The Day I ALMOST Got Ripped Off

So, I need to share my latest story with you, my readers. Yes, I'm calling those of you that take a few seconds out of your busy days to check my blog, my "readers." But even if you don't read this particular post, I really just have to vent and get it off my chest any way, because I can't believe this happened. Now some of you may read this and think, well, that's really not that big of a deal. But in my eyes, it was a big deal.
Sometimes I am completely amazed at certain people out there that call themselves professionals, who hold real, grown-up jobs, and who spend most of their day handling other people's money. I would say the majority of people who serve us on a day-to-day basis, do so with hard work and integrity. But every once in a while, I will have a "business" interaction with someone who really just doesn't have a clue. Like our McDonald's Drive Thru experience Ryan and I had one day. If you ever want to hear that story, I'd be happy to share. It all goes back to the principle. Take this latest story for instance...

The other day, I was at Target. I love Target. It continues to be one of my favorite places to shop. So I was there buying a few necessary items, such as milk, vegetables and baby food. I don't always buy Graham's baby food there, but I was happy to see that they started carrying the brand I like - Earth's Best. I was excited, because it was cheaper than it is at Homeland. So, I took my time picking out what G likes to eat. I got several Earth's Best options and several Gerber Organic options. After my cart was full of those tiny little jars, I headed to the check out counter. It was a nice person that began scanning my purchases. Through the small talk, I realized that she was saving the baby food for last. Then I noticed, she wasn't scanning the baby food. She was counting it. After counting, she typed in 40 @ $.84/each. I gently spoke up and said, "Do you know that I got different types of baby food?" She quickly responded, "Yes, but all the baby food is the same price." I quietly said, "Oh, ok." Then she proceeded to tell me a story of how this one lady bought tons of baby food, and she scanned every item, and it was all the same price. Well, something in me did not feel right. She gave me the total and I swept my credit card. But I was churning inside. I could have sworn the baby food labels said Earth's Best $.64 and Gerber Organic $.84. But this lady was so confident when she told me they were all the same price... Or was she?? I had not hit "confirm" yet on the credit card machine. So I politely brought it up again, "I'm not trying to be difficult, but I think those baby foods were priced differently. I got two different brands, and I thought one was $.64." She looked at me like, you're really not going to make me take all of these jars out of the bag and re-scan them are you??? So, I asked her if she could just check the price for me. I mean, I had to ask her to check the price - and I had to ask her twice! She wasn't going to check; she just wanted to keep the line moving. I could tell she was a bit annoyed. But, I cancelled the credit card so she could check the price. She scanned the Earth's Best, and sure enough, it was $.64. But here's the kicker.... So she looks at me and says, "Yeah, it's $.64......so, um, did you want me to re-scan all of this? Or..." Or, what?? Or just have me walk out of here paying money that I didn't owe you???? That's how she was looking at me!! I'm not kidding. She wanted me to leave, paying $.84 for baby food that was $.64. NO WAY! Of course you have to re-scan the items and give me the correct price!! So, the poor girl had to re-do her job.... She took out all the baby food, but again, instead of scanning all of the items, she just counted them. She counted the Earth's Best: 20 jars. She counted Gerber Organic: 20 jars. So she typed in 20 jars at $.84 and 20 jars at $.64. Inside I was standing there thinking, I can not believe this just happened. I can not believe that there was a question about whether or not I wanted her to correct her mistake. I mean, seriously. So, the difference was only a matter of $4.50. But I don't care. It's the PRINCIPLE of it. There was no apology. No admitting that she had made a mistake. No remorse, no sympathy, nothing. Actually, there were no words at all. It was almost like it was my fault for slowing down her checkout lane.

Let me be clear here. I'm not saying that people in the work force can't make mistakes. I make mistakes all the time. But please, people, let's take credit for our mistakes and apologize for them. This would have been a totally different interaction had this woman, either, 1. Scanned every item in the first place to get the correct prices on there, or, 2. Apologized and said I am so sorry that I did that. I really thought those items were the same price. But please let me fix this for you..., or SOMETHING like that. But there was NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. So instead, I leave target, with not a satisfied feeling, but rather a feeling of distrust, wondering if everything else on my receipt was wrong. Are you guys getting the full picture here?? When we go into a store, we expect to pay the listed price for the items we buy. And we have confidence that the people at the register will do everything they can to help us have a pleasant experience and do their job with integrity. If a mistake is made, it's not up to the customer if that mistake is fixed. It MUST be fixed, and it must be fixed by the employee, no doubt about it, or the transaction should not happen. Do you not agree? I've also learned in my years of being in business that when professionalism and customer service are at fault, it's not always the employee's fault. Most of the time it goes back to the training. But I think taking credit for our mistakes should be common sense and common courtesy.

So, I didn't get ripped off at Target the other day, but I almost did. I'm glad that I spoke up when I needed to. It makes me wonder how many other times that has happened to me and I didn't know it. I'm not mad at that woman who made a mistake. I just got frustrated at the situation. I got frustrated that a person would consider letting me walk out of their store, overpaying for 20 items, when they knew it wasn't right. Would that bother anybody else? Please share your thoughts with me.

Graham's New Chair

For those of you that know me, you know that I love to find bargains - especially when it's something we really need. Well, Graham has pretty much outgrown his Bumbo seat, which is where I fed him most of his meals. So, Ryan and I decided we wanted to get him a wooden high chair. The bad thing about that is, the wooden high chairs are so expensive. All this baby stuff can really begin to add up! However, once again, God provided for us. We went to Babies 'R Us and found this Eddie Bauer one that we really liked. Normal price: $120. But, it just so "happened" that this was the last one they had, and it was the floor display. So, we got this great high chair for $80!!! So great. And Graham LOVES his new chair! It makes mealtime so much more enjoyable for him. Did I mention that this kid loves to eat?!?! :)

Truth.

You are my Constant.
Like a steadfast tree, deeply rooted in rich soil.
Never changing. Never moving.
Not tossed back and forth. Never shaking. Never quaking.
Not even when the harshest of winds blow or the loudest thunder rumbles in the darkness.
You are my Constant.
When all the uncertainties of life swarm...
Like bees around sweet honeysuckle, trying to suck the peace out of my mind.
You remain. Unchanged.
Steadfast.
With your roots digging deeper into my heart.
Connecting me with your heart. Connecting my soul with yours.
I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you're the same as you were yesterday.
Forever enduring. Forever faithful.
Your covenant with me won't be broken.
You are my Constant.

10 Months

Gosh, the time sure does fly. I'm sitting here in our new and improved home office, which has now become my favorite room in the house, and I'm just amazed to think that I actually have a ten-month old son. 10 Months Old! He's actually less than 2 months away from turning 1. I really can't believe it. And that means that I'm less than 2 months away from turning 29. I can't believe that either. When I was a kid, a year used to seem like an eternity.......I had to wait so long to celebrate my next birthday and summer vacations always seemed so far off. But somewhere along the journey of life, that all changed. At some point, my concept of time became more real... or... maybe I simply adjusted to living in a "fast-food" world that is always rushed and always in a hurry. This has been the fastest year of my life. Sometimes I wish that a year still seemed like an eternity... simply because I don't want to miss anything. I don't want to miss a single moment of this life God has given me. I don't want to miss a moment with my amazing husband. I don't want to miss a moment of my son's life.... family... friends... beautiful days... I don't want to miss any of it! So I'm trying to be STILL more. To breath deeply and take everything in. Like right now, just soaking in the fact that I'm a mom of a 10-month old boy. I love it. So I will cherish today... right now... and I will look forward to the future, knowing that there will be so many more incredible moments and so many more ways to grow and to experience life.