This afternoon I felt like a goalie who had four balls on the court at once in a soccer game. All four of my players (boys) were shooting into the net at the same time but being one mama I can only handle one defense at a time. Chaos prevailed.
Getting off to school was a well oiled machine of routine. We are excellent at this procedure. There was no hitch during the day, which is also to say no one from one of the three schools my boys attend called to report a crisis.
Kevin arrived home first. (read raising boys for details) Then Jordan sauntered in. Donny stayed after for a young life event. Jack’s bus was scheduled to arrive at 4: as usual. 4:20 no sign of jack…. Mama concern turns to worry and that’s a quick leap to anxiety! I was scheduled for a mentoring appointment at 4:30 and I’m ready to jump in the car and go find my 8 year old. Uh- oh all around. At 4:30 as I’m slinging my purse over my shoulder the bus pulls up: NOT HIS BUS DRIVER. Jack descends from the bus with a happy to see my mama face and near collapse from the ordeal I am about to learn. The bus driver explains he got on the wrong bus and she brought him here because his neck tag has his address on it. Thank goodness for that fall back. I get the story from Jack the school wrote the wrong number bus on his ticket that hung around his neck so, he got on it even though it wasn’t the regular morning bus driver. He was so worried when everyone got off the bus and they weren’t in his own neighborhood, or any where close! He was able to tell her what neighborhood, and how to get to his house. Essentially, Jack got a personal chaufferured ride home by a government employee. Not bad for a second grader! There weren’t any tears. We accept mistakes are made, and we are thankful that the people serving our children get it right here in Texas. This child bounced right into after school fun including cookies, and time with friends before dinner.
The first day of school is always a joke on mom. The kids come home one by one and announce “Mom, the only homework today is for you!” Ha! Then they plunk down an inch of paper for me to read and fill out and sign and there’s usually a few checks to write for every little detail of school fun that the government doesn’t cover. So they goof off like it’s still summer. Me, the woman who got out of bed at 5;am to make their french toast and oversee their lunches and departures, did their laundry, shopped, and baked cookies for their homecoming is required (after a two hour session at the high school of endless lines to get Jordan his health exam for his golf class) to sit for several hours and prepare the mountain of forms for the next morning. Now the forms are finished, neat stacks are set at their breakfast chairs, and all the BOYS in the house are fast asleep. It’s 11:pm. I think I’m serving dog kibble for breakfast tomorrow. I am certainly not getting up early to COOK.
Jack’s missing status for a half hour reminded me of one of the most frightening times of my life. I think tomorrow when I’m not so tired I’ll tell the story of when Jordan got a police ride home from his first day of school in Arizona. …. visit me for that story, it’s not going to disappoint you…. and I never make guarantees, but on this one I guarantee it will give you the shivers.
