Shopping With my Mom and My First Ever Black Friday Experience Part One

I am not supposed to be awake for another thirty minutes, but I've been tossing and turning for a couple hours, so here I am. Not sure whether it's the massive heartburn from too much delicious food (if I do say so myself), the memories of shopping with my mom, the sweet smell of baby Max (my beloved nephew, who feels more like a Grandson) still lingering on my neck, or the fear of my first ever black Friday experience insighted by the frightening tales of crazed shoppers regaled by Grandma Isa during our Thanksgiving meal...that's keeping me up.

I've never in my thirty-five years experienced Black Friday shopping, although I've heard stories. Many stories. And, secretly, I've always wanted to go...just once. It doesn't really fit with my personality to do something crazy like this. I'm not materialistic, and I'm certainly not an aggressive shopper. But, I won't lie. I do love a good deal.

My mother loved a good deal, too. I don't believe she participated in the insanity of Black Friday, but during some shopping excursions, she was known to be a formidable foe. Although, she was a tiny thing...never weighing much more than 100 pounds, she was mighty. She could be just as sweet as honey, but if you crossed her or "did her wrong" or did not display proper customer service....look out and step back!

I am not like that. If someone pushes me, I will get out of the way. Most of the time. ;) If my mother were with us, and she saw someone push me, she would have knocked them over with her cane! She was a feisty force to be reckoned with. To this day, if we have poor customer service, Timothy says, "If Grandma R. were here, she wouldn't stand for this! She would make a huge deal of it. Remember how she always did that?" It's funny how the things that might have made you crazy about a person can become endearing to you once they're gone. What I wouldn't give to hear her stand up for truth, justice, and good manners in the middle of Bob Evans.

Needless to say, I probably won't come out on top during the Black Friday festivities. Let's be honest here, I'm just hoping to survive this thing, get a few laughs with my longest (longest sounds better than oldest) and one of my dearest friends, Nicki, and have some interesting stories to share on the blog for part 2 of this little adventure. Nicki...remember when we watched that silly movie, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure back in the day?? I'm betting this will top that! =)

I so miss shopping with my sweet, feisty mama. In the wee hours of this morning, the memories flooding my heart and mind leave me both smiling and aching for her. I remember being on bed rest with Faith and Grace and having her wheel me around in a wheel chair so that I could get some early Christmas shopping done. We always fit in some crazy Christmas shopping, buying my beloved Mariah Carey Christmas CD, tons of mauve Christmas ornaments at the old Hills store, filling the cart with goodies for her grandbabies. She loved Christmas and she loved her grandbabies. She always made Christmas fun and special, and she always wanted to give to those she loved at Christmas...and give big!! No matter how difficult the year had been, or what might have been going on in our family at the time...we always had Christmas...and she always had a child-like twinkle in her eye as she watched us open our gifts.

I remember shopping for the red suit I wore when I was Homecoming Queen (with white gloves because mom said that the Homecoming Court should wear gloves), and the modest cream pantsuit I wore on my wedding day. How she squealed with delight the first time she could buy new camping equipment and later...on one of our final shopping trips how she purchased a new tent for a trip we never made it to. She even talked about shopping during her last days at the hospice center...telling me I needed to get her something to wear so that we could make a stop at Bed, Bath, and Beyond on the way home. She needed rugs.

We ladies can be determined about our shopping, can't we?

I have much more to share on this...but for now, it's off to this crazy adventure. It may be the only time I try this...and I'm praying I can make it home safely. I'm kind of wishing I had that little 100 pound mama with a cane beside me. And, maybe I'm crazy...but in some small way, it feels like I do. She is probably cracking up from heaven right now!

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Stay tuned for Part 2 and for more Christmas memories coming up in the next several days. There will also be opportunities to win some wonderful Christmas giveaways (What can I say...I love to give to those I love at Christmas, too!). A very special Walking With You is coming up on Monday for anyone who is missing someone they love this Christmas. We are sharing the ways we remember our loved ones and other Christmas memories. You can link up and join in to win some lovely Christmas treasures. So check in Monday for details.

Hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving...love to all...