Friday, January 24, 2014

Dear Chick-Fil-A

Dear Mister Chick-fil-a,

On behalf of every mother within a thirty mile radius of your establishment I’d like to say a loud exasperated THANK YOU. I’m writing you because you "get"mothers. You got this. You’re amazing. Your restaurant has saved me from insanity, exhaustion, and REDRUM craziness umpteen times this winter and I just feel the need to share a  slice of my heart with you for some seconds.
You see, this winter has been a little rough. The fools claiming the world is gradually getting warmer haven’t been to my neck of the woods---because this winter has been the coldest I can ever remember. And that’s fine---but you see I have two preschoolers that in the month of January have actually been to preschool TWO DAYS. If you were to be sitting next to me you could hear the shakiness in my breathing. TWO DAYS Mister Chick-Fil-A.

My husband is displeased with the amount of times I frequent your restaurant, and while I do care that I’m upsetting him, I also know that he doesn’t understand my love for you, Chickfila. And here’s why…

When I walk in—It’s usually a bit of a spectacle. Other mothers can handle it---but my genetics just won’t allow anything to be easy. You see I’m holding a wiggly toddler that only wants to run. Run in the parking lot, run into bathrooms, run under tables, and especially RUN to your glorious playground ( in which I have a few words about in a later paragraph). So I wrangle him and by the time I get to your counter he’s usually letting everyone know of his displeasure. Meanwhile my four year old jets to your condiment table to get everything we “need” which is usually 10 ketchups, 5 straws, random packs of honey, and enough napkins to clean up 27 spills should we have them.  When I step up to order, your cute little teenage workers always comment on how cute my kids are and it makes me smile---because while they are slowly making me go insane---they really are adorable. They can’t help it.

Offering to carry our tray to our table is the most amazing thing ever. THANK YOU. I’m saluting this service that you offer because it makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE.  I always say a big word of thanks to your employees but some days I wish I could shower them with confetti, hugs, and the occasional raise the roof.  Because not carrying a tray….is great.

My son Noah, is a picky eater. It’s sad really. He eats fruit, goldfish crackers, milk, and that’s basically it. I worry about his nutrition! His diapers tend to be a *bit* out of control because of all the fruit. He turns up his nose, pushes away, and says Nawwwwwwww in his best southern voice at all the kid staples. He won’t eat chicken, chicken nuggets, hamburger, French toast,  waffles, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, lunch meat, peanut butter and jelly. He’s really quite bizarre---but because of my visits from fetus to toddler---he’ll eat your delicious nuggets. So you see I love you because when I’m at your place.  HE EATS.  And when Noah eats, I GET TO EAT.

I really love your food. REALLY LOVE YOUR FOOD.  It’s good enough that I want to eat it at every meal and healthy enough that I don’t feel a single twinge of guilt feeding it to my family several nights a week….errr I mean month of course. Heh hehhh. Awkward.

Another thing that’s fab? Your playplace. It’s clean. It’s appropriate for both my kids and the glass? Genius. I get to finish my nuggets in pseudo quiet while my kids are burning off their energy which will later result in ROCKSTAR naps. If I could kiss you, I would.

Mister Chick-fil-a, I feel like I need to take a minute and reassure you how much I do love my own children.  They’re awesome---really they are. It’s me that needs a lot of work. You see I forget about what blessings they are sometimes.  Some days selling them to the highest bidding grandparent doesn’t seem like a bad idea. I’m weak and learning to be strong.  They love me despite my flaws.  They remind me how to give grace and how to accept it. They forgive me.


Some days being their mommy is hard. Some days it’s a lot of fun.

And some days? Chick-fil-a for lunch makes everything better.


God Bless You and Your nuggets,

Laura Beth

tell me -----do you share my hunkaburning love for them too?

 

4 comments:

  1. Chick-Fil-A is a safe haven for mothers everywhere!! It's one of our favorite places to eat too! :)

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  2. Chick-Fil-A opened in Santa Barbara, after a LONG wait, the day my 2nd son was born. Well, they were actually doing the whole stand in line thing and get CFA free for a year, on that day, and not serving the public yet (until the next day). I sent my hubby up there to get me food, and he came back and told me that they had actually hooked me up due to my circumstance, and sent him home with two stuffed cow animals. Of course, we did go back the very next day on the actual opening, and did 38 more times in 2013. The only thing our CFA is missing is the playground, but it has a drive-through (one of the very few in SB) and that is the most wonderful thing!

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  3. haha. YES. I love when they come to the table and clear trays. It is SO hard to do that with kids, leaving them at the table, etc. Or refilling drinks. CFA is the best ever. One time, my friend's son legit cracked his head open in the playground...he was FREAKING out, blood everywhere, an employee came in with ice cream, sat next to him, coaxed him to eat it, while his momma could get the bandaids on his wound. They were like, RIGHT IN THE ACTION but in such a sweet and gentle way. I love them. ;)

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  4. I could have written this letter myself. LOVE them. I love that I feel like there are healthy-ish(?) meal options for Sam (and me), they give cute books instead of junky toys (that can be traded in for ice cream when we need an extra treat), the Toddler section in the play area, the disinfecting wipes, the little sticky mat for the table, etc. etc. etc. I mean, clearly I've thought a lot about this. :)

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