I'll Tell Ya What Ya Want

This is going to be sort of random. Part of it is a piggyback on what I wrote about yesterday. Part of it is a shout out to my mom, who gave me one piece of advice that I lived by and gave me one childhood memory that I hope my children will have of me.

So, we will start at the beginning. Dave always makes fun of me because I didn't know what Walmart was until I was in college. Though we didn't have Walmarts and Targets in Newbury Park, we did have a Kmart two towns over. Fear not, I did not grow up in the middle of nowhere, but my town was too snobbish to allow the discount stores (or at least that was the rumor), but we do have a Target now. So, anyway this Kmart was notoriously known for its horrible customer service. There were always about 20 people in line and it always took an hour to check out. I don't really remember the details of this trip, but I remember all three of us kids being tired and mom was frustrated. It probably took a ridiculous amount of time for something, and I suppose mom got a little irked at the check-out lady (for the record, irked for mom isn't a kick in the pants...it is more like a poke in the shoulder). We must have eventually paid and gotten out of the store, since we are not still waiting in line to this day. I am not sure how many days passed in the mean time, but mom felt as though she had treated the check-out lady unfairly and rudely (I can only assume), because one day mom went back to the store with the three of us in tow. She found the same lady, explained that she had been in the store a few days before, had acted poorly and wanted to ask her for her forgiveness. The lady sort of shrugged and said something about it not being a big deal, but mom insisted that it was a big deal and apologized again. I suppose at that point all four of us walked out of the store. I know that I am probably adding things to all of this, but this is what my 6 year old mind remembers about the situation. Honestly I will never forget this, and this is what I want my children to remember about me.

On another note when boys starting becoming a big deal to me, I remember this one talk that mom and I had. And I think this was the single most important advice I ever received in my entire life. Ok, ready all my fav single buds? You will know he is the one when...just kidding! She said that a measure of a man's character is how he treats people. Not just how he might treat me, but how he treats the waiter, or the check-out lady, or the person that really irritates them. How he treats those people will be how he treats you one day.

So after spending a bunch of time with my wonderful husband, I saw how he treated people, and I knew he was true, just like his middle name. It is a good thing he wasn't using the same measure for me because I would have failed! I can be a real bitty sometimes. I really hate it when folks get in my way, but Dave has taught me so much about loving and caring for people, even the ones that screw up your forms and overdraft your account.

I am married to the kindset man in the whole world, so maybe Hadleigh will take her cues of caring for people from her Dada and Nana.