Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Plain Old Katie

P.S. Can you START with a "P.S."??? well-- I am going to.

P.S. I have NEVER referred to myself as Plain Old before.... it is almost PAINFUL to write...


Plain Old Katie

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon alone. I was on my home from the Temple (so I was dressed in a skirt and heels and even jewelery -- since my one year old wasn't around to suck on it or pull it out of my ears) I wasn't on much of a time constraint (like I usually am when running errands) and I was suffering from a mild case of FRUGAL FATIGUE. (you know the stress you feel when you are in search of something you NEED but you want the BEST DEAL??--"Frugal Fatigue") and I decided for Old Time's Sake I would stop by a 7-11 for a Good Old DIET COKE.

It has been roughly 4 years since I entered a 7-11. Ok, that is an exaggeration. But since I have had to UNLOAD and UNBUCKLE CHILDREN for EVERY PIT STOP, I have taken to abandoning "convenience stores". ( not to mention that my children have inherited my obsession with said stores and their abundance of overpriced necessities like Diet Coke, Peach Rings, and Cheetos) But this was a SPECIAL OCCASION:

I WAS ALONE.

I noticed something peculiar, yet strangely familiar in the 7-11. People were friendly to me. One guy let me go ahead of him in line. (This is NOT peculiar for me-- I frequently find people at Costco diving OUT of line to let me and my cart filling children go first. They say things like "I remember those days" or "Looks like you have your hands full, why don't you go ahead" or even "the natives are getting restless, huh?") But this guy let me go ahead WITHOUT CHILDREN! What?! On my way out of the store (after handing the cashier the correct amount of change without holding a baby on one hip and digging in my purse with the "free" hand that is trying to keep Blake from EATING the 10th piece of candy he has pulled off of the shelf) another wonderfully Familiar PHENOMENON happened:

Two men, who stood in conversation at the door, moved quickly to it to OPEN it FOR ME! I was shocked! I practically sang THANK YOU as I hugged and kissed the stranger. Ok, I didn't hug or kiss him - just wanted to see if you were still reading this blog that has gotten increasingly longer than intended... The man's reply to my delighted gratitude was "It's not every day I get to open the door for a Beautiful Young Lady". NOW is when I KISSED HIM! ok, I still did not kiss him. But I couldn't believe what shocked me MORE--- that he called me a YOUNG LADY or that he opened the door for me AND NOT because my arms were full of 6 gallons of milk, or because I was corralling my small army of kids, or even because I looked so exhausted that I may not be able to PUSH the door open myself. He opened it for PLAIN OLD KATIE. JUST FOR ME.(and maybe my sassy heels)

I spent the entire day REVELLING in the pleasure it was TO BE ME. To remember how much I use to love an Ice Cold 7-11 Diet Coke. To remember the JOY of walking in HEALS without worrying about tripping with a 20 lb baby in my arms. To remember the FEEL of JEWELRY that dangles - free of slobber and crumbs. To remember a day without the time constraints of nap time, potty brakes, and bed time. To just be me.

OF COURSE I will add that HAVING those little slobbery fingers on my earrings, the potty breaks at EVERY store, and the nap times right in the MIDDLE of my day- do actually MAKE MY LIFE WONDERFUL. In NO WAY do I regret ALL of the HAPPINESS and JOY I receive from those little "natives" that fill my life. It would feel EMPTY without THEM. That is NOT what I am saying.

SIMPLY put- sometimes I like to BE JUST PLAIN OLD KATIE... however UNPLAIN that actually is.

3 comments:

  1. I love that! Awesome for you! I had a 20-year old guy wink at me when I was sans kids in Utah 2 weeks ago and I had the same feeling. Not because I was being hit on (which NEVER happens, BTW), but because it wasn't the same ol' things I always hear with the kids in tow. I totally love my kids too, but I hear what you're saying! Sometimes it's just . . . nice.

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  2. LOL! I know just what you mean. Thanks for the laugh today.

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  3. I couldn't agree more Katie! Sometimes it is SO NICE to let go of all the responsibilities of being "mommy" and just be yourself (look at me telling you this as if I had 3 kids too!) I am dying for an afternoon "off" so to speak before this baby comes so I can just sit and do NOTHING. But I doubt that will happen. So I will just enjoy reading about your lovely afternoon "off."

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