15 Thoughts I Had While at Cherryvale Mall with My Daughter

With $38 in her purse, my 10 year-old daughter asked if we could go to the mall on her day off from school. I had no idea of the emotional barrage I was in for.

Those thirty-eight dollars were 'burning a hole' in her purse and she was determined to find something cool at the mall on which to spend that money.

We've run countless errands together and we'll find something she wants but I've never just ventured out with her to the mall for the purpose of spending her money. It was her day off and I took a day off from work so we could spend the day together. Plus, I wanted some new sneakers so this should be a good trip.

The 15 Thoughts I Had While Shopping at Cherryvale Mall with My Daughter

1. I asked her what she was looking to buy and she said, "I don't really know so can we just walk around?" I haven't just wandered around a mall for more than 30 years. How do I keep her focused?

2. The first store we came to was an athletic shoe store. NOT A STORE my daughter wanted to be in. This is where I realized why my wife doesn't take me with her to the mall. My daughter couldn't have looked more bored or annoyed. You know that look... can you hurry up? Are you almost done? Getting a taste of my own medicine.

3. Did my wife and daughter have a conversation this morning?

4. Upon leaving the shoe store, I asked her where she'd like to go next. When she said Victoria's Secret, I knew I only have a few more years before going in there with me would be the last thing on her mind. She's only 10 so this was going to be about sweats & tees

5. Does any woman of any age go into Victoria's Secret and not find something they like?

6. Thank you Victoria's Secret for making me proud of my daughter. Once she realized that she would only be able to afford one item, she asked if there was a sale rack. The woman helping my daughter said no and we quickly exited.

7. Kids really do pay attention to what you do and can learn great things from your behavior. Good thing she's never seen me at an Apple store.

8. Thought I'd try looking for sneakers at another shoe store and quickly realized that I should do this another time because I was having too much fun learning about her.

9. EVERY young person (and some adults) is like the dog from the movie Up. I asked where she'd like to go next and she asked where the Justice store was. I told her it was upstairs. On our way there, the 'squirrel' ran past us. In this case the 'squirrel' was an accessories store called Icing. Inside that store were too many 'squirrels', and I had a ball watching her zig-zag all over that place. Ultimately she couldn't make up her mind so off we went to Justice.

10. On the way up the escalator I had a moment of sadness and joy. As I looked down on this play area...

It hit me that I won't ever sit there again for an hour while my daughter runs around with her huge smile and socks hanging off the ends of her feet. Then I was filled with joy because of this new experience I'm having with her today. (Please forgive me, nothing makes me more emotional than this girl and I need a kleenex)

11. As we arrive at Justice, I have another emotional moment seeing Children's Place up ahead. That's where my wife and I used to buy a lot of her clothes. I remember when she used to wish so hard that she'd be big enough soon, like her cousins, for the clothes from Justice. Well here we are again, wishing she was younger but loving the girl she has become.

12. I didn't think I, like her, would be this excited to finally arrive at what I now know is her favorite store. This girl worked that store like a pro and I was loving the big screen playing music videos behind the cash register. They played two videos in a row from the band fronted by my daughter's first rock star crush. Ross Lynch, star of Disney's Austin & Ally and lead singer of the band R5. That boy has 'owned' my family for quite a while now.

13. Anyway back to our shopping trip. After 35 minutes of dissecting the store and 1 trip to the fitting room (cool that they write your name on the door) she made her purchase. A pair of yoga pants, a wet brush and a selfie stick.

14. On our way out I thought it was only necessary to teach her my favorite thing about going to Cherryvale Mall... getting free chicken samples.

15. My last thought as she was walking in front of me was what did I do in this world that I'm so blessed to have her as my daughter. Thank you lord!

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