You know how I wrote a big long "to do list" for the weekend? And I had all these things to do to get Abby ready for a slumber party because they were picking her straight up from the practice and taking her with a group of girls to Build a Bear workshop and she had to be ready for her game the next morning? Well Friday night I freaked out that no where on that list (or in my head) was a plan to get a present!! It was almost 10pm and too late to do anything about it. How could I send my child to a birthday party with no present?? Because I'm a busy and distracted individual! Right now I'm consumed with planning for PTO next year. Because the busiest part is getting everything ready for the year. I'm also thinking about Children's Liturgy and the CD I want to make. In addition to this, I've been researching my purchase for a mini-disc audio recorder with great passion! Meanwhile, my daughter is at a birthday with every girl excited to see the birthday girl's reaction when they open her gift. I'm picturing Abby explaining that she doesn't have a gift. These are the times when I say,"Ouch...I messed up." I know beating myself up doesn't help any, but I usually have to spend at least a little time wallowing in it, and then I develop an acceptable plan and move on.
Yesterday morning, I woke up early, ran to Target for a card, forged my daughter's signature in my best 2nd grade writing, stuffed $15 in the card and headed to the slumber party. When I got there, I apologized that Abby didn't have her gift (not going into the details of the fact that the gift had not even been planned) and laughed at how I was so busy thinking of everything else but forgetting the most important thing. She laughed with me and I was on my merry way taking Abby to her game.
When I drove into the parking lot of what I thought was a Knight's of Columbus field, I realized it was not a Knight's of Columbus at all. I drove down the drive and there was no one on the fields. I was at the wrong place. I was not going to get Abby to her game with 15 minutes to spare like her coach had just requested in e-mail. I also realized that I had given Ted's dad directions to this very field. Trying to get Abby to her game on time, I rushed out of the parking lot and frantically called Ted. He told me where the K of C was and I quickly drove in that direction. I got there right before the game started and apologized to the coach (PTO Treasurer), explaining my error. Ted called and said his dad did not have his cell phone on him and if I could please drive to the other field and look for him. I did. *Sigh*...he was no where to be found. Meanwhile, when I get back, the parents are laughing at me and my predicament. Finally Ted's dad showed up. He said he drove back and forth looking for the K of C fields and then finally pulled over and asked someone who led him in the right direction.
Whew! I'm glad he found it and he got to watch 45 minutes of the game. I would have felt so bad if he had to go all the way back home. He was gracious and forgiving. But a thought kept going through my head, "And I'm going to run the PTO?? People are going to wonder how the heck I'm going to do it if I can't get details like this straight!!" I can be hard on myself, but I also know when to back down from the mental tongue lashings. When I shared my story with my sister, she told me about a couple of times she came without a gift and said,"Oops! I left the card at home." When really there was no card or gift and she had to go buy both and come back. It's so good to hear other people's errors and to know I'm not alone. I remember when Lisa left her car running the whole time we were at a mall shopping, eating and watching a movie...three hours!!! Other than a low gas tank, all was fine! It made me feel better to remember that after I left my car door open while I shopped at the mall. My DVD player was still in the car!!
So yes, I think the PTO will be fine in my hands. I'm just worried about my home life!! What will I mess up and forget while I'm so busy with the PTO?? I'm sure there will be many more things I will have to forgive myself for.
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