Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Christmas Miracle
We've been cooped up this week with a case of The Pinkeye, or, as it is now, The Double Pinkeye, and we're all about to go crazy with cabin fever. It was different when we were sick and didn't really feel like doing anything, but with pinkeye you don't feel bad - you just have a gross, contagious eye. Tuesday night I went to Walgreens to pick up Ethan's eye drops and can I just take a minute to curse the meth heads who have made it nearly impossible to buy Sudafed without alerting the FBI? Anyway, I was tired and cranky and hungry and I decided to take matters into my own hands - I found the all-Christmas music station on XM radio (channel 35 in case you care). I normally eschew Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, but the situation was dire. I was in need of some serious cheer and it did help, a little. Wednesday morning we were back in the house, cooped up again since the doctor said we couldn't go out until Thursday, and I was back to my cranky, tired self when I decided that what we needed was a trip to Wal-Mart. I mean, could we really make Wal-Mart germy-er with our pinkeye? Could Wal-Mart be any germy-er? I've mentioned my hatred for Wal-Mart in this blog before and I was anticipating our usual run in, stand in line for 20 minutes to buy 3 things, and run out. But a funny thing happened - we had fun. We went through the garden center and admired the trees with their lights and the inflatable Santas and snowmen. We traveled the toy aisle and Ethan completely cooperated with my admonition that, "We're just here to look. We're not going to buy today." He gazed longingly at toys and exclaimed, "Look!" more times than I could count. We found possible gifts for Micah, enjoyed the piped-in Christmas music, bought a copy of Wall-E and when we went to check out, we didn't have to wait very long at all. Wal-Mart evoking any sort of positive feelings in me is a true miracle. I am now officially in the holiday spirit. I continue to listen to XM 35 and already have plans to buy a train for around our tree and have it out as a surprise for Ethan on Christmas morning. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday next week and if you're traveling, travel safe.
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8 comments:
Your story made me smile :)
And your comment made me smile. Thanks! :)
Gosh, it's all in perception, isn't it?
I was at Walmart today as well, but hating every minute of it, starting with choosing the best out of the five crapped-out carts I tried when we first walked in, being berated by the decreppit old greeter because my returns set off the store alarm as I swung the fourth bobo cart into a U-ie and headed back to try cart number five, then he forgot to put stickers on my returns, so from customer service I had to go all the way back to the entrance to get my packages stuck by old guy who couldn't figure out his hi-tech sticker machine (scan and print, man, scan and print!!!), all the while thinking, "I just want to return these crappy pieces of junk and get on with my bulk shopping in the black hole of Hell, people!"
I eventually got my returns taken care of, my money back, and most of my list in my cart along with my two kids when I hear, "Would Donna (Insert Complete Mispronunciation of My Last Name) please report to customer service?" Then she repeated my name again (at least I figured she probably meant me) and my son asked why I had to go there, did I get in trouble?
No, but I did forget to put the remote control back in the box BEFORE I returned the junkie DVD player. Anyway. I'm hoping my evening goes a little better.
Maybe I need to put on some Christmas music.
Happy holidays...I still have a little time to turn my attitude around before I get labeled a Grinch, right?
I just thought of something positive to say so you don't all think I'm bitter and resentful and a Christmas hater: Liz is right. The lines were very short and I hardly had to wait. Thank God. (and I really did thank Him in that moment, too!)
See? I love baby Jesus' birthday!
I would still dance on the ashes if it burned down...
Donna, you're such a lovely breath of fresh air...
Liz, I can't believe that you guys are afflicted with pink eye now! Hope everyone is feeling better soon!
I think the Walmart experience has a lot to do with attitude. If you realize that it's going to take a while and you can laugh at the incredibly wierd things that happen in the store, it's not so bad.
Thanks for the early It's a Wonderful Life moment--somewhere in the distance I'm sure that I hear a bell ringing and a little girl with an annoying voice talking about angels...
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!
You must go to this site. It's so mean but so true.
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/1024768/
I love reading your blogs! lol I always laugh (in a good way...lol) and smile when I read them. :) This one was especially entertaining though. lol
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