Jackie and her husband had been in a tough spot in their relationship just after she had given birth to their third child. They went out for what they thought would be a relaxing and nice family dinner with the kids. However, they never would have thought their waitress would do this to them.
Behind Her Back
When she got back from the bathroom during dinner at a restaurant with her husband, she was furious. The waitress left something at their table that made his wife’s stomach turn over and over again.
Behind Her Back
The Tears Came
Jackie didn’t want to cause a scene, but she also couldn’t sit back and be okay with this. She knew she had to say something on the matter, so she demanded her husband show her what the waitress left for him. When she read the note, tears ran down her cheeks.
The Tears Came
Motherhood
Jackie Johnson-Smith discovered just how hard it is to be a mother in the hardest way possible. But, no experience she had as a mom was anything compared to the one she had at a local pizza shop in Des Moines, Iowa.
Motherhood
Stirring Up Drama
Jackie’s waitress must have felt brave enough to write her husband a note and slip it to him while Jackie wasn’t there at the table. When she read the letter, she couldn’t believe what she was reading.
Stirring Up Drama
Not Someone To Mess With
For a while, Jackie served in the U.S. Army, so she had a tough personality that very clearly told people not to mess with her. Other than being in the army, however, Jackie dedicated her life to being the best mom she could.
Not Someone To Mess With
A War Hero
Despite having a tough persona, a waitress left a note for her husband that resulted in Jackie crying. What could make a war hero like Jackie break down in the middle of a restaurant? Her husband couldn’t believe her reaction.
A War Hero
Not So Glamorous
Being a mother was not a glamorous job. You look exhausted and messy constantly from taking care of the kids, but Jackie still did her best to always look nice. Her husband was undeniably a good-looking man, too.
Not So Glamorous
He Got A Lot Of Attention
Of course, Jackie found her husband attractive. She wasn’t blind to the fact that other women looked at him too. She always tried her best not to be affected by it. However, the way the waitress looked at him tonight really rubbed Jackie the wrong way.
He Got A Lot Of Attention
A Blind Eye
Jackie couldn’t ignore the fact that her relationship with her husband had changed throughout the years. She had three kids, so she no longer had the physical or mental capabilities she had in the past.
A Blind Eye
Feeling Uncertain
At times, she felt insecure and uncertain in her marriage. It led her to wonder if it was time to address it. Normally, she just disregarded these thoughts, but on this night, she thought her insecurities were there for a reason.
Feeling Uncertain
Bringing The Family Out
Jackie and Tom knew extremely well that they were very overdue for a proper date night, but since they just had a new baby, they decided to take the entire family out to the local pizza restaurant instead.
Bringing The Family Out
Life With A Newborn
As soon as they got there, the newborn began fussing. Jackie started to feed the baby at the table, but she could feel that people were staring at her, but not in the same way that the waitress was staring at her husband.
Life With A Newborn
Needed Support
Once you become a mother, everyone suddenly starts judging you for everything you do. When a mom starts lifting her shirt up in public, everyone starts to stare. Jackie knew this feeling all too well after having three kids – who she breastfed.
Needed Support
A Proud Momma
Nothing really upset her about the people staring or made her want to stop breastfeeding her kids, but the way this waitress stared was really unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She knew she needed to do something about it.
A Proud Momma
All Eyes On Them
Jackie was already used to people staring at her while she fed her baby, so she stopped letting it get to her or upset her. Despite the fact that she was able to hear people mumbling about her, she ignored them and simply kept feeding her baby.
All Eyes On Them
Feeling Uneasy
Once she noticed how intently the waitress was watching her, it made Jackie feel extremely uneasy, Had the waitress never seen anyone breastfeeding before? Jackie thought the waitress was about to do something, but she couldn’t tell what.
Feeling Uneasy
The Letter
When Jackie got up and walked away from the table, her husband decided to ask the waitress to bring them their bill. At the moment that Jackie walked away, the waitress ran straight for their table and slipped Jackie’s husband a note.
The Letter
A New Feeling
As he was reading the note left to him, his face had every reaction written all over it. He didn’t realize that Jackie saw the entire interaction happen. From there, she felt something she had never felt before.
A New Feeling
How Did He React?
Jackie thought her husband would immediately crumple the note and throw it to the side. However, he took out his phone instead. Did the waitress just give him her phone number? Jackie couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
How Did He React?
Had He Fallen In Love?
Jackie couldn’t shake the feeling that her husband had fallen out of love with her. She thought he was tired of his life with her and the kids. Her heart sank into her stomach as she watched all this happen. What could she do about it?
Had He Fallen In Love?
Her Jealousy Was Showing
Jackie felt an overwhelming sense of anger as she watched the waitress swoop in on her husband when she walked away for a minute. Her mind was racing in so many different directions. She couldn’t help but wonder what could have been written in the note.
Her Jealousy Was Showing
Demanding Answers
The worst part about the whole thing was that her husband took out his phone immediately after reading the note. Was he really saving the waitress’s number on his phone? Jackie walked back and demanded to read the letter. However, as soon as she began reading it, she started crying.
Demanding Answers
Everything Was Suspicious
The waitress offered to give Jackie’s husband an exclusive discount on their whole bill. What was happening there? Why was she openly flirting with a married man right in front of his wife and kids?
Everything Was Suspicious
The Center Of Problems
The note mentioned his wife choosing to breastfeed while in public, in the middle of a restaurant. Jackie was so used to being the center of problems like this, but no one has ever been this upfront about it.
The Center Of Problems
Getting Emotional
Suddenly, Jackie couldn’t hold it back anymore. She burst into tears. She couldn’t believe what was written in the note she was reading. How was the waitress able to write something like this?
Getting Emotional
The Letter That Made Her Cry
As Jackie continued reading the note, tears were running down her face, dripping down onto her seat. She never in a million years would have expected a note like this to come her way. However, it inspired Jackie.
The Letter That Made Her Cry
Her Note Went Viral
Jackie felt so strongly about what this waitress did that she decided she had to post about what just happened on her social media accounts. She was well aware that breastfeeding in public was a big conversation topic, but was still shocked to see how people on Facebook responded to her post.
Her Note Went Viral
The Note Itself
She began her post by saying, “I have breastfed three children… I have breastfed them in countless places both pleasant and unpleasant, discreetly and out in the open. I have gotten many looks and stares, but tonight erases any negativity I have ever received.”
The Note Itself
An Experienced Waitress
It turns out that the waitress’s name was Bodi. She’s been a waitress for a while by that point, and she noticed over and over again how moms who chose to breastfeed their babies in public were stared at and talked about.
An Experienced Waitress
Sharing Her Emotions
“…I ate at Fong’s for the first time tonight. Having a fussy baby I nursed him for a while in the booth and eventually left the table early as to not disrupt the restaurant. The waitress gave this receipt to my husband. I was speechless and emotional,” Jackie said in the post. What did the note say, though?
Sharing Her Emotions
What Did The Note Say?
While Bodi had no experience with this personally, it still made her angry to see people judging women for choosing to feed their baby at the dinner table. So, the waitress wrote on their bill, “I bought one of your pizzas… Please thank your wife for breastfeeding!!”
What Did The Note Say?
She Expected The Worst
What Jackie did in response was amazing. She assumed that when her husband pulled out his phone that he was going to write down the waitress’s phone number. She admits she expected the absolute worst.
She Expected The Worst
Went Public
Luckily, he just wanted to take a picture of the amazing note for himself. Jackie then decided to do the same thing. People’s response to her Facebook was incredible, both towards Bodi and Jackie. Bodie’s noted started a wave of notes like this.
Went Public
Raising Breastfeeding Awareness
After seeing both Bodi’s and Jackie’s efforts, people started to raise the conversation about breastfeeding more and more. Jackie, together with every breastfeeding mom around the world, was tired of getting stared at for simply feeding their child in a natural way.
Raising Breastfeeding Awareness
All She Wants
Bodi proved that there are real people out there who fully support mothers like Jackie. While the topic of breastfeeding is still somewhat uncomfortable to talk about, there is progress being made, which is all that Jackie wants.
All She Wants
Amazing Responses
It isn’t a common occurrence that a mom will get such positive and encouraging feedback about breastfeeding, especially in public. This is despite the fact that it’s completely normal and natural. Later on, Bodi said, “I noticed [Jackie] nursing and was so thrilled she did it!”
Amazing Responses
Deeply Staring
“…I tried not to stare because I didn’t want to seem creepy or make her feel uncomfortable, but I felt like doing jumping jacks!” This is why Jackie took notice of the waitress looking at her so intently.
Deeply Staring
Sticking Up For Other Women
“After dealing with people’s reactions for so long, it was like the universe was giving me a pat on the back. I was too stunned to go back inside and thank the waitress,” Jackie explained.
Sticking Up For Other Women
Amazing Feeling
After that, Jackie went back to the restaurant to say thank you to Bodi again in person. “Although I don’t need a pat on the back for feeding my child, it sure felt amazing. It is amazing how we women can make each other feel when we empower each other.”
Amazing Feeling
Unbreakable Family
Since the couple had this interaction with Bodi, their relationship has gotten better than it had ever been. And, Jackie was taking huge steps on social media to break the silence about mothers who choose to breastfeed while in public.
Unbreakable Family
A Long Way
We’re sure that Bodi never thought such a small gesture and act of kindness on her end would go such a long way for Jackie and her whole family. It went on to affect people all over the world, thanks to social media!
A Long Way