From One Mother...To Another.

So Jason's parents came down to celebrate Juliet's first Christmas with us.  They walked in the door and I politely informed them that Jason and I would be enjoying each other's company on a date that evening.  Of course, they were thrilled to spend the evening alone with Sophia and Juliet, which they so rarely get.

My dreams were big.  I was texting back and forth with a dear friend all day to get recommendations on a fancy dining establishment where I could sip fine wine and stare into my husband's eyes.  (Ok, yeah right.  We've been married almost 7 years there would be no staring, but certainly fun conversation!)  I saw Jason excitedly pacing the house with his entertainment coupon book for awhile and realized we would most likely be dining at a "buy one meal get one free" facility.  Still....I said, "surprise me!"  

Well his iphone decided to start not feeling so well that afternoon and apparently the only available appt. at the Apple store for a week was a cancellation that evening at 6:30.  

Who am I to complain about the location of a few hours with my husband?  If I was going to the Apple store, everyone there would know how excited I was to be there.  The sound docks and MacBooks may have impressed me too much.  I have a feeling that people were laughing at me and not with me, but if I put a smile on someone's face does it really matter that it came at my expense?

We hurriedly drank some wine and a family style pasta at a chain restaurant (Maggiano's) because it was close to the movie theatre where we were going to see Four Christmases, which I highly recommend.

After the movie was over, a lady stood up and quite boisterously started yelling about loud laughers in the movie, laughing at things that weren't even funny and shouting all about her terrible luck.  That this always happens to her at the movies and why don't these people get out more often?  This is ridiculous, the movie wasn't that funny and seriously she has terrible luck and hates these kind of people.  She walked out behind Jason and I and made me so uncomfortable with her shouting and particularly with the terrible example of selfishness she was displaying to her pre-teen children.  I tried my hardest to get some courage and turn around and provide her with some scenarios.  What if the laughing movie patron was someone who was out for the first time after surviving cancer treatment?  What if the laughing movie patron was someone who just got home from Iraq?  Can't see she that an evening she is taking for granted, someone might be treasuring with every once of their being?  Can't she see that?  Does she want her children to see her this way?

The ironic thing is that as I walked in front of her, she temporarily stole my evening from me.  And I let her, temporarily.  I had a good feeling that was talking about me.  I didn't realize it at the time, but once I heard her yelling I realized that gosh....I was laughing a bit too loud.  I felt embarrassed that she could be so right about "someone not getting out enough."  It bothered me on the car ride home and Jason was nice enough to not suggest she was talking about me, but I knew in my heart she was.  I was down for a bit and then I realized that if my biggest fault is laughing out loud and living in the moment, then so be it.  Later that night I also took great pride in the lesson that I was presented.  When I decided to stay home after Sophia was born and not go back to work for a bit---I promised myself that I would enjoy every minute of this journey with my kids and that the grass would never be greener.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't know how blessed I am in this world.  I will continue to laugh out loud, I will continue to live in each moment and I will always get the message no matter how it comes to me.  That woman provided me with the reassurance that I am embracing my place in this world.