Seriously.
Do I need one more thing to add to the fun (fiasco) of settling in after moving? Apparently so.
Enter stage left: early dismissal days for elementary schools. Each place we live has not only a different day of the week for "early day," but also a different time for sending our bundles of joy home to us. In Massachusetts it was on Wednesday and at noon. Alabama was Thursday at 1:40. Florida didn't see the need for such nonsense. And with this move it is Monday at 1:30. Monday is a day I forget to do anything, let alone pick up my kiddos. I am usually recovering from the weekend filled with family activities and non-stop cooking. Monday is my weekend and now it is early day.
Cripes.
Three years ago I was feeling pretty mom-on-the-spot; I was out hunting down items my 3rd grader needed for a costume to represent his favorite book character, all while keeping an eye on my watch for when school gets out. I still had 90 minutes. And then I got the phone call from my husband:
J: Hey. Where are you?
H: Out trying to find a bull's horn for a costume (no joke...I was truly hunting down a bull's horn). I found the blank orange shirt and finally found plain black iron-on letters.
J: Well I just got a phone call from our neighbor. Apparently our boys are yelling "MOM" and running through the house frantically searching for you. Why is this happening?
H: Ahhhh crappola. I forgot it is early day. Are you busy?
J: Yep. About to teach class.
H: Okay. Please tell our neighbor I will be home in 15 minutes.
And since it was that kind of day, when I pulled up to the gate to enter base, I wasn't all that surprised to find I forgot my ID in the same pocket I left my memory of early dismissal. Since we were new to base, I had yet to enter anyone's number into my phone so I begged the visitor center dudes into looking us up to verify our address and gave them every ID and proof of residence I had with me.
Once I was home, I did the walk of shame over to my neighbor's house to apologize and also thank her. Once I was done explaining the whole scenario, she followed up with a story of her own. There was a time she forgot about early dismissal and also her ID, except they were stationed in Hawaii at the time, her husband was TDY, and she was on a whole other island when she received the phone call from the school. We were fast friends after that admission. And I immediately entered her number into my phone.
What is your early dismissal story???
