I occasionally buy something. I think I have a stool, some plastic food containers, a salad bowl, and we did get some of their bookcases, but other than that, I lack the vision for putting their items together to look cute. I find myself looking at the giant murals of Smaland and Dalarna with Swedes dressed in traditional costumes and thinking to myself, WHY can't they just sell some things that remind me of that! Where is the Carl Larsson section? Why don't they sell the wooden Swedish flags that decorate the tables where we eat our smothered meatballs? I sigh with a homesickness for my family, precious traditions, and a father-land I lived in but don't remember.
On most visits, I ususally shop for about ten minutes before I begin getting a tension headache and have to try not to curse at my children because I am hopelessly lost and trapped in a maze of brightly colored plastic and low thread count linens. I can't find the check out fast enough for my wildly screaming children who hate the sensory overload of the downstairs Marketplace.
Today, I wanted to look at some curtains for our family room and thought it would be nice to get the boys a snack at the same time - the cinnamon rolls! It's hot today and they both wanted ice cream cones when they saw the pictures hanging above the cash register. While they've had plenty of ice cream in their short lives, they've never eaten it on a cone. I didn't know what kind of a mess they might make but I had a full case of baby wipes in my purse, and plenty of time to burn.
I handed them the cones with more than a little skepticism. I imagined them covered in melted stickiness in no time. They were thrilled with their first licks. I think they actually prefered it over trying to cut ice cream into bites with a spoon. They were covered with a few drips, but I tried to wipe off their chins and lick the cones clean once in a while for them.
You should have seen the priceless look on Michael's face when I said, "Yes, you can eat the cone." It was the same look as when I explained Halloween to him. An enormous smile, wide eyes, and giggeling! I laughed outloud it was so cute. What joy to discover an edible ice cream dish.
Just then, a woman who had been sitting at a nearby table walked up to me and handed me two dollars. She said she had been enjoying watching us and that she was happy to see well behaved children enjoying a treat instead of misbehaving children being rewarded with a treat. (Good thing she didn't see them in the car on the way to the store!) She wouldn't take the money back and insisted I use it to buy them another treat another time when we're out together.
In that small act, she gave me a huge boost in my mothering self confidence! What a simple thing to give a mother a compliment, but it made my day.
So , I didn't find any traditional Swedish folk art, or curtains, but I did find a renewed determination to actually be the kind of mom she thinks I am. That came in handy just now when I had to clean up the world's most disgusting potty training mess to date.
Thank you, kind stranger!
BTW, I found this website with some fun Swedish things for sale.
