Project Aisle 23: Post 1

As I sit "criss cross apple sauce"(indian style for those without young children or who aren't teachers) on our comfy sofa, lights out all around me, hearing only the sound of my baby boy's sound machine and my pandora radio, I begin to type and instantly my body lets out a sigh....ahhhh...it's good to be back in the blogging world. I've wanted to update for a while now. But, I wanted it to be meaningful...not just ramblings. I thought about writing all about Noah James and his millions of amazing sounds,movements, expressions, etc. But, I could go on and on forever about that precious child, and really...who (other than my mama and aunts) would want to hear all of that. I thought, well, I could write about my adventures in motherhood....but you've all been here and let's be honest...I don't really know what I'm doing and I'm not sure I want to tell you all what a fool I have become as I sing made-up rap songs to entertain my baby while driving or the interpretive dancing that I do to make him giggle while I attempt cooking dinner. So, needless to say...a combination of a mental block and lack of time kept me away from the world of blogging. But, just last week something happened and it hit me..."This is it...I have to make this my blog project." So...first, let me share the story...then if you're still with me, I'll share the purpose of the blog. (Oh, and I'll still talk about my baby boy :)..can't stop me)

Noah and I made a trip to Wal-Mart mid morning last week. I always wear him in my moby wrap...so he's attached to me and watching all that goes on around him, stealing the affection of every shopper that glances his way. We were in the checkout aisle (aisle 23..and I don't know how I remember that). I've noticed that when you visit wal-mart in the morning you are joined by lots of older people....and I love old people! There was an old lady in front of me (taking forever) and an old man behind me. The old man was probably a little older than my grandfather. I noticed him as soon as he pulled up behind Noah and me. He was tall, had tan, worn, and weathered skin and was wearing blue jeans and a tattered blue jean shirt which wasn't even buttoned all the way. You could tell he was a hard worker...even in his old age. He began to talk to Noah and play with him. He was a sweet man. He kept saying what a fine boy Noah was. He commented on his blue eyes, patted his chunky legs, and played with Noah's "noopie" as he called it (His pacifier if you are wondering). He told Noah that he was going to grow up to be a fine young man and grow up to be just like his daddy and do whatever his daddy did like hunt or fish. Of course, I was talking to the man through all of this. Then the man looked at me while patting my sweet Noah and said, "Young Lady, let me give you one piece of advice. You hold this boy and love on him all you can right now. Because, pretty soon he'll be gone or wanting a car." I replied with, "Oh yes sir, you are right. I will. Everyone says they grow so fast, I believe it." We then continue to talk, he tells me about his great grandson also named Noah. (I told you that old lady in front of me was taking a long time.) I asked him how many children he had. He told me he had two. He had a boy and a girl. But then he said, "My boy died when he was young of leukemia." ......................................................My heart sank and he must have seen it in my eyes. I told him how sorry I was that he had to go through that. I asked how long his son was sick for. He told me he died a little less than a year from finding out about the cancer that was eating his son's body. He then put an arm on me and told me not to worry that it would not happen to my Noah. I just wanted to hug this man...I wanted him to hold me right there while I cried. This piece of advice that he gave me is advice you hear often...so often that you take it for granted. But when you hear it from the mouth of a man who lost his only son...a man who wished he had held his son more while he was still alive, then it kind of takes on such a deeper meaning. It hit me hard. He was right! The neatest thing is that God sent that man to me. He also sent the old lady...thank heavens she took 20 minutes to buy her groceries. ..I'm the kind of person who always wants to do whats right. Not because I am a good person...but just because I want to do what's right. I don't want to do anything wrong. Mix this with being a first time parent and you create a mess of stress. That's what I had become...I was trying to live up to what all "The Books" tell me to do as a mom and was beginning to feel like a failure. God spoke to me that morning in wal-mart. He told me to put the books down and pick up my beloved baby boy. So now, I am solely seeking Christ for my parenting counsel and not the many books that I've collected, not to mention google. He lifted the burden. ...........And here is where the blog project begins...with this old man on aisle 23. God is teaching me so much about being a mother, a godly parent, a human being, and a wife and He uses the most surprising situations sometimes to teach me. Daily there is something happens in my life that is my "life lesson" so to say for that day. So Project Aisle 23 is about me looking for, learning from, and sharing these random situations and people that God is using to teach me. I'd like to do this for 30 days. I may miss a day or two...but I'll catch up. I'd like to post weekly but I'll be busy loving on Noah James so I'll get to the blog late at night if I'm not exhausted from the days events.
Thanks for listening...it's good to be back! And I will post soon an update on Noah James and his incredible little self...but it's late, and I need some sleep :).