A Wal-Mart Kind of Girl

So, we weren't at Leanne's house very long before one of her friends texted to see if she could bring over some goodies for our family.

Ummm...yes, please.

Leanne has two specific friends who are known for bringing goodies to her family at just the right time: Lisa and Kelly. Lisa was out-of-town, but in 15 minutes, Kelly arrived...treats in hand.

And she and Leanne were just talking and talking...and I was sitting there listening. Mostly, they were talking about their families, or people that I didn't know...but every once-in-a-while, there was something I would comment on.

At one point, they started talking about shopping and where all they went for Christmas gifts and what all they bought for their kids, etc. And then Kelly goes, "I did most of my shopping at Nordstrom's," and I got all excited, and piped up, "me, too!"

The look on my sister's face was priceless. She threw her hand down and said to Kelly, "no she didn't...she's more of a Wal-Mart kind-of-girl."

Which, I AM...but I really did buy a few gifts from Nordstrom's this year.

So I said, "I did, too!" And Leanne said, "you...shopped at Nordstrom's? NUH-UHHH."

And I was all, like, "I promise I did."

I told her friend, Kelly, that a blog I read had recommended some things and she goes, "which one?" And I said, "Pinterest Told Me To," and she goes, "was it Big Mama? Do you read Big Mama?"

DO PEOPLE NOT LISTEN TO ME?

I said, "no, it was my [pretend] friend, Shaeffer at Pinterest Told Me To," and I started telling her about the leggings...oh, the LEGGINGS...and the pajamas and the boots that I got for the 3 girls in my life.

And all this time, Leanne was just staring at me.

Like I can't shop at Nordstrom's.

And when my other sister, Robin, got there, Leanne said, "Marty said she shopped at Nordstrom's." And Robin said, "MOOSE! That's fancy!"

So, in case my kids or anyone else out there in blog-land wondered about whether or not I was fancy, I hope this post puts you all at ease. I am not. I just bought some things on sale...and got free shipping. And if loving that is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

In my defense, I didn't know it was a fancy store. We don't have a Nordstrom's in Arkansas. Robin said, "it's kind of like Macy's." Again...not in Arkansas. She said, "well, then...like Nieman-Marcus." Hello? NOT IN ARKANSAS, PEOPLE.

In their defense, I really AM more of a Wal-Mart kind-of-girl. That's my motherland. I try to be very frugal, and I buy a lot at Wal-Mart. Target...Old Navy? You're speaking my language, too. But I decided about 3 months ago that I was going to buy all 3 girls the same 3 things: pajamas, boots and a clothing item (the leggings weren't one of the 3 gifts...they were stocking stuffers). The clothing items I got for them were all different. One got a fuzzy vest, two got cardigans. The pajamas and the leggings came from Nordstrom's. The idea to get the boots came from the Pinterest Told Me To blog, but I bought each pair at a store in Little Rock...and at different times. I definitely had to space it out, because that's a lot of money for our family.

I always have to space out what I buy for Christmas...and I always will, because, Lord willing, our family will just get bigger!

I am so glad I decided to get the girls the same things. My mother-in-law always did that with her boys and I always wondered why...because they are all 3 so different. Was it just easier? Faster?

I had my own reasons that I kept to myself, but they were confirmed after I heard about these two girls in a family: one was the daughter and one was the daughter-in-law. At Christmas, the family decided to take turns and have each person open all of their gifts before the next person started opening theirs. The daughter-in-law opened a couple of presents, and when it was the daughter's turn, they all sat there as she opened box after box after box after box. I'm sorry, but that is ridiculous and there is no way I'm having that. As a Mom, I have plenty of opportunities to buy gifts for my own children. I don't need to make a show of it, or show favoritism...EVER, but especially at a FAMILY gathering like Christmas.

Goodness!

So, now I kind of understand why my mother-in-law did things the way she did...not that she would EVER favor one of her boys...or one of her daughters-in-law...over the other. She just never would. She never has.

I appreciate that.

And, Robin...who nearly died last year from a food thing (not at Leanne's house), and then got a c-diff type of thing after that...and I...(but mainly Robin!) broke Leanne's garbage disposal when we stuffed a fourth of a cheese ball and some small weenie looking things down in it. So there's that.

Wonder if I could pick up a new disposal at Nordstrom's?

"God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:11