Macaroni Mom

Posted by Jennifer B. | May 25, 2007 | 7 Comments

“Cookie Mom! I want cookie!”

”Can I have Cheetos, Mom! Please?”

“Not right now, Alison. Look! We’re going to that line.”

My hands clenched around the shopping cart as I sped toward the checkout counter. Almost there, almost home. I looked at my two year old–his heavy eyelids threatened to close at any moment. I think I felt just as tired. My four year old piped-up again. “Please Mom? PLEEEEEEEASE?” The grocery store was our third stop. A hasty decision I’d made after realizing that we were missing a couple of key ingredients for dinner. I was pushing it and I knew it. I had just about used up all their patience as well as my own, but I had decided to risk it in the name of dinner. Michael began to whimper, but he turned in his seat to hand me a couple of items from the cart as I tried to unload it as fast as possible.

When we had unloaded all of the groceries, I moved away from the cart to begin writing out a check. In line behind us, a woman with graying curls smiled as she handed Michael a small package of macaroni. She asked him, “Would you like to help me?” The clouds in his countenance evaporated. He happily placed the package down and was soon engrossed in aiding this perceptive woman. I think she let my son place almost every item of hers on the conveyor belt for her.

Oh, the relief! She lifted the heavy fear of impending meltdown from my shoulders. It was such a simple act, but it made Michael so happy–and me too as I was able to pay for the groceries without a struggle. She was clearly comfortable with children and I was so grateful that a total stranger would reach out and help. She could have rolled her eyes or busied herself with her cart, but instead she came to our aid.

I love that macaroni mom. I don’t know if she had raised children of her own, but that day she certainly mothered us. Have you had the chance to be like macaroni mom? Has anyone else done something simple that meant a great deal to you? I’d love to hear about it.

Category: Liken the Journal

Comments

7 Responses to “Macaroni Mom”

Dalene
May 25th, 2007 @ 12:07 pm

This is one of my favorite posts. I have been blessed by macaroni moms and tried to be that macaroni mom too many times to tell. But it’s so much nicer than the guy who asked me to leave the building after I had already taken my child out of the chapel or the guy who handed my aunt a roll of duct tape in sacrament meeting with all the subtlety of a rhinocerous. It’s just good to be reminded that every day we are given the opportunity to be annoyed or to be helpful and that the consequences can be significant.

Thank you!
Ana
May 25th, 2007 @ 1:16 pm

That is so great to hear. I was at the store with my 3 yesterday and an old man told my really active almost-eight-year old that if he were HIS son he would have gotten a whipping a long time ago. Seething inside but also kind of wishing I COULD just whip the kid, I smiled and told him times have changed.

Where was that macaroni lady when I needed her? Glad you found her, anyway.
Emily M.
May 25th, 2007 @ 1:18 pm

What a great post. Thank you!

My husband was just called into the bishopric. I have three little kids, 6, 3, and 1. The one-year-old sometimes makes it to the Sacrament, but usually I spend the meeting with him in the lobby. I can’t leave the other two by themselves. But the bishop’s wife, sweet lady, volunteered to sit with my kids while I take out the baby. She’s done it nearly every week. Her own kids are gone, and I am so grateful to her for this service.
Justine
May 25th, 2007 @ 2:44 pm

I want women like this in my life. I want to be a woman like this. I think those are somehow connected, and once I figure out how to consistently be that macaroni mom, the universe will send more in my direction too.

What a great experience to have had. What a perceptive woman. Dalene I am so aghast that someone would actually hand you duct tape!!! It’s amazing the horrible-ness we inflict on each other.
Lee Ann S.
May 25th, 2007 @ 10:43 pm

Like Emily M., I had a sacrament meeting angel. A friend of mine who’d raised all her children came up to me the first day I brought the new baby to church, took the baby from me, and didn’t give her back during sacrament meeting until the baby was about 3. While I wrestled with two active preschoolers, they had so much fun! My friend made her origami flowers, and they whispered and colored and giggled, and now, 5 years later, they’re still great friends and will occasionally spend a whole day together.

A lady who moved into our ward during that time just naturally assumed that my friend had had a baby late in life, since that was where my little girl automatically went during sacrament meeting!
Rebecca James
May 26th, 2007 @ 4:51 pm

I haven’t had the chance to be ‘macaroni’ Mum yet – as I am still at the stage of being the frazzled, panicked mum. But I hope that I always remember what it’s like and am generous enough, when my kids are older, to do lots of macaroni mothering myself.
Emily Shaw
July 3rd, 2007 @ 9:38 pm

I nearly teared up as I read this beautiful post. I try to be ‘macaroni mom’ as often as I can but it always does my heart good when I am on the receiving end.

I think the most memorable ‘MM’ I can think of is a wonderful woman in my ward that voluteered to have a playdate with my 2 oldest girls when I was new in the ward and had a brand new baby. She came over and picked them up and kept them for 3 hours so that I could sleep! I hadn’t met her before she showed up in her club wagon van with her own 4 kids to pick up my girls. I wanted to hug her!!