I promised myself to make time to send this thank you out while I was still warm in my memory!
So, today, amidst thunderstorms warnings and tornado sirens, I had to run to the store. I did not plan on it being so rainy, as I also had a few other errands in mind to do, but b/c of the weather I narrowed my list down to "must" only. 'I must go to the store to pick up my Rx and get a few last-minute things for dinner with the Phelps tonight...'
It was raining when we parked at the Helena Publix, but Georgia & I had our raincoats on, and I had an umbrella. I wasn't sure how I was going to wrangle Georgia, Lincoln- in his car seat, the diaper bag, and an umbrella across the rainy parking lot, but I was sure it could be done! Well, no worries b/c the umbrella was a dud and had to be left behind. That left me with only two handfuls- Georgia & Lincoln. Thankfully Georgia thought the rain was fun and giggled as it sprinkled her face!
We did our shopping and I was in a good mood because Georgia was happily munching on her cookie (bless the Publix bakery and their free cookies for kids!) and an item I'd come for- spaghetti sauce, was buy one get one free! But my mood was dampened (pun intended) as we approached checkout and I saw it was not only still raining, but now pouring. And lightning. And thundering. Not idea conditions to sprint two kiddos and groceries to the car!
This is where the angels of mercy (dressed as Publix employees) come in! The kind lady that bagged our groceries told me she'd wait by the door with the cart & kiddos while I went for the car. Awesome! I was already feeling better that I was the only one that was going to get very wet. The kids are just finally getting over runny noses and I knew that wet trip to the car was going to reignite them! Then, as I ran out into the rain, the Publix gentleman pushing carts in thrust a large umbrella towards me. I thought about resisting since he was getting wet too, but it was in my hands before a word came out. So I finished my walk to the car in relative dryness, snug beneath my borrowed umbrella.
As I pulled to the curb in front of the store, my kiddos and cart were waiting for me. Georgia was already unbuckled and waiting in the cart-pusher's arms. As I buckled her in, he got Lincoln out and ready for me too. The lady that waited with them loaded my bags into the back, and someone else handed my diaper bag to me. We were all dryly loaded in no time and I was headed back home, to a chorus of "Drive safe, stay dry, have a nice day, cute kiddos!" from my angels!
It ended up taking at least four of them to get us out the door, but I am so grateful to the help and kindness, especially on such a yucky day when going to the grocery store is the last thing you want to do with two little ones. I did not even catch any names, but I'm confident that my angels from Publix not only know who they are, but they could have been any one of the employees that work there! Thanks again, Helena Publix!