Due to the major ice storm we experienced in Texas, my three young boys have been out of school for 3 days now. Today, they finally get to return! I realize I am not alone and there are thousands of other mothers who can relate to what I'm calling the 'first day back' morning. You know, it's just like any Monday morning for working folks - especially after a holiday. You are out of the routine and a little rusty on what needs to be done and who needs to be where.
Well, my 'first day back' morning went a little something like this: Since pre-school was delayed one hour, I dreamt of the four of us lounging in our pj's a little longer than normal. After all, this was probably the last time this year we would have an impromptu 3 day long vacation in the middle of the school year. I also dreamt of a leisurely breakfast and maybe a game or two before getting ready. Wake-up call: Halfway through breakfast, I thought I would check the kid's backpacks and make sure #1 had his secret box since he was the student in his class chosen to bring it home last week and return it the following school day. So happy he actually had it in there, I looked around for his snowman project he had completed days earlier for his homework. Panicked because it wasn't in the garage where we had left it to dry, I called my husband. He did not pick up, but his nurse called back telling me he was in a procedure, but that she could give him the message. She relayed my question as to the whereabouts of the snowman and then replied, 'I'm not getting a good feel about this'. Yes, you all know what happened. In an urge to clean our garage out this weekend, my husband tossed the snowman, who was now lying in a dumpster somewhere - cold and lonely. I didn't know what was worse - the fact that it had happened or the fact that I was going to have to tell #1 THAT it had happened. I was pleasantly suprised with the response I got, and after a phone call from dad and a promise to make a new snowman (with 35 minutes counting until school) all was right with the world.
After the last apple jack had been glued for a button, I remembered that #3, the baby of the group, was supposed to wear black & white for the penguin parade. I searched high and low for a black anything (with boys, black is not a staple!). Finally, I found a black turtleneck that I use for photography. Trying to convince a 2 year old that a black turtleneck is a much better option than the cozy brown knit sweater he was wearing proved to be challenging (10 minutes until school). Feeling successful, we all put our coats on and headed to the car.
#2 then says (he always has a way with timing), 'what should I bring for show-n-tell today?'. I thought I was going to burst. Calmly, I replied, 'Honey, what is your letter this week?' Much to my dismay, it was the letter 'I'. 'I'!!!! Scrambling, I searched for anything that began with 'I'. Why couldn't it have been 'A'? - the apple jacks were right there on the counter - or 'P'? - we had worked so many puzzles during our icy lock in! Finally, #2 brilliantly says, 'let's just use that state that begins with an 'I' pointing to the 100 piece United States puzzle on the ground. Hallelujah! (1 minute until school). We grabbed Iowa, then Indiana and since I was so excited, we even through in Illinois! Now we were ready. Everyone jumped in the car and we took off for school where they are right this very minute.
Somehow what was so incredibly frustrating and hectic 2 hours ago now seems very comical. Thinking about how proud #1 will be of his cheese-puff nosed snowman, how adorable #3 will look as he waddles down the hall in his black, and how smart #2 will feel when he not only has Iowa to show his friends, but Indiana and Illinois to boot, makes my 'first day back' morning all worth it!
Stayed Focused,
Jamie
Labels: Icy Morning
