Shopping....Because I Love My Girls

OK, so I admit it, if it were up to me, I would not go shopping. BUT, I knew that my daughters were waiting for this opportunity, and I knew that they really needed to go with me. SO, I psyched myself up to go.

My plan was to sleep late (until at least 9:00), then wake up the girls, have breakfast together, and then hit the outlets. If we were lucky, we would finish early and come home in time to have a nice dinner together. Maybe MD would even be back in time to join us.

I woke up too early, at 8:00. I thought I would just do a few things, then go back to bed for another 1/2 an hour or so. But by 10:00, my youngest was already up and there was no turning back. We woke up my eldest around noon. The revised plan was to have lunch and be on our way.

One thing led to another and at 1:00 I was not sure if I wanted to go. I was irritated about several things (including the girls' sudden demand that we also go to the mall today, since "everything is 50% off") and I was tired. Both girls were upset. But it was the tears of my youngest, as she cried "you promised," that tore at my heart. She wanted to go yesterday, despite her fever, and I promised her we would go today.

Then, my girls gave me the following note:

Dear Mommy!

going to the mall is very important to Y and A. (us)

its not every day that all three of us are avelable to hang out together!

we know that its not so easy for u to hang out shoping for a long time,
but "אין דבר העומד בפני הרצון"!!!

we wold like to ask you to please do this for us. we will be soooooo graetfull!!!

we know its' a big reaqeust but we really need it.

think of it as: "hanging out with your two lovelly dawters"!!! ☺

such a cool mom!

please please please please please... (x100)

♥love♥ y and a. (us)

(note the please "with a cherry on top)

I do not know if I can fully convey the sweetness of their note. Needless to say, I took them shopping. It was almost 3:00 by the time we entered the first store. (I had never been to these outlets before, so it took some time to find them)

We went to several outlets in Givat Shaul (Tamnun, Lord Kitch, Topline). We found almost everything that Y needed/wanted. But the stores did not have most of what we needed for A.

By this time, I was tired, cold, and hungry. We stopped in a small diner, and split two bowls of hot onion soup. It was just what we needed!

We went across the street to another store, "HaKol in one" (all in one), which did not have the items we wanted, but did have several other items that the kids needed.

By now, it was 8:00, and I was finished. I knew that the kids would understand if we went straight home. But I could not forget the image of A sitting and waiting patiently while Y searched for an hour for a skirt she liked. I just could not go home without trying to get A what she needed.

So, I took them to the mall. We did manage to get A a few items that she needed. To our dismay, though we went to several stores, we could not find her a pair of jeans (neither pants, nor skirts. Even if she would have foregone the flared bottoms, all the jeans were hip-huggers. We all agreed that the hip huggers are too low, and are immodest from behind when you sit down. None of the stores had "normal" jeans, that come up to the waist. We also could not find a simple jean skirt, that was short, but still covered the knees. In Givat Shaul, the skirts that fit her were too long. And in the mall, the skirts that fit her were too short.

At 9:30, I called it quits. I apologized to A, but I did not think we had anything to gain by hitting every store in the mall. Clearly, the popular styles were not for A. I was done!

On the way home, I made sure that A knew that I had gone the extra mile for her. I knew she was disappointed. I wanted her to know that we went to the mall for her, and that I appreciated her. I wanted to make sure that she did not feel that she was any less important. A did not complain, but I knew that she was sad. I wanted to help her recognize what she did get, not just in terms of the things we did purchase for her, but also in terms of the efforts we put into finding what she needed (even when we did not find them).

We arrived at home at 9:45. After greeting MD, who we had not seen for two days, we sat down to supper and then the girls got ready for bed.

Just before they went to bed, they came to me with another note:

Dear ima!
Thank you soooooooooo much! we are sooooooo greatful!
We know it wasnt easy for you and we wanted to thank you for doing in anyways!!!
We love you very berry much!
love love love (x100)
y & a!

(there were several pictures of happy girls all over the note, plus lots of hearts)

Both girls had already thanked me, so it was a very nice gesture. I hugged them again. Then they went to bed.

A few minutes later, A came out of her room. She wanted to tell me how much she appreciated the time we spent together today. Then she flashed me a beautiful smile.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA