You Know the Economy is Bad When....

Gasp, gasp, sputter, sputter, inhale..... deep breath.... just got back from Albertsons... store having special sale from 1pm to 8pm.... lots of specials..... bags of shredded cheese, just 99 cents.... had to go.... had to have Cocoa Puffs for $1.50...... had to bring 4 kids with me.... gasp, gasp.... so many people, so many cars in the parking lot, so many hands to hold..... so much yelling... "Stay close! Don't you see the cars! STOP crying! I know Morgan has snot on her face, but we must go.... there's a sale..... we must go.... cheap food awaits! NO YOU CAN'T HAVE GUM! STOP TOUCHING EVERYTHING!"

Tonight when I close my eyes to sleep, I'll see the lines, the lines of people glaring down at me with that silent questioning expression, "Why did you have sooo mannny children?" I felt like I was in 1980s Russia, standing in lines, every man for himself. All we were missing were fingerless gloves and charcoal dust smeared on my kids faces. We were practically a scene from a Dickens novel.

But tomorrow morning when I open up my new box of Trix cereal (fully processed and food colored bites of solidified corn syrup), the memories of today's outing to the grocery store will fade, and all will be right in the world again.