All by myself

I love Target. I love Target so much that a friend of mine recommended a Target gift card to someone else who wanted to thank me for something I had done and wondered what to get me. I love Target. American Express is glad I love Target. My husband ~~~ not so much, but he understands my need to shop there and loves me anyway....(Insert, "When a Man loves a Woman.....")

Being a stay-at-home mom during summer break means, if I feel the need to go to Target, I must take the children. I have decided, though, that going to Target with four children is about as much fun as poking myself in the eye. The difference is....I will only poke myself in the eye once before the pain is more than I can bear. Going to Target with the kids......I'll take my lumps.

Tuesday night is karate night and because Daniel and Trey help teach during Joshua and Julia's class, I decided to head to Target as I needed to pick up a couple of things anyway. As I was driving through the parking lot, it dawned on me...........I'm at Target.....without the children. All by myself. I was actually going to be able to walk through one of my favorite stores (next to JCPenney's) without distraction...without four children asking me if they can have this or if they can have that....without having to break up an argument about whose turn it was to push the cart....without having to listen to my kids tell me how mean I am for not buying them something they really 'need.'

Unbelievable. I didn't know what to do. I grabbed my cart and decided I would take my time....savoring the silence and enjoying the leisurely stroll through one of the greatest stores ever to open its doors. I grabbed the three things I needed.....and even grabbed a couple of things I didn't and headed to the checkout. There was no line, so I was through paying in record time and back in my car before I knew it. I looked at the clock.....It said 5:07.

It had taken me exactly 22 minutes to get from the karate studio to Target.....from the parking lot into the store....getting what I needed and through the checkout and back to my car.

22 minutes.

So much for taking my time.