Space for Grace

Do you ever feel like an irresponsible teenager? Like, "Oh yeah, I remember I should have done____."  I don't get embarrassed anymore when it happens. I chalk it up to youth. Like, yeah, I may be irresponsible but it makes me feel like a teenager. So me and my bff's gonna go to the mall.  LYLAS y'all.  Hoping not to forget our kids. Or their snacks. Or diapers. Or underwear...

That really happened the other day. I was driving along going to the museum, happy, all us girls singing. Then my littlest says, "I don't want to go to the museum." I'm thinking, oh no, she's sick. Then she says, "I don't want people to see my bottom." Great. I forgot underwear. She's wearing a dress, mind you. We pull over to Target and I buy some, after my oldest tells me it's a waste of money decision as we have lots of underwear at home. I'm thinking, sure we do. But now ALL these pairs are going in my mom purse for another time. So there. Responsible decision.  Boom.  Roasted.

I actually won one of those purse games with my randomness of my purse contents. Yep. I had matchbox cars, hand sanitizer, candy, pens, pencils (at least 4 of each), lipstick, and you guessed it, panties belonging to my child. Not sure what those church ladies thought of it but heck yes I won with panties.  

It reminds me of regret, right? Man, if I had only been more responsible, known what to do, not made that decision, etc. Reminds me of a back and forth email with my brother in law. He's an optometrist. Always has eye care at his beckoning call.  I always (can I retype that?) ALWAYS call him last minute needing contacts. So here we go.  Several mornings ago....

Me: Hey, Hope y'all are great! Can I order contacts? I remember faces of those sweet ladies but forget who to call:) Thanks!

(I am hiding my frantic oh crap I did it again. You will see several nervous "thanks" written all through this embarrassing interchange.)

Him: sure can. just email me your current prescription.

Me: Yeah! Thanks! It's the same prescription in both eyes which I told the dr means I am definitely not getting old. Yeah! Good news, right? Thanks!

Him: awesome, no change. which dailies did they use, there are several brands and I think i gave you acuvue moist, but i can not remember?

(Interject here that there is a moist conspiracy going on against me. Now I'm wondering if people actually love this word? Like lets use it in a moist marketing campaign, on everything from cakes to contacts to one of my daughters spelling words today? Grr. Since my last blog post I have seen it waaaay too much. Carrying on...)

Me: Yes, the acuvue (swallow hard you can type it) moist is what I sampled. Thanks!

Him: acuvue trueyes are designed for more dry eyes. most my patients wear the moist. if the moist are still uncomfortable then i use the trueyes.

Me: Maybe true eyes would be better. I couldn't get the acuvue moist off my eyes the other night. Like I had to pry them off. Real uncomfortable. So lets go with the more expensive ones. I like to be high maintenance anyway.

Him: you will never regret going with more comfortable contacts. I will bring you some next weekend.

(Then comes the confession part...)

Me: I think I have one more day. I can reuse them though. Or you can pretend I didn't just type that. Surely that's not good eye care. But, I can wait for sure. Thanks!

I finished hitting send on the last one and told my husband, "Good news.  Your brother says I won't regret my expensive contact decision. Because I have lots of regrets in life, and I would hate for one to be on contacts.  For real."  

I will probably not change.  If you live on the fly and try to be spontaneous, your kids will probably go without underwear at one point in time.  If you are always giving, attending to, monitoring your kids development, you probably will forget to order contacts or wear the wrong pair of shoes, or forget 10 things off your grocery list.  If you love those around you, and they love you, then who the heck cares.  Let the women unite and give each other some space for grace.