Your dad was gone this evening and I was doubly committed -- to a district event and a Bunco game (clearly one more important than the other, though I won't say which is which).
Enter Sara.
She is our current teen sitter, since both Ally and Angie went off to college (although I suppose Angie was more your sister's sitter than yours, having gone off to college the fall after you were born).
I know you had a great time with Sara and she was so proud of how she got you to go to bed without much fuss (although you did throw her off by refusing your bed, opting instead for the floor by the door). I love that she left your door open so that you wouldn't feel all trapped in your room with your parents gone.
I asked her to take some pictures of the things you guys did while she was with you. She happily obliged, and even tried to get a video of you singing "I am the Church" (which is what your sister's choir recently sang in church and which Sara's mom pointed out might be of particular significance to you since you are discovering that your name is part of our church... St. John's.... you really are the church, Sara's mom said, which I thought was hilarious).
I had an okay time at the district event, but the number of people who knew who I was and why I was there made it so that I was very, very, very glad I went. I had a great time at Bunco afterwards, though, and was so glad I went to that.
I do have to share this one story with you, though, as your mother tries to enter the world of hobnobbing and attending fancy district shindigs....
I went to the party knowing I would have to make small talk and mingle and otherwise be sociable. So when I arrive and saw an older gentleman getting out of his car just behind me, I walked in with him, chatting. He asked my name and gave me his. I mentioned that I was a teacher in town. He asked how
long I had been in the district (I told him five years, though I wish now I had gotten confused and told him four). Since this
event was for local businesses as well as educators and he still hadn't
given me much indication of who he was, I asked how he was involved in
the event. He said, and I quote, "I'm the mayor." Followed shortly by,
"And I was the interim superintendent of schools five years ago." I
stopped, looked at him and said the only thing I could think of. "I
guess I should have known that. I'm sorry." He smiled and made it be
okay and when we got inside and there was a table of name tags, I looked right at him and said, "Well now that I know who you are, I guess I can find your name tag" and handed his to him.
It was terribly awkward, but happily the only akward moment of the evening. The rest of the time I found church friends (and really, who knew our church had so many connected individuals) and chatted with them or found people who knew my school and I could happily chat about the school and how wonderful it is to be there.
I almost wanted to be sorry I wasn't at home with you, but when I saw the pictures of the evening, I knew you were far happier with Sara to entertain you than you would have been with just a tired from the school day mama.
I guess that's why we hire teenage babysitters.
Love,
Mom
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