My Pledge for Change

What a historical day. Today my 4-year-old and I picnicked on the living room floor while we watched the inauguration. We bowed our heads during prayer and my son, as difficult as it was for his busy little body, respectfully kept quiet until Rick Warren said, "Amen". We watched Aretha Franklin sing My Country 'Tis of Thee and I realized it was the first time my son had ever heard that song. With my son cuddled in my lap, we watched President Obama take his presidental oath. When the final words were spoken my son jumped up and down, cheering, in out living room. So, I got up and jumped and cheered with him.



So, here is my pledge for change...

I will teach my children through my actions.
I will use the gifts God has given me to help others.
I will respect myself in order to be a better wife, mother, daughter, friend.
I will stretch myself outside my comfort zone in order to find ways to grow as a person.
I will educate others about Autism and its effects on family and the community.
I will share my story so people know that we are not so different.

And, I will continue to pray.

Groceries.

This morning I went grocery shopping at 6 am. Ugh. Husband has been working hard and late all week and I have been putting off grocery shopping. I'd rather scavenge the pantry for random snacks and squeeze the very last dab of toothpaste out of the tube than take the kids with me to the store. They're not awful kids; the mix of kids and coats and Meijer and coupons and grocery lists...well, it all makes me a little panic-y.

So this morning I jumped out of bed, washed my face, put on my snow boots and coat and went to Meijer. And know the worst part of the whole trip? It wasn't the (below) freezing temperatures or the stockers blocking all the aisles or even the rush I was in (so that I could be back in time for husband to get to work). No, the worst part was that none of the checkout lanes were open and I had to check myself out. I hate that.

These are the reasons I hate to self check: I usually have too many groceries and they don't fit on that mini-shelf so as I adjust them to fit the machine "beeps" to warn me (and everyone else) that I've removed a bag; at least half of my coupons don't work so I have to walk to the unenthused cashier so she can punch them in; I try to get all my stuff to fit in the least amount of bags so I overstuff and a bag (or two) rips open; a clearance item doesn't scan and I have to go back to the cashier who is already unhappy with my multiple unscannable coupons. Oh how I hate self check. Shouldn't I get a discount for having to scan and bag my own stuff? Who do I write to about this?

But, do you know what I do love? A deal! I love coupons and anything 50% off. So, when my friend started this website, I was in love.
Check it out.