One of THOSE days

I should have known when Jack woke me up this morning before 5 a.m. to tell me there was a button missing on his uniform shirt that today wouldn't make my Top 10 Days of 2007 list.

I had a busy morning planned. Take Jack to school at 7:45. Take Maria to school at 9:00. Kill some time until the MOMs club meeting at 10:00 (for which I was donating a beautiful Uppercase Living expression for a door prize). Kill a little more time. Pick up Maria at noon.

Well, things didn't go exactly as planned. I did get Jack and Maria delivered. As far as killing a little time before the MOMs Club meeting... well, things went a little awry.

I grabbed a coffee at Lasater's and then brilliantly asked Luke if he thought we should go to the park. A resounding "YES!" from the back seat. Perfect. The park is just 2 minutes from the MOMs Club meeting. Wooohoooo!

We enjoy ourselves at the park and with 5 minutes to spare, I gather the boys and head to the car. As I'm walking, I feel my pockets for the keys. No keys. Hahaha. Feel around some more. No keys. The panic is starting to rise in my chest. Desperately I feel around some more (by this time I'm sure the other park-goers thought I was a little weird). NO KEYS. I walk to the van. There are the keys! On the front seat, next to my fabulous door prize.

Now guess: Were the doors to the van (a) locked or (b) unlocked?

If you chose (a) locked, you're a winner! Thankfully, I had my phone in my pocket. Not that I wish illness on people, but I'm also thankful that Max puked all over himself at preschool this morning, because that meant that my wonderful friend Kristina was in her car somewhere (and not at the Y) just waiting to respond to my distress signal.

Remember the PK* days? I don't know about you, but we were so critical of all those parents we observed doing what we thought was such a terrible job. Or, how about when you first became pregnant? We were always saying, "We'll never _______!" (Fill in your favorite affront to parenting here.) For example, who in the h*ll would EVER allow their child to ride UNRESTRAINED in a car?!? We'd NEVER do that! Well, I ate my words today (admittedly not for the first time). With my van locked up tight, we had to transport Sam *gasp* unrestrained, in my lap, in the front seat of Kristina's car. (Luke was lucky enough to score a booster, as Riley was in school.)

It was a morning of endless driving, but: we all made it through unharmed; the MOMs Club got their door prize [barely] before the meeting ended; Kristina was ever so thankful for having something to do other than tend her sick child at home; and, we made it to preschool for Maria's dismissal with plenty of time to spare (albeit a bit crabby).

So, I have to admit the morning wasn't all bad. I also had a wonderfully light moment on the drive home when my sister called to tell me the Poop-in-the-Hamper story. (Remind me not to complain anymore about the things I find in the bottom of my hamper.) I was cracking up! I think I was still laughing about it when we arrived home. Until, that is, I let the dog out of her crate only to have her shake pee all over me.

What time is it? Not even 1 p.m.?

Maybe I'll feel encouraged if I reflect some more on the good things:

• My wonderful friend Kristina.
• My sister's hilarious story.
• The wine I've got sitting in the fridge!
• Maria's "dance" (seen here) - which was kind of a pick-me-up this afternoon :-)

• Oh! And my wonderful husband, Dan, who just called to tell me he loves me... and that he'll be very late tonight.

Maria's letter of the week at school this week is "F". Coincidence? I think not.

*prekid