This is a little tribute to one of my kids favorite funny books,
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
Since I recently shared one of the best days of my life, I thought it would be okay to share one of my bad ones too. Gratefully, there was no permanent harm to anyone, just a bad day. I wrote it out all in good humor and to remember the irony. If I laugh at myself, then maybe I can forget all the embarrassment. I do apologize for crying in all my stories.
Yes, this post is long.
The actual day felt like an eternity.
***************************************
My tired eyes awoke to three
pimples bigger than the rising sun. The busy day before had left me
mountains of laundry, toys, and dishes to conquer. I tried to start
sorting out my day.
Cracking eggs, dipping bread, and
scrambling for books and shoes were all set to a redundant tune of a song Chase
had written about having surgery. "Be careful what you wish
for," I told him. He kept singing.
I could tell this was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very
bad day.
As we sprinted to school, he
still kept singing the surgery song. Oh,
how I looked forward to that being stuck in my head all day!
I kindly asked the little songwriter to please not
sing that in class all day. He wouldn't want to get in trouble for
disrupting class (or sending teacher to the psych's couch, to boot). He
frowned. I felt bad for spoiling his good mood.
Sommer got out at the curb and
Chase wrapped his tentacles to his seat. I could feel the laser eyes
boring into me as I sat in the car line- not moving in orderly fashion. I gave a smile, an apology and lots of
encouragement to my Chaser. He didn’t
budge. I got out of the car, still sporting pajamas, bed head, and
remember the pimples? Yes, they came too- without a stitch of make up to even
pretend. I physically removed the boy from my car, whispering positives
in his ear.
"But you said
trouble!" he cried. "No, no. I just meant IF you
disrupt the class. But, I know you are smarter than that. You will
be awesome. It is going to be a great day!" But really I could
tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
"But you can't leave
me!" He cried. "School is too long to be away from you!"
"Chaser, you love school!!
Once you get in there, you will be busy and have fun. You'll be
home before you know it!" I ushered his frown and pleading eyes into
the school with all the pride a mama can get when she looks like a hobo in a
sea of properly dressed children and adults.
I think I'll move to Australia.
Chase gave me one last look as I
left him in class. You know, the one that says,
"Don't you love me at all? "
I thought of talking to the office staff, but
vanity won out as I made a beeline to my car instead. I decided I would
call until I remembered that the day before my phone bit the dust. No
phone! So, I said a prayer.
At home, I slathered some cream
on my poor complexion, threw my bedding in the washer, and finally was going have
some breakfast. I ate three bites of french toast when there was a knock
at the door. My bright- eyed (and dressed for the day) neighbor was standing
there with a phone. "The school called and said Chase is having a
hard day. They wanna know if you can come down." She said.
I washed off the mask with a hot
tears and cold water. I threw on jeans, Braydon's flip-flops, and a ponytail.
Livvy and I sprinted to the school for the second time that day.
The counselor and I spent the
next hour and a half reassuring Chase, and giving each other the condensed soup
versions of what we understood about Chase’s situation. I was a little
mentally and emotionally drained when I left and Chase went back to class.
I took Livvy straight to
preschool, an hour late. As I pulled in the driveway (hungry), a neighbor
stopped and talked to me about dogs and football
(I think) until I had to go back
to get Livvy.
Little Livs needed extra time to
finish her painting so we worked on that at preschool until it was time for her
weekly dance class. Just minutes to stop by the house were all we had to get
her dressed. I did get some good reminders
of all my housework that sat completely neglected too. Livvy had eaten good snacks at preschool
but, I had no time for even a quick lunch.
I grabbed her a spoon of peanut butter but forgot one for me. I was having a terrible, horrible, no good,
very bad day and I couldn’t even call and tell anyone.
After Livvy's dance class, It was time to pick up kids from school. An employee working in the car
line, ever so kindly yelled out that my son was in the office.
"He's been in there all
afternoon. They want you to go in."
Thank you, kind sir, for
announcing that as loud as you could in front of all the parents, I thought.
I like keeping it real.
I sprinted in the school
for the third time that day, but I really wanted to go bury myself in the
sandbox. I bet those people hate the site of my face.
Again, with no phone or
forewarning, I was anxious and sick at what was going on by that time.
For the next two hours, we discussed again how to lessen Chase’s tears and
frustrations, while my own were building.
My confidence was dwindling-- wondering
if I was a good enough mom to meet my child’s special needs. Days like that, it’s
easy to feel defeated.
It was after 5 pm when I walked
out those doors.
And locked myself out of the
school.
A real problem when I realized
that my kids were all reading in the school library.
Um...yeah.
For the next half hour, no one
heard me knocking, but at least it started raining.
When the kids came out,
Braydon told me, "I'm late
for dance."
"I know. Let's go." I
said.
"I also have parent teacher
conferences tonight too. Right now actually." he said.
"What?? Tonight? Now???"
I asked.
"Tomorrow" I said,
"I am going to Australia."
Although, by this point, I’d have
been slap happy at a Motel 6 in the ghetto. (With a large Slurpee and a lawn chair of
course.)
I took the younger kids home.
Sommer was going to babysit and make PB&Js.
Wade had a big project at work
and was going to be home late.
I pulled our open top jeep in the
garage as fast as I could, but got soaked in the rain and by sitting on the wet
seats.
It was a terrible, horrible, no
good, very bad day!
I rushed Braydon to dance and
went straight to his school. I stood cold and wet in 7 different lines to talk to his
teachers for the next two hours. All great reports, thankfully, but
really I was more interested in the m&ms and sprites some teachers had at
their tables. :)
I still had not eaten all day, except three bites of French
toast, and it was almost 8:00 at night.
On my way to pick up Braydon,
my windshield wiper tore apart
and I could hardly see to drive in the pouring rain. At the dance studio I ran to the door, still
wearing Braydon’s flip-flops, and I slipped into a big puddle of slimy water.
My ego could have done without that.
I was wet, cold, starving,
thirsty, exhausted, hurting and hopeless.
This seriously felt like
the most terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
We got home around 8:20. Wade was
just pulling in too. I collapsed in his arms and would have stayed there
forever, except he brought home pizza. :) (My hero)
As we put kids to bed, Chase
cried for a while. I wrapped my arms around him until he felt better and fell
asleep. But, I felt awful.
I cried, No, Sobbed when
I noticed I never had a chance to dry my bedding all day and that it, like me,
was soaking wet and cold. All I wanted
was to climb into bed in warm blankets and let that day be over! I threw the bedding in the dryer and sat with
my husband and cried some more. He
comforted me as I told him what a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day it
had been.
It really was.
He said some days are just like that.
Even in Australia.
And possibly at the Motel 6 too.
