Having a perfectionist personality, it is difficult for me when I screw something up (for example, that "up" is a little dangling preposition...sitting out there...bothering me...but watch, I am leaving it to prove that I can). Since becoming a single (really only) parent almost 6 years ago, I have had to learn to adjust to the fact that I just can't keep up with everything. Accepting that is not an easy feat, I have to say. I have learned that I am going to forget things, times appointments, homework things for the boys...it is going to happen. And I have to let it roll. After all, parenting is not a one-man job...and I am the only one...
So last week, the second to last week of school, all of the boys activities were coming to an end, shows, concerts, performances, parties, etc. I was exhausted from the week before that when I volunteered every day at the theater for Luke's group in Children's Chorus. In trying to get all of the boys schedules straight and with countless emails updating the wheres, whens and hows, my brain somehow failed to communicate with itself.
In one part of my brain, I was trying to plan for Luke to go on choir tour with the chorus. What to pack, where to be, when to be there. I had the list. Get there Friday at 4, pick him up Monday at 7. Get him packed. Moving on the Jake's birthday party, Sunday School party, mowing grass, friend to play with Joseph. Got it. All planned.
In the meantime, I received multiple emails from the church reminding me that Luke was to acolyte on Sunday at 8 am. Ok. Got it. We will go to the 8 o'clock church service, get some lunch, stop at the store and pick up something to take to the Sunday School party. Ok. All good.
At some point on Friday afternoon before this busy weekend, my brain connected and I realized that Luke was scheduled to acolyte Sunday and wouldn't be home until Monday night. The deadline to get a substitute name to the church office was Thursday afternoon. Well, crap. I debated calling around in a frantic frenzy on Friday and Saturday, but I was already frantic enough trying to get a birthday party done in the midst of everything else. So I went to Jake. Jake did not sign up to acolyte. He hates to be in front of people, doesn't like to be the center of attention. He had never done it. I asked him to help and upon his reticence, I offered to remind him of all of the things I have done for him lately. He politely declined my offer and said he would do it. And he did it with a good attitude.
The weekend ended up going smoothly and all was well in the Reosti house. That is the lesson, really, that even when you screw it up, it usually works out in the end, right? Oh, and thank goodness for spare kids...
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