Christmas Shopping with My Mother-in-law

This time of year is hectic and stressful for most of us. I have so much going on that I must keep track of my appointments, deadlines, and obligations on a calendar. While I’m in the midst of the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact some of my loved ones may be lonely or not feeling particularly loved.

I don’t spend nearly enough time with my mother-in-law. She eats lunch at the local senior citizens center most weekdays and enjoys church on Sunday. She gets out and about nearly every day. However, I worry that she may feel a little lonely. So, I decided today would be a good day to spend some time together.

I called her yesterday and invited her to go Christmas shopping with me. She accepted my invitation, and I picked her up from her house shortly before 1 o’clock this afternoon. I didn’t want her to feel like she had to choose between going with me and having lunch with her friends.

We started out at Kohls where we found a few great gifts. I think I tuckered her out there because she waited in the car while I ran into Aldi for a few groceries. I rushed through the store and stowed my food in the car in record time, and then we were off to Sonic for Happy Hour. Sears was our next stop where we had great luck and scored some fabulous gifts.

Once I had stashed everything in the trunk, she asked me to take her home. We had been shopping for over three hours, and I confess that I was feeling tired, too. So, I took her home and carried her purchases inside while she let her two rambunctious dachshunds outside.

We had a nice visit. She’s really gone all out with the Christmas decorations this year. Her house is festooned with many things I’ve never seen before. She told me the stories behind some of her favorites and smiled more than I’ve ever seen her smile before. Keep in mind that I’ve been in the family for 19 years.

I’m glad I called my mother-in-law and invited her along today. We had a pleasant afternoon and learned a little more about each other. I need to make sure we have more days like today.

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