I took my baby to a bar for Bible study...

Okay, so we weren't really having Bible study at the bar - even though we did have our Systematic Theology books in the car. We were just meeting our Bible study group at the bar to watch the Mavs game (of course!). Which, I'm sure, is already is making you question our Bible study leadership abilities...and we haven't even gotten to the baby in the bar part!

Of course, I questioned whether or not it was a good idea to bring M when the plan was made. Unfortuantely, it was so last minute that I didn't have time to even consider a sitter. (My mother-in-law, who is normally a pinch hitter in these situations, is out of commission due to a recent knee replacement). I convinced myself that it wouldn't be a big deal...it's a smoke-free place, right? Yea, I think so.

We arrived at the bar, and I evaluated the sign. It said "Bar and Grille"...ah, so it's a "Grille", too! That's even better. I still decided to leave the booster chair we had brought in the car just in case. It still seemed a little awkard to walk in with baby and booster chair in tow.
Then the first bad sign. I was carded at the door. I can only imagine what the girl at the door was thinking as I'm digging through the baby's bag of toys and such to find my ID. She finally just waived me through. We found our group sitting at a covered pool table, right in front of the TV. Fortunately, there weren't too many people there yet.

Bad sign number two. Dad just noticed that the people sitting at the table next to us have three packs of cigarettes on their table...and I think there were only two of them. No one is really smoking around us yet. Maybe they see M and are being good "neighbors". Or maybe the game isn't on yet, and neither is their drinking...

We say hello to our group, make jokes about M and her fake ID and decide to order something to eat. I feel a little funny as I pull out M's disposable bib and jar of baby food. Dad holds her and I feed her - and it's going pretty well. I'm well aware of the time and the increasing number of people around us. I hope they just don't really notice this small little person and my questionable parenting skills. I begin to be anxious for our food to arrive. Fortunately, M is having a grand time. She is completely entertained by all of the people around her, laughing and shrieking, just to make sure that anyone who didn't notice her before has been made aware of her presence.

Finally our food arrives. We eat quickly, and I begin to plan my exit. Just as the game begins and the smoke increases, we get out of there. We lived...but I can't say I'll be taking my baby into a bar anytime soon. I'm just hoping I won't look back on this one day and think, "Oh, it all started that time I took her to a bar as a baby..."