Last week I wrote about what I missed out here in the country, the birth of a new calf.
This week as I view the texts, facebook and flickr photos of what husband is not missing, I update him at night on the phone of what I’m not missing. The updates tickle him, just as his do me.
Taking a break from daughter and grandson, my dear high school friend who lives just ten minutes from our old neighborhood and I met up at the local eatery for lunch. Waiting for her to arrive, I ran into three other city friends who caught me up with what we’ve missed since the move in June. I texted Rick letting him know who I’d run into. “So cool. Plez say hi,” was his response. High school friend arrived and she greeted me with this decal from our high school in another state.
She had gone for a homecoming reunion, the football game and filled me in on old friends. I was sorry to have missed the homecoming game. It would have been fun to sit in the stands again to hear the alma mater and watch the game. We reminisced about the Cocoa Beach minutemen, our mascot, the space industry back in the day and the beach. After lunch, I suggested we go shopping. Of course, we shopped for the grand kids where every grandmas’ $ goes. I picked up a jacket for grandson and other long-sleeved things for our change of weather and to save for Christmas giving.During the week, daughter asked, “Mom, today I forwarded you a whole bunch of e-mails from the school. Could you please read through it all and fill me in? Honestly, working moms need a personal assistant to keep up with the inbox.” I remembered my high school’s motto, “Never say die” and shared the decal with her. “We can do this,” I assured her. “We can play this game.”
The following morning after daughter’s request, I started clicking through the e-mail inbox. The first item was dated from the previous day. “Tomorrow is picture day for the band. Remember to wear a red shirt.”
“Uh-oh,” I thought, as I remembered grandson looking handsome in a black and turquoise striped shirt that morning! Wrong shirt! I looked at the clock. 8:30 AM. I ran to his closet, pulled out a red shirt and high-tailed it to his school with the precision of a minuteman rocket, safely of course. Those sweet ladies at the front office were on it. They made a call to his grade level teacher who sent her aid to pick up the shirt. As I left the school, I heard the announcement, “Fifth grade band members, please go to the cafeteria for band pictures.” I pulled out my phone to note the time. 8:50 AM. I wanted to do a happy dance filled with the feeling of having caught a football pass and then launching it to the wide end receiver! “Let’s hear it for minuteman grandma ready at a moment’s notice,” I fairly sang to myself.
Back to my computer, I continued to respond to elementary school e-mail. Volunteers were needed for Family Night. “If your child signs up to work, his hours and a family member’s can count toward his community service hours.”
“Okay, I’m on it.” I signed him and daughter up and forwarded daughter the info. Again, I felt like a football player gaining two yards on a fourth down.
On Family Night, we went to our assigned cold drink station outside on a playground field where we were to take tickets and serve drinks. After about thirty minutes, grandson was getting cold. He had resisted wearing a jacket when we left home. One of the moms working with me suggested, “How about grabbing a jacket from the lost and found? It would be like borrowing an umbrella.” Thankfully, I remembered the new jacket in a shopping bag still in the trunk of my car. “Go,” the other moms dispatched me. “He’ll be fine with us.” I ran off and returned with the gray and maroon jacket that amazingly matched the gray shorts and maroon A&M shirt he was wearing. No, that was not planned. “Yes, another pass caught and thrown,” I sighed, very relieved.
This past week there were more e-mails. Volunteers were needed to work the student store on Friday. Daughter couldn’t work during school hours, so I signed up myself. There was a raffle for extra recess that I chose to work. The class with the most number of school dollars, play money teachers had passed out over the grading period as rewards for various things, could buy an extra recess. I chose it because I knew that booth would attract his attention. Ever since his move from another state, he has commented “They only have one recess here.” Apparently, his previous school had morning and afternoon recess routinely. The extra recess table was a hit with kids pooling their dollars so their class would win. Grandson’s face lit up — Touchdown!– when he saw me and he generously spent part of his school dollars for a chance for his class to win an extra recess.
How awesome you are!! Go Minuteman – you are definitely always on target & ready to fill the need!! Love how you volunteer – it’s a lot of work but very rewarding, esp when your grandson so excitedly sees you there. You’re the best!! They are blessed to have you, my friend. XO
Thank you for providing the inspiration for this post, Minuteman friend.
You’re SuperGram, Georgette! What a delightful post to read. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jill. Just had to write about “What I haven’t missed,” which just kind of wrote itself.
Holy cow! There is a lot of stuff for parents to do at the school. You’re daughter is lucky (and I know you love it too) but I can’t help wondering what other working moms do! You had a great week! There is nothing better than being engaged with old friends and family.
It was a great week. I loved your post this morning describing the young shoppers at your upscale mall. I took my place next to the young stay at home moms dressed similarly while I wore my latest Chico’s. PS You and I know, grandson didn’t care in the least what I was wearing much less remember. 🙂
I love Chico’s clothes. Comfy.
Wow – that’s great that you’re able to help out your daughter and grandson; sounds like there’s a lot going on at that school!
It’s a very active school! Besides keeping up with homework galore, we want to be sure grandson sees us involved.
you ARE supergram! and superMOM to your daughter who is stretched too thin. bless you!
Family is a business nowadays requiring all the personnel available.
You are certainly super gramma!! They are lucky to have you.
Thanks, Darlene. I’m lucky to be able to be with them which wasn’t possible when they were 1,000 miles away.
Super Grandma to the rescue! They’re so blessed to have you.
So blessed my husband supports this endeavor recognizing it as an investment in time, and is as tickled as I am with the good news it brings.
Super Grandma wins the day!
🙂
You are SuperGram! And I can tell you love it! Love the football reference you have going on.. 🙂
Thank you, Pix. ’tis the season for football.
Yes! Go Mizzou!! 😀
They sure are lucky to have Superwoman on their team! Go, Grandma!
Oh my, thank you…the main thing is I would do anything to give grandson every opportunity.
What a blessing you are! You must be a football fan, because you reported it perfectly. 🙂
Just want to dot “i’s” and cross “t’s” as needed.
Your daughter is so lucky to have you helping, Georgette, checking email and all that. Seems like they send a lot of emails, too. Grandma to the rescue!
The inbox is amazing and takes daily monitoring. Goodness!
I love how you saved the day with the red shirt.
Back in the dinosaur days before e=mail, my youngest would give me those notes the week AFTER whatever I was supposed to do. I just knew the teacher was tallying all the misses in the “bad mom” column, not “forgetful kid.”
First, thank you for reading all these words. About the red shirt, I just breathed a prayer of “Thank you, God, he’s not the kid in the picture with the wrong shirt.” It was meant to be.
Georgette — you do understand! You get it, completely. 🙂 Thanks for alerting me to this post. I miss being able to keep up with my favorite blogs — but as you know — there just isn’t enough time in the day. I had the kids home on break and somehow had MORE time, which is why I’m here now. Doesn’t make sense. But there are a lot of hours in the day, and us moms/grandmas sure do know how to make the most of them.
I loved this line, “Let’s hear it for minuteman grandma ready at a moment’s notice!” It’s perfect. And congratulations on getting the shirt there on time. So much pressure! I have been there, my friend, so many times. Of the three days of school the kids have this week, I will be there for one of them (for art, as I mentioned). And prior to that, I have a whole checklist of things to accomplish, including finding ornaments with a matte finish, not shiny for a secondary project. But you summed it up perfectly in your last line. Why do we do these things? Because there is no greater feeling than seeing your little one’s face light up — touchdown indeed!
Thank you for reading and commenting on top of your already busy schedule. I know. I too, am trying to keep up with the blogs. Since the move out to the country and playing nanny during the week, I have kept up somewhat, but not the way I once did. Of course, I wouldn’t trade this time with grandson and daughter for anything, and fortunately, my husband understands.