Inquiring minds want to know...

Today was a day full of really deep conversations and lots of inquiring minds.

The deep conversation explanation will come in another post.

Chris, Julien, Addie and I spent the day shopping. We are always so busy, that when the weekend comes, we try to cram as many errands into one day as humanly possible.

We were able to go about our business just fine up until our trip to the wholesale warehouse where people must be members in order to shop. There is no reason to name names, but it rhymes with hams, lambs, jams, rams, clams and yams.
So, anyway...we are meandering through minding our own business, when this absolutely beautiful woman makes a point of saying hello and telling me how beautiful my little Monkey is. I honestly didn't put too much thought into it, said hello and kept right on going. Chris pointed out later that she had a little girl...with Down Syndrome.
Aha!
So, she was being "ME", going out of her way to say hello because she KNEW...she knew - it all - and wanted to say hello. That is so something that I would do. She knew that people had probably spent more than their fair share staring at us and wanted the chance to brighten our day.
She knew and I am grateful she crossed my path.

Then there was somebody's Granny.
"Granny" was giving out samples - of some dead fowl diced up into a salad and served on a cracker. Hmmm, no thank you to the salad, but how about a cracker for my Monkey? "Granny" gave Monkey a cracker and when I signed "thank you", the door to the conversation just flew right open. "Granny" had lots of questions about sign language and was impressed with my Monkey's ability to understand. I was liking "Granny" and then "Granny" won a prize for asking a question that no one has dared to ask before.
We go from talking about sign language and church programs to..."so, is there some kind of corrective surgery that she can have done when she's older?".

(I can only assume because Monkey is wrong and needs to be corrected.)

Seriously?
Really?

Well, well, well...I AM the one who says, JUST ASK and by golly, she did!
It didn't offend me; I just didn't expect THAT question. I politely told "Granny", "no, there is nothing that can be surgically done or that is needed" for my Monkey and I politely said "enjoy the rest of your day" and Monkey and I moved on.

Monkey and I needed to go to Publix to pick up a few items, so we make a quick trip by the house to unload the car and then us girls are off again. I really do love our local Publix. Almost all of the employees know my Monkey and are so kind to her! Many of them make a point of going out of their way to say hello and most of them know her name. Monkey and I made our way through, chatting with people along the way and then we get to the check out lane. As I am bending down to unload the cart, I heard the bagger say something, but didn't understand what. Oh yes, I did ask him to repeat himself, because I was being just that chatty. Weeellll, new bagger boy doesn't know my Monkey. New bagger boy said, "oh wow, she is SOOOOO SMAALLLLL". OK, new bagger boy, you do get a pass because you are new. I explained to new bagger boy that, "Yes, she is smaller than other babies. Her brain didn't develop like other babies brains do and that resulted in a smaller head than other babies". "She's just so sweet, isn't she?". OK, so now new bagger boy has stopped BAGGING my groceries and is just staring at Monkey. I actually have to prompt him to continue with his job duty...the one that will speed up the process of me exiting the store while I still have a smile plastered on my face. New bagger boy then wants to touch Monkey's hand, that's when I tell new bagger boy that we sure are hungry and just can't wait to get home. He takes the hint and out we go. On the flip side, "old bagger man" spots us going to the car and makes a point of saying hello from across the way! Old bagger man knows my Monkey and genuinely cares for us.

I actually still managed to sing to Monkey as I was buckling her in her car seat and I sang to her on our way home.
Inquiring minds didn't put a damper on my mood.
Remember, I am here to educate - it was a good day.