An Interesting Conversation At Costco.

This is what happened. . .

I was standing in line at the food court trying to buy an ice cream bar for Marg.

The lines were incredibly long, but I didn't really think much about it. . . Costco gets you through there pretty fast.

The guy who was standing right in front of me (he was probably my age, but honestly, he looked a little clueless) turns around and says. . .

"People around here must just mass produce kids. It's like there's seven kids with every adult."

He didn't seem too pleased, and I then realized there were A LOT of kids running around.

"Oh, school's out today," I said with a little laugh. "That's why there are so many kids here today."

The man then said, "This place is different than other parts of the state. Families are broken up everywhere else and you never see two parents with their kids."

"Oh," I said, and tried to smile again. I didn't know what to say. I didn't think that was necessarily true, but I suppose here in Happy Valley we probably do have a lot of kids running around and I suppose there were a few dads who had taken the day off for fall break.

Just then my very own kid came up to me wanting to know if I had gotten her ice cream yet.

I didn't have seven kids with me today, but I did have four (including Lillie) and I wanted to burst with pride just at the thought of my girls. I thought about how blessed I was to have four with me. Four! 

"Yes," I wanted to say, "We have a lot of kids here. Isn't it great?"

But before I could say anything the guy said. . .

"I don't know, that seems like a lot of responsibility to me." 

And he walked off.

I know nothing about this guy, but I did think that was such a sad conversation (even though it was mostly one sided) . He seemed to have no idea what real happiness is. He seemed like the kind of guy who has spent his life doing his own "thing." Like I said before, he seemed a little clueless.

As Marg and I walked back to our table to join the other girls, I realized how grateful I am for Happy Valley. How grateful I am for mothers and fathers - mostly mothers - who drag their kids around with them when I know it isn't easy. How grateful I am to live in a community where kids are, for the most part, the priority. 

How VERY grateful I am for "responsibility."

So very, very grateful.