... that's what the Canadians say, you know. Not my Canadians, mind you, but the other Canadians. Many of them end their sentences or questions with, "eh?" and I think it's awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I've decided I may need to incorporate it into my everyday language as well. Yep, I think that's a great idea ... I can use it at work ... "Need me to do some editing, eh?" I can use it at home ... "Ollie and Julie need some food, eh?" I can even use it at the grocery store ... "Those pears are too ripe, eh?" Wait a sec ... what was this post about, eh? Oh, yeah, shopping.

Matt and Becca and C.J. took Brad and me to the West Ed Mall today, the largest mall in North America. And. It. Is. Humongous. I've never seen such a big mall in my whole life ... well, duh, eh? It's two levels with several wings with more stores than you can even imagine and a whole ton of restaurants, too. And get this ... it's got a big amusement park, a water park with a bunch of really steep slides and a giant wave pool, a large ice skating rink and a sea lion show that takes place in this huge pool of water that has a pirate ship at the end of it. All of that at a flipping mall ... I'm not kidding. We were at the mall for a few hours and didn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the stuff that's there. I told my kiddos that a true shopper could spend days in that mall ... maybe even months. The key words there being "true shopper" ... someone who loves to shop ... like my friend Ali. I couldn't help but think of her as we walked through the mall, especially when we passed the stores that had anything sparkly or sequiny on display. Yep, shoppers like Ali would think they were in heaven at the West Ed Mall for sure.

So you want to know the big lesson I learned from my time at the mall today, eh? I learned that love is what makes the difference on so many things in life. I watched Brad dance with his only niece in Old Navy today and not care what another person on earth thought about the two of them. I watched Matt hold his only daughter up to see the princesses in the Disney store and beam with pride as she laughed and clapped her little hands. I watched Becca in true concerned and loving Mom mode as she chose the perfect hat to keep the sun off of C.J.'s face when they walk each day. And I enjoyed shopping at Old Navy for clothes for my granddaughter ... yes, you read that correctly ... I enjoyed shopping. I enjoyed shopping for only one reason ... because love is what makes the difference on so many things in life.