I grew up in Texas where every tiny town has a 24 hour Super Walmart. If you need groceries, household items, clothes, etc., you go to Walmart. Since moving to the east coast, I have shopped less and less at Walmart. We don’t have a Super Walmart and our store is crowded and a mess.

This past weekend we decided to take a family trip to Walmart. (Actually, Dave and Carmen went next door to Best Buy!) Lauren and I walked around for awhile with my frustration level growing. The aisles were crowded and most of what we needed was out-of-stock. No underwear in Lauren’s size, no Aquaphor, and no Garnier Fructis hair mousse. The last straw was the deodorant aisle. They were out of both Dave’s and my preferred brands.

By this time, Dave and Carmen had joined us and I said, “That’s it! I am NOT shopping here!” Dave suggested we go next door to Target so that’s what we did. We may have paid a couple more dollars at Target but it was worth it. My blood pressure did not reach astronomical proportions and we found what we needed.

For some reason, the state of Walmart makes me sad. This is not the same Walmart that I grew up going to. I don’t think our Walmart experience was Sam Walton’s dream. It sure seems like after the founder of a big company passes away, the stores go downhill. (i.e. Wendy’s, right NY Grandma!?)

Based on our Walmart experience and this year’s Walmart Black Friday stampede death, I think Walmart has some work to do. And until they get it together, our Walmart days are gone! (Or until we move to an area with a big, spacious Super Walmart!)

Lauren and Holiday Shapes Goldfish, bought at Target

Rashmi and friends did it again! We got a huge package in the mail. Inside was our family picture on canvas. I love this picture because this is the real us. Sitting on the couch with no shoes or socks, reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. In the big canvas, you can see Candyland under the couch.

Rashmi has this amazing talent of capturing life and we are BLESSED to know her!

Thank you Rashmi (www.rashmipappu.com) and friends!

Yesterday a friend and I had a conversation on the phone about adoption. After we hung up, I remembered a conversation I had with a stranger in Chick-fil-A about two years ago. Lauren and I were eating lunch. A mom and her three kids were sitting next to us. The mom asked if I had other children and I told her that we were in the process of adopting a baby girl from Guatemala. Her face lit up and she said, “Your daughter is so lucky. This will forever change her view of people. What a gift you are giving her.”

Those of you who have adopted will agree that this is the type of reaction you hope for but not the one you always get. I am pleasantly surprised when people are positive about adoption, particularly international adoption.

I had hoped that our adoption story would inspire others to adopt. Perhaps it will. Dave reminded me last night that we haven’t reached the end of the story.

I hope and pray that because of Carmen, Lauren is seeing the joy of adoption and the value of every life. I can’t think of a better gift.

Lauren and Carmen, July 2008, by Rashmi Pappu (www.rashmipappu.com)