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Friday, May 30, 2008

emotional girls

the day before yesterday anna grace came home telling me about this readers' theater her class was doing on friday...today. here's how the conversation went...

ag - will you come see my readers' theater on friday?
me - of course i will.
ag - ok. it's first thing in the morning.
me - ok...i'll be there.

yesterday ag came home and asked again.

ag - tomorrow we have readers' theater. here's my script. i'm the third elephant. are you coming?
me - yes, i said i would.
ag - i know, but last time you couldn't come.
me - ag, if i wasn't sure i would tell you that i'm not sure i'll be able to make it. i don't have anything else that i have to do. i'll be there.
ag - ok...it's at 9:45 now. she changed the time.
me - ok.

then this morning...

ag - today is my readers' theater.
me - i know.
ag - are you coming?
me - yes, i promise i will be there.
ag - it's at 9:45.
me - i know. you told me.
ag - ok...be sure to be there.
me - ok

at 8:43 the phone rings.

ag - MOM, READERS' THEATER IS AT 8:45 NOT 9:45
me - ag, i don't think i can get there in 2 minutes. i still have my pjs on and it takes 10 minutes to walk to the school.
ag - MOM, PLEASE! MY TEACHER SAID WE WOULD GO LAST.
me - ok...i'll try to make it.

i throw on clothes and am out the door in about 3 minutes. i walk/run up the hill all the way to the school. i get to the school, and there is one group doing their play. ag is sitting on the ground watching. i lean against the back wall and try not to pass out since i hadn't eaten anything and practically killed myself getting to the school.

ag sees me and mouths - you missed it.

then she came over to me and burst into tears saying that her group went first not last. so i sat down against the back wall and held her. then i started to cry as well. i missed it. after all of that i missed it.

18 comments:

Rhonda said...

Ohhhh, that breaks my heart!

I suppose to get the group together with a video camera in hand is out of the question?

Dang! I would have cried too and we have certainly been there in the same like situations.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing so heart-breaking as a child's disappointment. I've certainly been in your shoes.

(But I loved, "I'm the third elephant.")

Unknown said...

Oh that's making me cry! I'm so sorry you missed it and after all of that! Poor thing!

Anonymous said...

You are such a great mom! I know when it comes to your wee ones, there is nothing you would not do for them. I know, when they hurt, you hurt with them.

It would have been nice to have had an actual note from the teacher, to confirm the time for the parents, instead of trusting the memory of kids. They do have paper and pencils in Turkey, right?

You did everything you could, based on what you were told... Time will heal it for AG, when she is older and getting married, you can give a speech about how you were on time for the wedding, unlike her reader's theater.... {grin}

Feel better and know you are loved!

LiteralDan said...

That's sad-- the tragedies of children are always so much more grand. Hopefully she'll have another thing they don't make you miss, so she'll feel the universe has redeemed itself.

I wonder why they changed things around so much? To teach kids a harsh life lesson?

Me. Here. Right now. said...

I'm sorry you missed it. That's heartbreaking. It's happened to me too. A skit B.E.N. did in Middle School - they never started on time and his group was to be last. They were first. I still haven't forgotten the look on his face.

When we disappoint them, even when it's out of our control, it's as though it's the end of the world.

Hugs to you both.

Me. Here. Right now. said...

Oh, and once, Em was Head Cranberry. It was very cool.

Gina said...

Same thing has happened to me...several times. But she knows you tried, and it wasn't her fault.

Sara Campbell said...

Hey Natalie,

Just read your post and was sad all over again. When I heard AG call you on the office phone, and realized it was actually the time she was telling you to be there, I cringed. Wish I had thought to do some kind of song and dance and entertain everyone for the 10 min. to hold the program off. But anyway, just wanted you to know that it touched me that you were sad along with her, and I also want you to know when I read the comments already posted here, it also struck me how much I appreciate that you didn't turn the event into a blame game on others. Thanks for so often extending grace to others.Thanks for having a good attitude. You will be missed here-Sara

Natalie said...

rhonda - i know. it was sad. ag's teacher sent her home with the video camera so we could watch it together after school. she did a great job!

citizen - i know. and i think it is ok for her to have some disappointments in her life. i just hated that this was one of them!

stella - well i was able to see it later on video. and we have the script here so we may do it as a family just for fun!

charlie girl - well...it was just a readers' theater. it really wasn't a big deal. lots of parents weren't there. ag just made a big deal out of it for 3 days. for some reason it was a huge deal for her. it was ok. she ended up being fine after school was out.

literaldan - i know. she is over it already. and she thinks it's funny that her mom cried in school. at least there is something to laugh about! and i don't think anything was ever changed. i think she misunderstood the time it started.

hahn - it was sad. i don't think i would have cried if she hadn't. but as soon as she started...well i just lost it. i think i surprised her! head cranberry...nice!

gina - she does know it isn't my fault. she even knows that it wasn't really her fault. it was just a mistake. easy to make. it is good now.

sara - it was so sad. i'm not sure why it was such a big deal for her. it surprised me honestly. and then after all that talk i still missed it! ms. sneed did send her video camera home with ag so that we could watch it together. that was good. and really it wasn't anyone's fault. ag just misunderstood. really her first statement about it being first thing in the morning was right. somehow she got confused! oh well. that's life! i'm sure there will be plenty of other programs to attend!

Heather said...

awww.that make ME want to cry! please tell me someone took video of it. That way you could plan a mother-daughter premiere night. popcorn, soda, pjs...she could introduce it and you could interview her :)

HeyJoe said...

That sucks, Nat. Sorry about that. Sounds like you did the best you could under the circumstances. AG understands, I'm sure. Go out for ice cream sundaes. You'll both feel better.

Lost In Splendor said...

Oooh. :( I am so sorry you missed it. Maybe she can o her part for you at home so you can still get to see it?

Anonymous said...

ug--sorry to hear that.

Michelle said...

That's so sad... and so sweet at the same time! Only a mom would hoof it that way. So sweet how important it was for her that you were there. Fingers crossed that next time it works out for both of you!

Oh, and thank AllMediocre for sending me your way.

Natalie said...

thewishfulwriter - i know. i think everyone wanted to cry. it was sad. but yes...there was a video and yes we have watched it. she did great!

heyjoe - i know. it did suck. and ag is fine now. it was short-lived sadness.

sparkliesunshine - thanks. we have the script and plan an encore performance at home!

vanessa - thanks. she's ok now thankfully.

michelle - thanks for the visit! i have seen so many of her things over the past 6 years, and i know there will be plenty more! it was just one performance.

The Over-Thinker said...

Ohhhh, that's rough. I'm glad to read that you had an encore performance at home.

However, I must let you know that this further proves the need for moms to sleep in their clothes. And to also have the ability to manipulate the time-space continuum. So good luck with that :)

Natalie said...

over-thinker - it was rough. but we are over it now. and next time there is something i have to be at school for i'll consider your idea of sleeping in my clothes! it would have saved me 3 whole minutes!