Yesterday, I went Christmas shopping with my two daughters. We are cutting way back on the gifts this year, so mostly I was getting help on the gifts for grandchildren. Most have reached an age when they know what they want. They weren’t nearly as much fun to shop for as the baby (age one). She’s getting clothes, and I had a ball in the Children’s Store. Little girls are so much fun to shop for.
But what made the day special was being with my girls. What a blessing it is when a mother’s daughters grow up to be her friends, too. We had expresso and hot chocolate as we went through the mall. Later we had lunch. We laughed. We window shopped. We said, “Do you like this?” and when asked, we gave our opinions. When I look at these beautiful young women who are amazing, loving, caring moms to their children, I realize, by God’s grace, I did a few things right as I raised them.
While in the mall, I also bought something I’ve wanted but don’t think about when I’m actually out and about — an Italian charm bracelet. Both my daughters have one (although I didn’t know it), and one was shopping for starter bracelets for gifts. So I decided to buy a starter bracelet for myself (they were so much more expensive when they first caught on than they are now; I was surprised). Afterward, we were in a Hallmark store, and they had charms, including of dogs. One daughter says, “I wonder if they have a Papillon.” I said, “I doubt it.” But guess what? They did! And the dog on the charm is even the same coloring as Poppet.
One daughter and her family will be gone for most of the Christmas season, so yesterday will be a treasured memory, not for what we purchased but for the company we kept.
