The School's Winter Concert

Tonight was the school's winter concert. I knew about this. I've known about it since...oh...about 9:00 this morning. That's right, if it weren't for those texts from the school, I still wouldn't know. Apparently, the girls told Kevin. From know on, they are to tell ME.

Anyway, so after waking at 4:15, leaving home at 5 and working until 5 pm, I had to get home by 6 to get Natalie to the school by 6:05. No problem, if traffic would cooperate. It didn't. There was a wreck. *sigh* I got past the wreck and drove like an idiot, but by Oak Grove, I was back on schedule.

All this time, I'm doing "phone parenting." I do a lot of this. I do it before school, and I do it after school. Give her the remote back. Your shoe is in the dining room. Did you finish your science? (not today, she didn't.) Quit lecturing your sister. etc. Tonight, it wasn't so easy to parent via phone.

Natalie couldn't find the purple shirt. I can't help her from the car, so I advise her to find a different shirt. 15 minutes later, she'd found the shirt, but she didn't have the proper undergarments that wouldn't show. Find a different shirt, says I. *sigh*

I got home to find that there was weather I wasn't expecting. Apparently, an after-school tornadic storm tore through my living room. I flipped out, but I had to flip out quickly. We had 6 minutes to get to the school, so I completed my ranting on the way. We were 2 minutes early.

Soon after arrival, Natalie informs me that her clarinet is at home. *sigh* Back home I go, ready to cry. I notice that my gas gauge is flirting with E. I skipped that stop tonight in order to get to the school.

Kevin arrives and joins me in the CafeGymaTorium, and we're ready. I quickly tell him of my troubles, and his pea-pickin' heart leaves to go fill my tank at the next town over. That saves me a stop that I do NOT have time for tomorrow. Thanks, honey. I stay and watch a bunch of kids I don't know.

The kids I don't know get done, and half the place empties out. I don't blame them. Their kids are done, and they probably haven't had dinner, either. It's Natalie's turn. Her group goes up and gets started, and Kevin gets back.

The elementary is done, and it's time for Jr. High choir. Monica's turn. Next is High School choir. No kids of mine in there, but they were GOOD. Then comes Jr. High band. Monica's turn again. They're better than last year. They finish and we RUN! We didn't stay for the High School band. Sorry, guys. I'm HUNGRY and I haven't seen my home in over 13 hours.

Back home, we start dinner at the ludicrous hour of 8:30. It's 9:00 and we're finally eating. I have to get up in 7 hours, and I'm just now eating. I'd blame this for my weight problem, but it's probably has more to do with burgers and Doritos. I'm just sayin'.

All of that being said, I'd like to add this: I truly admire and appreciate the teachers and staff at the school for putting these things together. It's got to be a ton of work. I enjoy it, but it's so hard on the evening schedule. Working an hour away doesn't help, but most people in this town who work have a long commute.

I guess I just feel like less of a mom on days when I parent by phone. I want to HELP them get ready, not try to problem-solve via T-Mobile. I want to drop them off and pick them up when it's bitter cold, yet they walk and call to let me know they've made it. I want to have dinner on the table at a reasonable hour, yet we are eating at bed time.

Maybe we can do next years concert on Saturday? In my living room? A pot luck Christmas program! SCORE! I'll bring the Doritos.