When I was growing up, my mother had a devotion to St. Anthony of Padua. We had a picture and a statue.
Whenever she lost anything, she would make us all say a prayer to St. Anthony.

I never really had a special devotion to him. If anything, I had an "antidevotion" to him, a childish rebellion. (See Mom, I can find my keys perfectly fine without his help!)

So.

My boys are in Boy Scouts. We have one uniform shirt, but I took the opportunity on Tuesday, when husband dear was unexpectedly home, to take Mr P to the Scout shop to buy another shirt, the patches and numbers, and the various accoutrements that accompany Socializing in the Real World.

A shirt - for a 7 year old - is $24.99. And the hat is $12.00. And the bandana with the wolf logo? $6. Plus a $2 slide. And a belt. And a book.

Well, we put the shirt back. And the book - I still have Mr R's, and despite the clerk's insistence that each child needs his own book, Mr P is going to save the earth by recycling it.

And so we set off to find a Boy Scout shirt.

We found a Salvation Army that had a ton of furniture, but no clothes.

We found a Community thrift store that had a ton of clothes, including 3 full karate uniforms, but no Scout shirt. I did get an exersaucer for Baby X for 99 cents though.

We stopped because of car sickness. Our Hamster (we call the station wagon the Hamster because it is white and brown and round on the hind end) was bought from an elderly woman for $400 in June, and the shocks aren't the best. Mr P claims that all the shaking and the old woman smell are what did him in.

We traipsed through several more Goodwills.

Right before our last stop, I did say a prayer to St. Anthony to find a shirt. Because I'm all about asking for intercession for the important things, you know.

And we did find a shirt - a long sleeved one which Mr R prefers- for $3.15

And I didn't even remember until I was reading Ask Sister Mary Martha this morning.

Thank you, St. Anthony.

Labels: Catholic, Family Life