at the Mall of America
Yesterday we had our family at the Mall of America. We got there at 1pm and didn't leave until the Mall closed....at 10pm. The mall is so, so loud. It's fun, don't get me wrong.....and the roller coaster rides were a blast, and Precious discovered she likes the big kid rides much more than the baby rides....and Claire confirmed that she doesn't love rides so she and got to shop a bit more than the rest. And that's ok.
I was waiting for our 2 littles to finish jumping in the inflatable "pineapple under the sea" because the amusement park at the Mall of America is all Nickalodean......and of course it's impossible to leave the park part without buying all of the swag they sell that reminds American kids of the meaningless tv shows they watch while their parents are doing something else......hence the name.....Mall. Of America.
This is a very ethnically diverse place. We saw humans from all walks of life and ethnicity and culture. I'm a people watcher so I soaked in lots of social experience and tried not to admit I wasn't buying clothes because I am fat.
As I waited outside the Pineapple under the Sea.....the couple next to me on the bench was talking. She was an unkept late 20s mom's mom in old sneakers who had just finished breast-feeding a toddler. I applaud this but I wonder if that was the reason the seat next to her was open. Her blue collar husband sat beside her and said this. "Thanks for supporting me." "You're welcome", she said. He went on to talk about the plan for the rest of their day....let the kids do a few more rides, then go for dinner....and then he said, "I can't believe I quit my job yesterday." And she said something like....."yeah".
So here they were, a young American family with 4 or 5 kids, not affluent or pompous, just American folks who were out to show their kids a fun weekend even though dad quit his job. I"m sure dad was feeling reckless....and mom was feeling freaked out.....and we were all there, just watching our kids jump in a pineapple.
We didn't quit our jobs yesterday....but we did decide to go to Mall of America for the day and enjoy life with kids. Grace will only be with us a couple more months and she has been counting down the days til Mall of America since Christmas. The boys wanted to ride rides and Claire wanted to shop and the littles just wanted to have fun......so even though we couldn't afford to do this trip with a family our size.....we did it anyway.
Just like the dad who quit his job.
We are not reckless. We have jobs and responsibilities and when we get home, we will face the tyranny of the urgent and necessary once again. For a couple of days, we get to just hang out in a hotel with all 6 of the youngsters we are parenting.....and enjoy the present more than the future or the past.
I'm thinking of that dad tonight, hoping he has a plan for his family......and kinda proud of him for not sticking his head in a hole when he quit his job, but sowing into his kids for a day instead. May the Lord grant him favor and wisdom......
I was waiting for our 2 littles to finish jumping in the inflatable "pineapple under the sea" because the amusement park at the Mall of America is all Nickalodean......and of course it's impossible to leave the park part without buying all of the swag they sell that reminds American kids of the meaningless tv shows they watch while their parents are doing something else......hence the name.....Mall. Of America.
This is a very ethnically diverse place. We saw humans from all walks of life and ethnicity and culture. I'm a people watcher so I soaked in lots of social experience and tried not to admit I wasn't buying clothes because I am fat.
As I waited outside the Pineapple under the Sea.....the couple next to me on the bench was talking. She was an unkept late 20s mom's mom in old sneakers who had just finished breast-feeding a toddler. I applaud this but I wonder if that was the reason the seat next to her was open. Her blue collar husband sat beside her and said this. "Thanks for supporting me." "You're welcome", she said. He went on to talk about the plan for the rest of their day....let the kids do a few more rides, then go for dinner....and then he said, "I can't believe I quit my job yesterday." And she said something like....."yeah".
So here they were, a young American family with 4 or 5 kids, not affluent or pompous, just American folks who were out to show their kids a fun weekend even though dad quit his job. I"m sure dad was feeling reckless....and mom was feeling freaked out.....and we were all there, just watching our kids jump in a pineapple.
We didn't quit our jobs yesterday....but we did decide to go to Mall of America for the day and enjoy life with kids. Grace will only be with us a couple more months and she has been counting down the days til Mall of America since Christmas. The boys wanted to ride rides and Claire wanted to shop and the littles just wanted to have fun......so even though we couldn't afford to do this trip with a family our size.....we did it anyway.
Just like the dad who quit his job.
We are not reckless. We have jobs and responsibilities and when we get home, we will face the tyranny of the urgent and necessary once again. For a couple of days, we get to just hang out in a hotel with all 6 of the youngsters we are parenting.....and enjoy the present more than the future or the past.
I'm thinking of that dad tonight, hoping he has a plan for his family......and kinda proud of him for not sticking his head in a hole when he quit his job, but sowing into his kids for a day instead. May the Lord grant him favor and wisdom......
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