A Woman's Work – Brooke Basically Blogging

My aha moment came out of nowhere on Friday.  Harrison and I were going to the mall. Online shopping is my friend.  But I needed to exchange shoes for Harrison and get him new shoes for the 8th grade formal.

It was our quality time to spend together.  We went to the kids section to return the shoes.  I had the lady measure his foot.  I guess the balloons, fish aquarium and the small table and coloring books were a sign.  This was no longer Harrison’s department.  The sales clerk told me that the men’s section was downstairs and that’s the department that Harrison needed.

So, I thought nothing of it and we got on the escalator and made our way to the men’s section.  As we approached the shoe department, I began to get a knot in my throat.  Harrison is fourteen years old, starting high school in the Fall.  I need to accept that.

He started looking on the clearance rack first.  Glad that I taught him well.  Harrison found a few pairs of shoes that he liked. He saw the price and immediately told me that the shoes were $169.00 and that he didn’t want me to pay that much.  Bless his heart. My shoes don’t cost that much.  I wasn’t buying those for him.  A sales clerk came over and he told her what he was looking for.  He also told her that it had to be affordable.

I wanted to cry. My hot flash kicked in.  Thank goodness I had my portable fan for my cell phone to cool me off.  I sat down and I felt like I was in a foreign land.  All I could think of was that I have to make sure he has a shoe horn, the right tie length and socks.  I really wasn’t prepared for all of this.

Harrison sat next to me and said, “Mom, I am growing up.  It was bound to happen.”  So, I decided to make the best of this situation.  What were the perks being in the men’s department?  Well, it definitely wasn’t the prices.  But the view was nice of all of the men shopping.  It was in that moment that I decided.  We will come out of Nordstrom with a reasonable priced pair of shoes or a step daddy for my kids. But everything was going to be alright.

And it was.  Harrison found his pair of shoes for the formal.  We had fun shopping. He is finally taking an interest in what he wears so that is nice. I can’t stop my kids from getting older.  I have to enjoy every milestone and capture the memories.  Before we left the store, he told me he needed new underwear.   Not today, you can order those online.