Suddenly *Not So* Single Journey

And I just keep bucking…

Author: thenicknick

There I was, on vacation eve, eager to get everything done to go on our trip…TODAY.  And I just kept hitting road blocks!  Seriously.

It all began when I realized that I wouldn’t be able to file the papers I needed to file to claim the agreed upon child support that the ex owes.  Yes, we’re five figures deep now in back child support and I’m putting my foot down.  (Or up…depending on how you want to look at it.)  And that, dear readers, is the answer to the question…why am I always so broke?  (That and underemployment.)

So, no worries.  I’d just complete the other paperwork, get it notarized, photocopied, and turned in before we leave in the morning.  And for my next trick, I will balance a cow on my nose while juggling flaming balls of death.  Ta da!

Then, I discovered that it was Meet the Teacher Night at Rachel’s school.  And God forbid that I should be seen as less than loving and supportive.  No, not me.  Well, that was scheduled from 6-8pm.  No problem!

All I had to do was work all day, come home, get the papers notarized, run to the school, meet Rachel (she stayed after for the writing club) and Breanna, meet the teachers, get the groceries, drop off Breanna, run home, do the laundry, pack, and clean.  Sounds like a job for…Super Mom!  Unfortunately, I’m channeling super tired mom, which is so not the same.

The night moved along really well.  I was on track, on target.  I was gonna get it all done on my preconceived time frame.  I knew when my body would hit done-thirty.  Pressing on…

That’s when I arrived at the school.  Rachel was all wound up.  She loves a chance to perform.  It started in the parking lot with her jumping up and down as she tried to attract my attention.

Rachel:  Mommy!  I’m here!  I’m right here!

So, we headed off to her homeroom.  She ran part of the way and lost me.  Luckily, I knew which room she’d be in since I was just here a week and a half ago.  Dammit.  (That was the open house with no teachers and no open rooms.  Such a misnomer.)

I struggled to pull open the door, with no luck.  Her homeroom teacher took pity on me and let me in.  And as I entered, I hear a chorus of…

“HI, MOMMY!”

Yup.  Rachel, Breanna, and Ashley.  And a room of baffled parents.

me: I’m only claiming one of them.

Minutes later, after we finished planning our route, our bubble was burst and we discovered they were going to do that thing where they forced us to walk the schedule.  And going that route, we wouldn’t be finished until *gulp* 8pm.  Right.

Well, on my schedule, I was at home unpacking groceries and doing laundry at 8pm.  This simply wouldn’t do.  We held on as long as we could, really we did.  We met her English teacher, who announced to the entire room that Rachel was an amazing writer.  (You can’t see me, but I’m glowing with pride.)

We headed to art class.  She had the same teacher last year.  And her text from Ashley said that the parents had to draw and experience art class.  News flash.  I can’t draw.  Okay, I may make a mean stick figure and my smiley faces are without compare, but that is the end of my skill.

Colleen to the rescue!  Yes, Ashley’s mom slid me her work.  It was awesome, just like we were in school all over again.  Or maybe more like we were kids again.

I confidently walked in the room, matched my drawing to the shoes on the table.  I sat and smiled.  Rachel chuckled.

And then her teacher announced that we were going to be drawing bones.  Well, crap!  And the drawings were to be contour drawings…whatever that meant.

I drew.  And I drew and I drew and I drew.  I made the best stinking leg EVER.  I even drew toe bones.  I was so proud.

Rachel: That’s not contour drawing.

me: Of course it is.

Rachel: Nope.  Contour means one long curving line.

And I glanced around the room.  Hmmm.  No worries.  So, I simply threw another paper over it, and traced around it.  Rachel laughed.  I thought I was rather ingenious.

Oh, but the clock was ticking.  And my patience was waning.  And I had so much to do and places to be.  We made our graceful exit.  We rushed to the grocery store.  And we made it home…almost on my time schedule.

So, I hope you’ll understand if I simply say my goodbyes for now.  And when I write again, I’ll be happy and relaxed.  So very happy and relaxed.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 3rd, 2010 at 12:01 am and is filed under Reflections. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.